Looking Back at 135 Years of New York Law School
Change can be difficult.
In 1890, Theodore Dwight, one of the most influential legal educators of the 19th Century, resigned as Warden of the law school of what was then Columbia College. Since 1858, Dwight had dominated formal legal education in New York City. He created the “Dwight Method,” under which students read legal treatises, were examined on legal principles and their application, and, after two years, earned an LL.B. By the time he resigned, the school had over 600 students and was the largest law school in the United States.
But Dwight’s success at training lawyers was not enough for those Columbia trustees determined to transform the college into a university. They looked instead to Harvard, then the nation's only university law school. Harvard distinguished itself through a new method of teaching, which started with students reading cases and then, through in-class discussion, constructing the principles behind them. When Columbia’s president hired a Harvard Law School faculty member to convert the law school’s methodology to the new model, Dwight resigned, and his colleagues, George Chase and Richard Petty, resigned shortly thereafter. In that fateful year of 1891, New York Law School (NYLS) was founded with the avowed aim of preserving the “Dwight Method.”
It turned out, however, that teaching methodology was not the defining feature of the new institution. Indeed, the faculty eventually published teaching materials that emphasized reading cases. What made NYLS different was its never-abandoned mission of making legal education accessible to New Yorkers. While the “reformed” Columbia Law School deliberately scheduled classes during the first two years of study at times that made it impossible for students to both work and attend school, NYLS continued a teaching schedule that aimed to enable students to do both. The founding of NYLS’s Evening Division in 1894 exemplified that commitment to opening doors for all who were willing to work toward becoming skilled and ethical members of the legal profession.
For 135 years, NYLS has been an integral part of City life, training lawyers whose commitment to the rule of law is essential to a place that, in many ways, contains the entire world within itself. The Law School has done that successfully by never standing still and never deciding that what is cannot be improved. And that will not change.
“Always remember that we are a part of a 135-year-old community of strivers, dreamers, and doers; they didn’t sit back, but instead jumped off the sidelines and took charge, shaped the city and world around them, and held each other accountable. Our community succeeds because of our New York values that reflect diversity, creativity, doggedness, and an inclusive approach that fuels us to work hard and to be innovative and resilient in empowering every client and community we serve.”
Anthony W. Crowell
Dean and President; Professor of Law; Director, Center for New York City and State Law
The history of NYLS is one shaped by resilience. Much like the City itself, the Law School has repeatedly persevered through periods of disruption and transformation. Time and again, the School has prevailed, with each chapter of growth laying the foundation for the institution we know today:
1918
NYLS temporarily closes during World War I, interrupting a steady period of expansion. After reopening just ahead of the 1920s, enrollment and institutional prominence grow alongside the rapid development of New York City and the legal profession.
1941–1947
The Law School closes during World War II because of wartime pressures and the military draft. When it reopens in 1947, the institution must rebuild nearly from scratch. Enrollment is small, resources are limited, and legal education itself is changing rapidly in postwar America.
1954
NYLS receives provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association, followed by full accreditation a decade later, in 1964.
1972
NYLS joins the Association of American Law Schools. Trustees authorize an expansion of the full-time faculty, admission standards rise, and enrollment grows to 1,200 students.
1975
The Law School establishes its first endowed professorship, the Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professorship of Law.
1990
The Mendik Library and Ernst C. Stiefel Reading Room open, creating a central academic hub for the campus.
“I came back to New York City just to attend NYLS because I want to pursue public interest law, specifically to be a trial attorney. When you say ‘NYLS’ in the area of Soho, Tribeca, or anywhere in the southern border of Manhattan, everybody knows where you go. To be able to go to a school that has a reputation before you even have to say your name means more than anything.”
Robert Millman ’27
“Studying at New York Law School has been a dynamic experience. I find myself surrounded by the energy of the courts, city government, and the people advocating for meaningful change. As a Wilf Impact Scholar, I’ve been able to meet and learn from lawyers across every sector, helping me imagine more possibilities for my own path. Being here has made my education feel connected, purposeful, and full of opportunity. I am thankful for this experience, and look forward to continuing my education, and making a difference for all New Yorkers.”
Francesca Perrone ’27 Evening
“I'm finishing my first year in law school, and it’s a cool thing to see that there's a capstone happening and we get to be a part of it. I never saw myself in law school, so being here during such a monumental moment is awesome.”
Kathia Paz ’29 Evening
The Law School’s growth in prominence and influence throughout its 135 years is attributable to the accomplishments of its graduates just as much as to its academic programming. From its first graduating class to its most recent, NYLS alumni have shaped public life and the legal profession in New York City and around the world, helping to:
Build public policy
- Bainbridge Colby (Class of 1891) served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson and proclaimed the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.
