CUNY Law clinical professor, CLEAR founder, and former White House advisor appointed to senior City Hall role

Celebrating and carrying forward the legacy of Professor Rebecca Bratspies and the Center for Urban Environmental Reform

Harris, a leading scholar of Critical Race Theory engaged the community in wide-ranging discussion of frameworks guiding contemporary legal analysis.

Event draws full auditorium for conversation on lessons from historical movements and journalism’s role in social justice

How one class turns theory into lived advocacy and prepares students for the realities of modern citizenship and immigration practice

The recognition highlights the story of a CUNY graduate who embodies the university’s defining narrative

She is helping to set national standards for how inclusion is understood and operationalized across legal education.

Meet CUNY alumna Justine Billups, the new Interim Executive Chief Diversity Officer at CUNY Law

The Assistant Director of Outreach and Operations in the Admissions Office has been selected to receive the national honor recognizing emerging leaders expanding access.

Catch up on the latest from CUNY Law alumni—career moves, personal milestones, and the many ways they’re advancing justice

New report examines the community-led movement that closed ICE detention sites at three NJ county jails and offers strategies for today’s rapidly changing enforcement landscape

New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez hosted her first-ever “State of the District” on Monday, November 17th at CUNY School of Law in Long Island City, bringing together constituents, community partners, and advocates to discuss the pressing issues facing District 59 and outline her legislative agenda for the upcoming session.

Leaders and alumni from CUNY Law took part in the conference’s wide range of programming

Five CUNY School of Law students were among this year’s recipients of the Salvador Cheda Jr., Esq. Bar Study Scholarship, awarded by the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County (LLAQC). […]

Championed by Council Member Julie Won, the project will transform a former kitchen into a hub for student learning, civic engagement, and youth programming

The CUNY Law community came together for this informative presentation presented by our Faculty Professional Development Committee and vital dialogue with faculty, students, and staff.

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.

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.

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.

In a Q&A with author Robin Newman ’96, she reflects on how there are many things you can do with a law degree and how her legal education continues to influence her writing, which introduces young readers to concepts of justice, fairness, and logical reasoning.

“Public service isn’t just about nonprofit jobs or courtroom advocacy,” says Professor Charisa Kiyô Smith. “It’s about seeing law as a tool to serve people.” At CUNY Law, students aren’t waiting to be invited—they’re already answering the call.

“Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement” is a powerful collaboration between incarcerated writers, legal scholars, and mental health experts that dismantles the moral, legal, and medical foundations of solitary confinement. Blending lived experience with rigorous advocacy, the book offers a humanizing lens on a practice increasingly recognized as torture — and calls for urgent abolition through storytelling, scholarship, and creative activism.

In a Q&A with Lenina C. Trinidad ’2000, Senior Staff Attorney specializing in Family Law and Domestic Violence advocacy at Manhattan Legal Services, she shares her reflections on her legal career, the lessons she’s carried forward, and advice for future legal advocates.

CUNY School of Law congratulates Daniela Robles ’28 on being selected for the Dominican Bar Association’s 2025 Law Student Scholarship for her work with community organizations and scholarship on crimmigration law.

CUNY School of Law is proud to announce that Marianna Wells ’26 has been awarded the 2025 Judge Bernard S. Meyer Scholarship for her essay titled “Trans Rights, Federal Courts and the Preservation of Liberty For All.”

Seven Scholars and Practitioners Join CUNY Law, Advancing Public Interest Legal Education.

During this summer’s First Impressions Youth Legal Collaborative’s Summer Institute, six CUNY Law students led 31 high school students from across New York City in program designed to build civic engagement and shape a more just and representative future.

During Orientation, four distinguished alumni addressed 1Ls on a panel, sharing their own challenges as law students, emphasizing the importance of staying purpose-driven, and highlighting the meaningful change you can make with a CUNY Law degree.

Inside the recent work of CUNY Law faculty across litigation, advocacy, scholarship, public dialogue, and more

Professor Wallis ’15 will spend the Fall 2025 semester as a visiting scholar at Seattle University School of Law

Kristen Clarke, former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights of the US Department of Justice, has joined the CUNY School of Law community.

Dean Natalie Gomez-Velez brings a deep and enduring belief in the power of public institutions to expand opportunity and strengthen communities.

