Experience is everything

From what you’ll do in our classrooms and clinics to what you bring to the table

As the only law school founded to train outstanding public interest lawyers, CUNY Law provides an experience unlike anything or anywhere else. Located in New York City, our community of students, faculty, and staff reflects the diversity of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives needed to diversify the profession and create a more representative justice.

Discover What Sets CUNY Law Apart

Renowned Clinical Education

Our top-ranking clinical program guarantees every student an immersive semester of real-world practice. You’ll represent clients, collaborate on policy initiatives, and partner with government agencies and community organizations to create real change.

Enhanced access and resources for all

Our student body reflects our commitment to public interest and social justice lawyering and our programs and supports offer the tools lawyers need for careers dedicated to using law in the service of human needs. From wellness programming to no-cost bar preparation, we support the full law student experience.

What a CUNY Law degree can do

Dalourny Nemorin ’14Alumni like Dalourny Nemorin ’14, are driving systemic change. Selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders program, she exemplifies how the school’s focus on public interest and access to justice produces trailblazers dedicated to their communities​.

Creating Pathways to Legal Careers

a large group of people in yellow graduation stoles reading "Pipeline to Justice"Pipeline to Justice, our signature access initiative, recognizes that traditional admissions metrics often miss exceptional talent. The holistic program provides aspiring law students with LSAT preparation, mentorship, and academic resources, creating powerful cohorts and an innovative approach to recruiting students.

Rankings and Numbers that Matter

A+

Rating for Racial Justice

preLaw Magazine, 2024

#1

Most Racially Diverse Faculty

Princeton Review, 2024

#2

In Clinical Training

U.S. News & World Report

Need to Know

The Latest News and Events

As Chief Pro Bono Counsel, Harlene Katzman ’95 is Making the Legal System More Equitable and Fair

In celebration of Pro Bono Week, we asked Harlene to reflect on her career inspiring generations of lawyers to serve low income and vulnerable communities through pro bono work.

Confronting True Crime: Defenders Clinic Client John J. Lennon Discusses Clemency from Sing Sing

The Defenders Clinic hosted a powerful conversation with incarcerated journalist John J. Lennon on true crime, mass incarceration, and his new book, The Tragedy of True Crime. The event spotlighted the clinic’s clemency work and challenged prevailing narratives about justice and redemption.

CUNY Law Faculty to Present at UCLA Law’s Critical Race Theory 25th Anniversary Symposium

The convening marks a milestone in the development of Critical Race Theory as a field and features panels with nationally recognized scholars examining CRT’s trajectory from academic intervention to transformative practice.