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BY: Elise Hanks | DATE: Jan 29, 2026

Advocacy in Action: Law in the Service of Human Needs

On January 15, 2026, CUNY School of Law welcomed students and pre-law advisors from across the City University of New York system for its annual CUNY-Wide Pre Law Conference. The day-long event, titled “Advocacy in Action: Law in the Service of Human Needs,” brought together aspiring lawyers, admissions professionals, and legal practitioners to explore pathways into public interest law.

The conference drew participants from all five boroughs to CUNY Law’s Long Island City campus, where they engaged with representatives from 16 law schools, connected with current students and alumni, and attended workshops on topics ranging from LSAT preparation to financial aid strategies.

Interim Dean Natalie Gomez-Velez opened the conference with remarks that situated the event within CUNY Law’s broader mission. “The question of who becomes a lawyer is not a small one,” she told attendees. “It is a question about whose voices shape this city’s future.”

Dean Gomez-Velez, herself a CUNY graduate, emphasized the distinctive role that public institutions play in expanding access to the legal profession. “For too long, the legal profession reflected only a narrow slice of the public it serves. CUNY Law was founded to change that,” she said. “When students come to CUNY Law, they bring the city with them. You bring experience. You bring responsibility. You bring perspective.”

The morning program featured remarks from LSAC CEO and President Sudha Setty, former Dean of CUNY Law, and a panel discussion with admissions representatives from public and private law schools offering guidance on navigating an increasingly competitive application landscape. Alumni speakers, including Hon. Tracey A. Bing ’96 and Richard Anthony Celestin, Esq. ’06, shared their professional journeys and reflections on building careers in public service.

Afternoon sessions addressed the practical and personal dimensions of legal education, including a workshop on imposter syndrome led by current CUNY Law students. The session explored strategies for supporting student wellness and fostering environments where first-generation and underrepresented students can thrive.

The conference reflects CUNY Law’s ongoing commitment to diversifying the legal profession and preparing advocates who will serve their communities. As Dean Gomez-Velez noted in her closing, “CUNY Law shows what is possible when a public university fully commits to access, excellence, and public purpose.”

  • A speaker addresses the audience from the stage at CUNY School of Law, standing beside empty panel chairs. A large screen behind her reads, “Welcome to CUNY Law.”
  • Close-up of printed materials for the CUNY-Wide Pre-Law Conference with the theme “Advocacy in Action: Law in the Service of Human Needs.”
  • A conference registration table at CUNY School of Law where a staff member sits behind a laptop and speaks with an attendee standing in front of the table.
  • A speaker stands on stage holding a microphone and addressing the audience, with U.S. and New York State flags positioned behind her.
  • A speaker in a suit addresses a seated audience in a lecture hall at CUNY School of Law, gesturing while speaking from the front of the room.
  • A speaker in a suit addresses a seated audience in a lecture hall at CUNY School of Law, gesturing while speaking from the front of the room.
  • Close-up of Sudha Setty holding a microphone while speaking on stage, captured from a low angle with stage lighting visible overhead.
  • A panel of speakers sits on stage beneath a large screen that reads, “Crafting Your Path: Strategies for Law School Admission Success,” while an audience listens in the foreground.
  • An audience member sits in a lecture hall at CUNY School of Law, holding a pen and listening attentively during a conference session, with other attendees seated nearby.
  • A panelist speaks from behind a table covered with a green CUNY School of Law tablecloth, gesturing while addressing attendees seated in the foreground.
  • Conference attendees and representatives engage in one-on-one conversations at informational tables set up along a hallway during the pre-law conference.
  • A representative speaks with an attendee at an informational table, gesturing while explaining materials during the conference networking session.
  • Two representatives and an attendee converse at an informational table displaying brochures and books during the pre-law conference.
  • A panelist speaks into a handheld microphone while seated on stage, gesturing during a discussion with U.S., New York State, and New York City flags visible behind him.