- Francis Burton Harrison (Class of 1897) served in Congress and proposed the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act (1914), which later influenced the Pure Food and Drug Act.
- Robert F. Wagner Sr. (Class of 1900) was a principal architect of New Deal labor legislation and modern labor protections, including the National Labor Relations Act.
- John Purroy Mitchel (Class of 1901) became New York City's first Hispanic mayor.
- Stanley M. Isaacs (Class of 1904) became a leading figure in New York City government and an influential advocate for public housing reform.
- Frederic S. Berman ’51 served as New York City's Rent and Housing Commissioner and played a critical role in passing the City's rent stabilization law.
- Myles J. Ambrose ’52 led the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement, the precursor to today’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
- Julio Brady ’69 served as the fifth Lieutenant Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Judith Reichler ’77 helped draft the legislation that became New York State's Child Support Standards Act.
- Howard C. Edelman ’82 has presided over more than 6,000 labor arbitration hearings and serves as a permanent arbitrator for 100+ collective bargaining agreements.
- Robert J. Firestone ’90 is President of the New York City Tax Commission.
- Maren Mahoney ’05 serves as the inaugural Director of Arizona's Office of Resiliency, integrating energy, water, transportation, and land-use policy.
- Sharon Brown '13 LL.M. has advised transformative affordable housing and economic development projects across New York State.
- Kayla Santosuosso ’21 was elected to the New York City Council, representing Brooklyn's 47th District.
Advance justice and public service
- James W. Gerard (Class of 1892) served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany during World War I.
- Avery Delano Andrews (Class of 1892) served as New York City Police Commissioner and later as Chief of Staff to Governor Theodore Roosevelt.
- Lloyd Griscom (Class of 1895) represented the United States as Ambassador to Italy and Brazil and as Minister to Japan, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire.
- Raymond Blaine Fosdick (Class of 1908) served President Woodrow Wilson in several capacities before becoming President of the Rockefeller Foundation.
- David T. Wilentz (Class of 1917) was the former New Jersey State Attorney General and prosecuted the famous Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial in 1935.
- Leo Cherne ’34 advised Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and George H.W. Bush, chaired the International Rescue Committee, and, in 1984, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- Barbara Watson ’62 was the first Black person and first woman to serve as a U.S. Assistant Secretary of State.
- Sybil Shainwald ’76 was a pioneering women's health advocate whose litigation advanced social justice and women's rights nationally and globally.
- Anthony T. DiPietro ’98 is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who has successfully litigated cases against major institutions that violate public safety standards.
- Johanna Miller ’07 serves as Director of the Education Policy Center at the New York Civil Liberties Union.
- Desireé Hernández ’08 has become a leading advocate for immigrant justice through her work with Safe Passage Project and Catholic Charities.
Influence culture
- James Keteltas Hackett (Class of 1893) became the youngest leading man in New York stage history before later starring in silent films.
- Wallace Stevens (Class of 1903) became one of America's most celebrated poets.
- Elmer Rice (Class of 1912) emerged as an influential playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner.
- Walter Dukes ’60 set an NCAA Division I rebounding record before starring with the Harlem Globetrotters and in the NBA.
- Judge Judy Sheindlin ’65 transformed courtroom arbitration into one of the most recognizable television franchises in the country.
- Christine T. Lepera ’82 is a nationally recognized entertainment litigator, representing major recording artists and media companies in landmark disputes.
- Marvin Powell ’87 was a five-time Pro Bowler with the New York Jets and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
- Laura Ricciardi ’96 co-created the acclaimed Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, which brought national attention to perceived flaws in the criminal justice system.
- David M. Jacobs ’07 guided artists including Lady Gaga and Lil Nas X while helping shape some of the music industry's most significant deals.
Transform business and major industries
- Geradus Post Herrick (Class of 1897) invented the convertible aircraft, pioneering technology capable of operating as both an airplane and gyroplane.
- Chester Carlson ’39 invented the technology that led to the Xerox Corporation after seeking a better way to reproduce documents.
- Maurice R. Greenberg ’50 transformed AIG into a global insurance powerhouse and later chaired The Starr Foundation.
- Leo J. Aubel ’55 patented mobile telecommunications technology that advanced call routing and channel assignment systems.
- Bernard H. Mendik ’58 became one of New York City's leading real estate executives and chaired the Real Estate Board of New York.
- Arthur Abbey ’59 served as lead counsel in the Vivendi securities litigation, considered one of the largest securities class-action verdicts in history.
- Zygi Wilf ’74 built one of the nation's leading real estate enterprises before becoming owner of the Minnesota Vikings.