The Institute participated in a July 2025 convening hosted by Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez to mark the first anniversary of UN Resolution on Girls and Women of African Descent. […]

CUNY School of Law is pleased to welcome two new members of the Institutional Advancement team: Joe Acciarito, Development Director, and Dr. Trang Le-Chan, Director of Alumni Engagement and Initiatives. Their roles are pivotal in our ongoing commitment to developing and strengthening partnerships.

CUNY Law Professor Jennifer Fernandez’s recent article in the Washington University Journal of Law & Policy highlights the transformative potential of ABA Curriculum Standard 303(c), which requires that all law schools provide education on bias, cross-cultural competency and racism, and calls for a more inclusive legal education, especially during the critical first year.

34 alumni admitted to the Supreme Court Bar reflect on lived experience, public interest lawyering, and what it means to claim space in the nation’s highest court.

Marwa Sayed ’25 will work with the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project to investigate how AI-driven banking practices lead to discriminatory outcomes.

After a week of celebration—including portrait sessions, Pipeline to Justice Grad Night, and Student Awards Night—the Class of 2025 crossed the stage at the legendary Apollo Theater on Thursday, May 22.

CUNY School of Law congratulates Nermeen Arastu, Jeena Shah, and John Whitlow, who have been granted tenure in recognition of their excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Professor Lisa Davis was honored by the NYS Appellate Division for their decades-long international advocacy for LGBTQI+ rights and survivors of gender persecution.

A feature video, panel conversations, and photo galleries highlighting the work of the past year

CUNY School of Law proudly celebrates four students who were awarded Peggy Browning Fund Fellowships for Summer 2025: Ivy Girdwood, Sarah Southey, Sara David, and Justin Gravlee.

His new article outlines a pluralist legal framework that reclaims tradition to resist threats like Project 2025

Sandra Irby, CUNY Law’s Executive Director of Bar Preparation and Licensing Programs, offers practical tips to help students tackle the bar exam one manageable step at a time.

Scholarship Rooted in Practice: Professor Chin’s Critical Disability Work Earns CUNY’s Highest Research Honor for Associate Professors 

National honor recognizes Prof. Gabriel’s contribution to Integrating Doctrine & Diversity: Beyond the First Year, the second in a landmark series advancing diversity and inclusion in legal education. 

CUNY Law leaders, elected officials, and the legal community celebrated the success of the 2024 First Impressions summer institute and announced the 2025 program plans, highlighting civic education, leadership, and social justice advocacy through law student-led instruction for high schoolers.

CUNY School of Law announced a partnership with Foodcellar Market to expand access to the student Food Pantry. This partnership reflects a community-centered approach to meeting students’ nutritional needs and ensuring equitable access to essential resources.

Reflecting on her recent Guggenheim Fellowship and admission into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Martha Jones ’87 shares her insights on historical truth telling as advocacy, how CUNY Law shaped her, and the future of her “Hard Histories” project.

Faculty accept national award and contribute to national conversations on the evolving role of law clinics in a time of crisis and change

Professor Nermeen Arastu wins 2025 Clinical Legal Education Association Award for Excellence for pioneering remote advocacy model

CUNY Law students win deportation relief for a Black trans woman facing persecution, affirming her right to safety and identity

For the first time, the U.S. News & World Report ranked law schools based on the percentage of graduates entering public interest law and CUNY Law was ranked #1.

The HRGJ Clinic, If/When/How, and Pregnancy Justice submitted a report to the United Nations exposing how criminal and civil laws in the United States are misused to punish people based on pregnancy outcomes, such as abortion, and those who help them access care. The report, endorsed by several organizations, urges the U.S. to end these practices, address structural discrimination, and ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare ahead of its November 2025 Universal Periodic Review.

Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Executive Director of the Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace, spoke on peace and security during the 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women to inform accelerated policy action on global gender equality.

The Institute brought together movement leaders, policymakers, and advocates at the UN Commission on the Status of Women to discuss strategies and struggles for organizers globally.

