In the heart of New York City, there’s always something dynamic happening. From thought-provoking panels and conferences with high-profile policymakers and business leaders to student-led programs to conversations and debate forums with civic leaders, these events reflect New York Law School’s vibrant role at the intersection of legal education and real-world impact. Read about a few of the spring highlights at 185 West Broadway.
JANUARY 2025
On January 27, students, faculty, and staff engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz, on current issues facing our criminal justice system.
FEBRUARY 2025
Omar Gómez Trejo, a former special prosecutor in Mexico, came to campus on February 4 for an insightful discussion, moderated by Professor Claire R. Thomas ’11, on the complexities of human rights investigations and the pursuit of justice in cases involving state and organized crime collusion. Mr. Gómez Trejo shared with students his experiences leading the investigation into the forcible disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College in Guerrero, Mexico, after a confrontation with Mexican law enforcement.
Pierre Hazan—a prominent figure in conflict mediation and transitional justice who played significant roles in back-channel mediation in Bosnia, Ukraine, the Sahel, and the Central African Republic— visited NYLS for a thought-provoking conversation with students on armed conflict mediation and his reflections on the political and ethical “red lines” that shape talks with armed interlocutors, including states and insurgents. The discussion was held on February 6 and moderated by NYLS Professor Ruti G. Teitel, Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law.
On February 6 and 7, the Institute on Justice Policy Implementation held a two-day conference titled “Implementing Misdemeanor Justice: Rethinking Misdemeanor Practice” for policymakers, advocates, and practitioners from around the country to have strategic discussions on ways in which discovery and bail reform have failed to take into consideration certain implementation challenges and seeking to identify a coherent framework for criminal court practice in the wake of the impact of discovery reform on misdemeanors. The keynote address by Alexandra Natapoff, Lee S. Kreindler Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, centered on misdemeanor declination, followed by a dialogue with NYLS Professor Justin Murray.
New York Law School, along with Immigrant-ARC and the Federal Bar Association's Immigration Law Section, hosted the 10th Annual Asylum and Immigration Law Conference. The two-day event took place February 6 and 7 and featured a range of fundamental and advanced CLE panels and programs on current asylum and immigration topics, featuring over 40 expert speakers including many NYLS faculty members and alumni.
In honor of National Entrepreneurship Week, The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment partnered with BMCC Small Business/Entrepreneurship Program and the Laughing Man Foundation to hold a panel and community meet-and-greet for local Tribeca small business owners on February 20. Attendees heard key information from experts on legal issues affecting small businesses and resources for New York City small businesses.
MARCH 2025
On March 3, the Tricarico Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel hosted a career panel with Aréal Allen-Lee ’14, Director, Product Regulatory Counsel, Hermès, and Matthew Kaufman ’99, Senior Counsel, Global IT/IP, Metlife, for students interested in working in product and marketing law.
NYLS’s Center for New York City and State Law partnered with Citizens Budget Commission to host a New York City Comptroller Candidate Debate on March 18 with candidates Mark Levine, 28th Borough President of Manhattan, and Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember for the 43rd District. The debate was moderated by Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission, and Ben Max, Program Director of the Center for New York City and State Law.
On March 20, NYLS hosted “Law, Religion, and Civil Society in Challenging Times,” a special event to explore the rapidly changing legal landscape for both faith-based and secular nonprofit organizations. The program featured a keynote dialogue bridging partisan and religious divides, followed by panel discussions of tax, nonprofit, and immigration law.
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NYLS students, faculty, and staff, and our wider New York community gathered on the evening of March 20 for a book talk celebrating Adjunct Professor Diane Kiesel’s new book, When Charlie Met Joan: The Tragedy of the Chaplin Trials and the Failings of American Law. The book examines the Charlie Chaplin paternity trials in the 1940s, asking whether Chaplin was unfairly persecuted for his left-leaning political beliefs or if he should have been held more accountable for his treatment of Barry and other women in his life. The discussion was filmed on C-Span and aired later in the spring.
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On March 28, NYLS’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law hosted a full-day symposium to commemorate 50 years since Goss v. Lopez, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision on students’ disciplinary due process rights. Civil rights attorneys, education law experts from the NYLS faculty and other law schools, the Solutions Not Suspensions coalition, and New York State Attorney General and legislative representatives gathered on campus to reflect upon the impact of Goss v. Lopez on students’ access to education and discuss the future of students’ educational rights under United States and New York law.
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APRIL 2025
The annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit was April 4. The event brought together in-house counsel, attorneys in private practice, and NYLS students to learn about and engage on pressing issues of defending organizations’ machines, systems, and networks from cyber harm and how to craft effective cyber programs with the inclusion of counsel.
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On April 8, the Center for New York City and State Law partnered with New Yorkers for Parks and the Play Fair Coalition to host a livestreamed public forum ahead of the June mayoral primary. New York City mayoral candidates Adrienne Adams, Michael Blake, Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, and Scott Stringer spoke about their positions and policies on parks, recreation, and open space in NYC and answered questions in a public Q&A.
MAY 2025
On Law Day, May 1, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation Jocelyn Strauber came to New York Law School for a timely talk with Center for New York City and State Law Program Director Ben Max on how fact-finding improves government and protects democracy.
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JUNE 2025
On June 3, New York Law School hosted a Manhattan Borough President debate before the June primary election, featuring Democratic candidates Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Keith Powers, and Calvin Sun. The debate was moderated by Center for New York City and State Law Program Director Ben Max.
The Center for New York City and State Law invited the NYLS community and the public to the 199th CityLaw Breakfast on June 17, where featured speaker Congressman Dan Goldman, 10th District of New York, spoke about democracy, corruption, and the erosion and rebuilding of public trust.
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Student Symposiums and Competitions
NYLS student organizations planned and presented symposiums and competitions for the student body and wider legal community over the course of the spring semester.
From February 28–March 2, the Moot Court Association hosted the 49th Annual Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Competition, the nation’s largest student-run moot court competition and the premier national competition dedicated exclusively to the areas of labor and employment law.
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On March 21, the Legal Association of Women hosted its annual symposium. More than twenty women lawyers shared their advice and insights about working in the legal profession.
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On April 3, the Intellectual Property Law Society and the Media Entertainment and Fashion Law Association hosted its second annual symposium. The event featured a full-day of professional panels discussing the current issues in the practice including artificial intelligence and licensing, intellectual property rights in film and television, branding, and more.
Student and Alumni Connections
NYLS student organizations hosted dinners and events to engage with alumni and build connections and networks.
The Legal Association for Women held an Alumni Panel on February 13.
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The Italian Law Students Organization held an Alumni Reception on March 17.
The Black Law Students Association held the 29th Annual Alumni Awards Dinner on March 28.
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The Womxn of Color Collective held an Alumni Mixer on April 1.
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The Asian Pacific American Law Students Association held an Alumni Dinner on April 17.
New York Law School Law Review held their Annual Benefit Banquet on April 30.
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