As the only law school founded to expand access to the legal profession, we—along with our students, staff, and faculty—we see a richness of experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and dreams as the foundation upon which a legal education should be built.
preLaw Magazine, 2022
We continue to leverage our founding principles of access and inclusion and our longstanding Centers, Clinics and other initiatives whose work is inextricable from racial justice. It is also a founding institution of the Law School Anti-Racist Consortium, offering resources, training, discussions and symposia for law students, faculty and staff from more than 10 New York City law schools.
CUNY Law continues to be the top school for securing public interest and government jobs. Most recently, 61.17% of grads were employed in public interest positions within 10 months of graduation, while the national average is 7.7%.
Many of our students are first-generation college or law students, have personal and familial experiences with immigration or migration, are caregivers, or are part of justice-impacted communities.
In addition to their diversity of perspective, expertise, and experience, nearly half of our faculty members self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color.
More than 5,000 alumni put their CUNY Law degrees to work leading not-for-profits, working in city and state agencies, shaping local and national policy, informing international human rights work, bringing a social justice focus to firms big and small, and putting people and their needs at the center of their work.
Our clinics are platforms for the exploration, development, and implementation of ideas and strategies to use the law in service of human needs. Our experientially-focused curriculum catalyzes the professional development of students through its integration of knowledge, skills, theory, and professional values.
Community & Economic Development
Creating Law Enforcement Accountability
& Responsibility (CLEAR) Clinic
Emerging Needs Clinic
Disability & Aging Justice Clinic