Ranked #1 for placing graduates in public interest law by U.S. News & World Report in its first-ever ranking of public interest employment outcomes, recognizing CUNY Law’s long-standing leadership in training and launching the next generation of justice-driven lawyers.

Named #1 in racial diversity among U.S. law schools, reflecting our ongoing commitment to access, equity, and representation in legal education; we also increased demographic diversity in the 1L class, with 42% of students identifying as LGBTQ+ and 42% identifying as first-generation—welcoming more historically excluded students into the profession.

Expanded the Pipeline to Justice program with grant funding from AccessLex Foundation, supporting a larger group of Pipeline students, deeper outreach, and evaluation to strengthen its impact and assess replicability.

Hosted the first CUNY-wide Pre-Law Conference, connecting students across the university system and providing the resources needed to navigate and prepare for the law school application process and journey.

Continued to build the First Impressions Summer Institute with NYC high school students from twelve high schools in Queens and the Bronx, alongside CUNY Law students, introducing young people to legal education and community-rooted advocacy.

Created a new Student Support & Wellness team, aligning wellness, mental health, and accessibility services to provide responsive and holistic student care.

Relaunched our Bar Success Program with a new director, a no-cost-to-students bar prep course, expanded bar mentorship and tutoring, and revised curricular offerings, providing students with comprehensive, sustained bar preparation.

Rolled out the Kaplan Bar Prep Program for the incoming class, delivering comprehensive, integrated support from day one through the bar exam and achieved a higher first-time bar passage rate, reinforcing our commitment to preparing students for legal practice and entry into the profession.

Published a full-year academic schedule in the spring semester, increasing transparency and flexibility for course planning—especially for evening students.

Embedded professional identity formation into curriculum and programming, encouraging students to explore the values and commitments that shape their work from Orientation onward.

Redesigned clinic registration and scheduling, strengthening the structure of our experiential curriculum and expanding equitable access for all students, including those in the evening program.

Shifted to a 13-week semester, balancing instructional integrity with flexibility for students and faculty.

Approved new courses to maintain a cutting-edge curriculum, including courses on family policing, gender identity and the law, and movement lawyering.

Responded with urgency and purpose to the new administration’s executive orders and policies, reflecting CUNY Law’s deep commitment to equity, advocacy, and community partnership with litigation, public education, and policy efforts led by faculty, clinics, and students.

Established the inaugural Director of Faculty Development role, held by Professor Charisa Kiyô Smith, supporting early-career faculty and advancing support, transparency, and equity in scholarship, mentoring, and promotion.

Advanced public dialogue and student learning through the W. Haywood Burns Chair in Human & Civil Rights, championing the campus-wide conversations led by Professor James Forman Jr. on race, incarceration, and legal rights and teaching trial advocacy in the spring.

Published new scholarly work across disciplines, amplifying faculty-authored articles, books and chapters, and essays advancing critical perspectives on legal theory, education and practice.

Engaged in dialogue, cross-border collaboration, and national legal discourse, including analysis on birthright citizenship, extreme sentencing, gender persecution at the ICC, and clinical education through bi-national collaborations and presentations at Clinical AALS.

Contributed litigation, legal analysis, and policy advocacy at global, national, and local levels, including a landmark CLEAR Clinic victory, research and reporting on family defense in the face of policing, the criminalization of pregnancy and abortion outcomes, gender persecution during the invasion of Ukraine, and more.

Appointed Professor Lisa Davis ’08 as Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Programs and Bradley Gano as Associate Dean for Administration and Finance, strengthening academic leadership and operational strategy.

Revived the Staff Council to support an inclusive workplace community, creating space for staff voices in decision-making and connection across the Law School.

Welcomed four new full-time faculty members—Professors Natasha Chokhani, Daniel Loehr, Erin Tomlinson ’10, and Lisa Waters.

Reimagined CUNY Law’s digital presence to better reflect our mission, community, and programs, launching a new admitted student site and microsites that support storytelling and engagement across the Law School.

Began integrating student support into all major gifts and grants, ensuring funding for programs includes much-needed resources for students.

Prioritized professional development across departments, expanding access to training and supporting staff growth at every level.

Initiated a comprehensive space assessment, leading to more intentional use of classrooms, offices, and common areas to improve access, functionality, and alignment with community needs.

Modernized campus infrastructure and systems, introducing tools like Titanium, Accommodate, Navigate360, and UNITE, and upgrading everyday essentials like lighting, Wi-Fi, and Xerox machines to better support students and staff.

Introduced new event planning toolkits and resources, enabling smoother coordination and collaboration for school-wide programs and initiatives

Invested in dialogue across difference through new community-building programs, engaging in sessions with the NY Peace Initiative and Constructive Dialogue Institute.

Launched the CUNY Law Common Read with Viral Justice by Ruha Benjamin, building a new tradition that brings the law school community into shared conversation about collective visions of justice.

Hosted the National Consortium of Public Interest Law Schools (NCPILS), bringing peer institutions together to share strategies for advancing public interest legal education.

Convened a global forum through the Institute for Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace, bringing together advocates, scholars, movement leaders, and CUNY students from nine countries to reimagine justice collaboratively in Ghana.

Launched the Gender Persecution Observatory, supporting advocates and human rights defenders around the world through a web-based research hub offering real-time data on gender-based persecution in conflict zones.

Secured significant external funding for our clinical program’s projects and cases, affirming the impact and innovation of our clinical programs in advancing justice through direct legal work.

Increased support to CUNY Law’s Community Legal Resource Network (CLRN), growing our partnerships with elected officials and City Council districts to help serve New Yorkers in need of essential legal services.

Served as a convening space for dozens of mission-aligned gatherings—hosting student-led events, community forums, and partner convenings that advanced dialogue, advocacy, and collective action.

Deepened alumni connection to the Law School and our mission, growing participation in giving, storytelling, events, and volunteer engagement.

Kicked off a pilot alumni-student mentoring program, pairing students with alumni for connection, guidance, and candid conversations about law school and legal careers.