The nationally recognized advocate for workers’ rights, equity in government, and legal system reform brings decades of public interest lawyering

On the Second Look Project: Beyond Guilt, which advocates for legislative and cultural change around clemency, resentencing, and parole

CUNY Law students win Burton Award for legal writing on Texas’ Operation Lone Star and S.B. 4, published in CUNY Law Review

The report, published by Black Families Love and Unite, exposes the racialized harm embedded in the family regulation system

Leading scholar on statelessness demonstrates far-reaching impact of proposed changes in expert declaration and CUNY TV interview

The exposé connects to Prof. Deborah Zalesne’s forthcoming book, Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement

Published by The Sentencing Project, the report examines the historical development of habitual offender laws and their foundations

New endowment to provide funding for students pursuing careers in prisoners’ rights advocacy and international human rights.

Elected Officials, Community Advocates, and Policymakers Join Forces at CUNY Law in Response to New Executive Orders

Davis’s expertise informs unprecedented warrants targeting systematic persecution of women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons in Afghanistan

International human rights advocate and alum to strengthen top-ranking experiential learning program

Nine law schools convene to meet future law students from across CUNY

The Fulbright Scholar leads binational webinar series on refugee and migrant protection amid shifting immigration policies 

Parima Kadikar named to the Skadden Foundation’s class of 2025 Skadden Fellows

The nation’s most diverse law school fosters inclusivity and legitimacy in the legal system

CUNY Law and Brooklyn College’s Institute convened regional experts, movement leaders, and policymakers at a November 2024 Global Forum in Ghana, documented by CUNY student fellows. BY IGLTP STAFF Around […]

Human Rights Day Report Calls for International Response to Gender-Based Crimes Against Humanity FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT 718.340.4010 elise.billing@law.cuny.edu | communications@law.cuny.edu     NEW YORK, NY – The Human […]

CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility), a legal nonprofit and clinic at CUNY School of Law, has secured a landmark victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the […]

The Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace hosted a November 2024 multinational forum in Ghana with leading experts, movement leaders, and policymakers on cross-mobilization strategies. During heightened electoral cycles, […]

Katherine Gallagher ’00 filed a landmark human rights case against military contractor CACI Premier Technology, Inc. in 2008 for its role in torture at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in […]

CUNY School of Law students continued their legacy of excellence in trial advocacy last weekend, advancing to the semifinal round of the American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment […]

Alumni representing classes from 1998 to 2002 secure positions throughout NYC in November 2024 elections.

Professor Chin’s article introduces a new framework examining how legal systems and social norms restrict the sexual and reproductive rights and choices of people with disabilities.

CUNY School of Law is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Gregorio Mayers, Esq., to its Board of Visitors.

Law School Clinic and CUNY Institute Lead New Era with Data Hub Amid Landmark ICC Developments

The Law School remains committed to recruiting and training public interest lawyers dedicated to advancing racial equity.

CUNY Law Alumnae Selected from Over 6,000 Applicants for Prestigious Initiative   Dalourny Nemorin, a 2014 graduate and Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society in the Bronx, has been […]

Meet the New Associate Dean Focused on Aligning Mission with Action In the world of legal education, where the pursuit of justice often takes center stage, the behind-the-scenes work can […]

Devika Kewalramani ’95 has joined FisherBroyles, LLP as a Partner in New York. She will also hold the role of General Counsel. Devika joins the firm after 25 years at […]

CLRN Expands Legal Services Across Manhattan CUNY Law’s CLRN (Community Legal Resources Network) proudly partners again with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine to expand the reach of our alumni-powered City […]

Four Scholars and Practitioners Join CUNY Law, Reinforcing Commitment to Social Justice and Innovative Legal Training

Director Professor Natalie M. Chin Leads the former Disability and Aging Justice Clinic’s next evolution

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AccessLex grant positions program to set new standard for legal education pipelines

Celebrating Ten Immigrant Justice Corps Fellows in Record-Breaking 2024 Class      CUNY School of Law is proud to announce ten recent graduates have been selected for the prestigious Immigrant […]

Access-Focused Law School Excels in Multiple “Best Law Schools for 2024” Categories FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT 718.340.4010 elise.billing@law.cuny.edu | communications@law.cuny.edu New York, NY – The City University of New […]

Council Members Fund City Counseling Program to Provide Free Legal Assistance, Community Education, Immigration Advocacy Across NYC 

Five CUNY School of Law students have been awarded prestigious, highly competitive public interest fellowships through The Peggy Browning Fund

Director of Financial Aid Leaves Behind a Legacy of Empowerment and Transformation Dr. Angela Joseph’s remarkable journey has taken her from her native Belize to the halls of CUNY Law, […]

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