- Richard LaMotta ’75 invented the Chipwich and pioneered its innovative street-cart marketing strategy.
- Marianne Spraggins ’76 was Wall Street's first African American female managing director.
- John D. McMahon ’76 became CEO of Orange & Rockland Utilities and served on the board of the Long Island Power Authority.
- Charles Phillips Jr. ’78 became CEO of Infor and a leading figure in the global technology industry.
- Vincent Viola ’83 founded Virtu Financial and became owner of the NHL's Florida Panthers.
- Marc Lasry ’84 co-founded Avenue Capital Group and became one of the world's most prominent hedge fund managers.
- Laura Unger ’87 served as an SEC Commissioner before joining the boards of major public companies.
- John W. Olivo Jr. ’88 is credited as one of the principal inventors of V-Chip technology.
Expand access and representation
- Hon. James S. Watson (Class of 1913) became one of New York City's first elected Black judges and later the first Black attorney nominated to the American Bar Association since 1912.
- Hon. Emilio Nuñez (Class of 1927) became New York City's first Hispanic judge and a founding member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association.
- Julius Archibald (Class of 1930) became New York's and the nation's first Black state senator.
- Hon. Walter Gladwin ’41 became the Bronx's first Black assistant district attorney, criminal court judge, and assemblyman.
- Hon. Florence Zimmerman ’41 was the first of only two NYLS alumnae to serve as President of the New York Women's Bar Association.
- Angelo Del Toro ’72 served for two decades in the New York State Assembly and became the first Hispanic Chair of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus.
- Ross F. Moskowitz ’84 is a leading New York real estate attorney and national advocate for diversity and inclusion, earning the New York State Bar Association's Diversity Trailblazer Award.
- Anthony Perrotto ’14 is President Emeritus of LeGaL, one of the nation's leading LGBTQ+ bar associations. LeGal was founded by NYLS’s Robert F. Wagner Professor of Labor and Employment Law, Emeritus Arthur S. Leonard, who served as its first president.
Shape the judiciary
- Hon. Samuel Seabury (Class of 1893) served on the New York Court of Appeals, led the New York State Bar Association, and was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1916.
- Hon. Charles W. Froessel (Class of 1913), LL.M. (1914) rose to the New York Court of Appeals after a distinguished legal and public service career.
- Hon. John Marshall Harlan II (Class of 1924) served on the U.S. Supreme Court and became one of the most influential jurists of the 20th Century.
- Hon. Moxey Alexander Rigby (Class of 1925) became the first African American judge elected in Nassau County.
- Hon. Bruce McMarion Wright ’50 served as a New York Supreme Court Justice and received two Purple Hearts during his World War II Army service.
- Hon. Roger J. Miner ’56 rose from New York Supreme Court Justice to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where he became one of the nation's most respected federal appellate judges.
- Hon. Sheila Levittan ’56 became the first NYLS alumna appointed to the bench and later served as a New York State Supreme Court Justice.
- Hon. Sybil Hart Kooper ’56 served on the Appellate Division and co-founded the National Association of Women Judges.
- Hon. Joan B. Carey ’66 was the first woman to serve as Bureau Chief in a New York City District Attorney's Office.
- Hon. William F. Mastro ’77 and Sherbune Paul ’16 were recently appointed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.
- Hon. Carla B. Freedman ’88 served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York before becoming a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
- Hon. Anthony Cannataro ’96 became New York's first LGBTQ+ Acting Chief Judge.
- Hon. Carolyn Walker-Diallo ’03 was the first Muslim judge in New York State and later Administrative Judge of the New York City Civil Court.
“In hindsight, it’s amazing how quickly my decision to attend NYLS unfolded. Simply put, when I visited NYLS, I felt at home. The coursework certainly prepared me, but it was more than that. One of the most important qualities of NYLS was the strong sense of collaboration and collegiality among the students. I had heard horror stories about how law school was cutthroat, but NYLS wasn’t that way at all.”
Anand Sharma ’97, Partner at Finnegan
“Everyone at NYLS is willing to learn and offer a unique perspective and there’s always a welcoming presence from both faculty and students that lets anyone feel comfortable no matter who you are or where you come from. Because of this, I always felt this deep sense of belonging and that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.”
Jason Miranda ’24, Associate at Fragomen
“From my very first class at NYLS, I knew I was gaining the skills I would need to become a great lawyer. The Asylum Clinic played a huge role in my professional development; it’s where I learned and was able to practice most of my methodical and analytical skills. The clinic also taught me that immigration law doesn’t just require intelligence—it also requires empathy.”
