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.”