CUNY School of Law proudly hosted the 2025 National Consortium of Public Interest Law Schools (NCPILS) Reception, bringing together institutions from across the country committed to advancing justice through legal education.
Founded and convened nearly a decade ago by Gayla Jacobson, CUNY Law’s Director of Admissions, Enrollment, and Dual Degree Programs, the Consortium reflects a shared belief that legal education should prepare lawyers to serve their communities, challenge inequity, and expand access to justice. Participating schools included Berkeley Law; Lewis & Clark Law School; Northeastern University School of Law; Roger Williams University School of Law; the University of California, Irvine School of Law; the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law; the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law; and Vermont Law and Graduate School.
Throughout the evening, attendees connected with admissions representatives, learned about public interest and social justice programs, and shared ideas about building careers rooted in service and community impact. The gathering highlighted how each participating school approaches this mission in distinct ways—through innovative curricula, experiential learning, and a deep commitment to advocacy.
In her remarks, Interim Dean Natalie Gomez-Vélez reflected on the shared purpose behind the Consortium: “At CUNY Law, we know that the law can be a tool for exclusion or a tool for justice. The schools represented here recognize that using law as a tool for social good is not only a worthy endeavor—it is an urgent necessity.”
The event affirmed what has guided CUNY Law since its founding: that the law belongs to the people who use it to serve others, and that training lawyers for the public good remains essential to the work of justice.