Danney Salvatierra ’19, Pro Bono Attorney, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
Beginning in the early 1990s, NYLS embraced a strategic vision centered on becoming a modern urban law center that integrates practical training with ethical and strategic perspectives on lawyering. That vision helped define the institution's approach as it entered the twenty-first century, when both the Law School and New York City were challenged to adapt in the aftermath of September 11.
Rather than retreat, NYLS continued to evolve. The School expanded its academic centers, strengthened its graduate offerings, and completed construction of the striking, glass-enclosed Abbey Hall in 2009. More than a new academic building, Abbey Hall became an enduring symbol of the modern Law School.
Perhaps the defining chapter of the institution's recent history began in 2012, when Anthony W. Crowell became NYLS's 16th Dean and President. A longtime adjunct professor and former Counselor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Dean Crowell launched a comprehensive strategic planning process centered on academic excellence, experiential education, student career success, and institutional innovation. He also introduced the phrase that has become synonymous with the School's identity: "We are New York's law school."
But perhaps the most defining recent chapter began in 2012, when Anthony W. Crowell became the School’s 16th Dean and President. A longtime adjunct professor and former Counselor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Dean Crowell launched a broad strategic planning effort focused on academic excellence, experiential education, student career success, and institutional innovation. He also introduced a phrase that would become deeply associated with the School’s identity: “We are New York’s law school.”
Under Dean Crowell's leadership, NYLS significantly expanded clinical and experiential learning opportunities, doubling the number of clinics available to students. The Law School also sharpened its focus on several high-growth, high-impact fields, including business and financial services, intellectual property and technology, and government and public interest law.
Over the past decade, NYLS has continued to evolve alongside the legal profession itself. The post-pandemic landscape of the 2020s, in particular, created new opportunities for the School to deepen its investment in public interest, interdisciplinary education, and future-focused legal training. Among the defining milestones of this period are:
“I will continue to work closely with Arthur Abbey ’59, our Dean and President, and the rest of the Board to ensure the School’s continued success. New York Law School is a vital part of New York’s civic fabric and has been an invaluable contributor to the strength of the profession. Our students are strong and passionate about their education and benefit from a world-class education that produces terrific outcomes with bar passage, job placement, and opportunities for impact, particularly in the growth sectors of New York and more broadly. Our Board is composed of innovative leaders who have transformed their industries. Together with our Dean and President, Administration, and Faculty, they are committed to building both our programs and our tremendous and dynamic institutional culture.”
John Estes ’95
Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law; Chair, NYLS Board of Trustees
2013
NYLS releases a nationally recognized Strategic Plan emphasizing innovation, experiential education, and emerging areas of legal practice.
2015
NYLS launches the Innovation Center for Law and Technology, focusing on the innovation economy and the growth of media, science, and technology in the digital age.
2020
The Law School releases its Ever Upward strategic plan, emphasizing innovation, diversity, experiential learning, and future-focused legal education. The School also creates new leadership roles dedicated to clinical and experiential learning.
2021
NYLS launches the 21st Century Policing Project, Criminal Justice Institute, and Education Law and Policy Institute, placing the School at the forefront of contemporary social justice work. The School also establishes the James Tricarico Jr. Institute and the Ronald H. Filler Institute for Financial Services Law.
2022
NYLS launches NYLS Pro, a redesigned and more flexible evening division model for working professionals.
2024
The Center for New York City Law expands into the Center for New York City and State Law, and the Plumeri Center broadens its mission as the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment.
2025
NYLS expands evening division engagement efforts under inaugural Dean for Evening Division Engagement Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04 and creates a new faculty committee for the evening division.
2025
John E. Estes ’95 becomes Chair of the Board of Trustees, and NYLS receives institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
135 years later, the institution that emerged from a dispute continues to define itself by the same principles that inspired its founders: expanding access and opportunity, embracing innovation, and preparing students for the realities of the ever-evolving legal profession.
Those values have allowed NYLS to endure periods of enormous social, political, and technological change, as well as to evolve alongside them. Each generation has challenged the Law School to rethink how lawyers are trained and what role legal education should play in society—questions that remain just as urgent today as they were in 1891. As NYLS celebrates its 135th anniversary, questions about technology, democracy, access to justice, public trust, and the future of cities increasingly shape the work lawyers are called upon to do.
From training generations of lawyers who helped shape modern New York to pioneering new approaches to experiential learning and public service, NYLS has remained grounded in its core mission while continuously adapting to change. Throughout its history, the Law School has been guided by a consistent belief: legal education should prepare students not only to understand the law, but to use it effectively in practice and service—and, therefore, should evolve alongside society itself. That principle helped create New York Law School 135 years ago, and it continues to define where we are headed next.
