Professor Barry Zaretsky was a treasured part of the Brooklyn Law School community. He taught courses in Bankruptcy and Commercial Law to generations of law students. He was a mentor to many students and a friend to many colleagues. He was also active in the wider legal community. He wrote a regular column in the New York Law Journal and served as counsel to Arnold & Porter.

Professor Zaretsky's reputation extended far beyond New York. He was highly respected throughout the bankruptcy community, and was called upon to provide expert counsel in many high profile cases, including the Revco Chapter 11 proceedings in 1990. He was affiliated with numerous associations and institutes, and his humorous, but insightful comments made him a speaker much in demand.

In addition to his devotion to his work, his students and colleagues, and Brooklyn Law School as an institution, he was also devoted to his wife and three children. He spent untold hours with his own children in their athletic activities, and through them he became a noted volunteer coach for multiple children's soccer, basketball, and baseball teams in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Law School students often saw Professor Zaretsky, a committed runner, head out from his office in his jogging clothes. He was a stalwart in Brooklyn Law School running events. In honor of his love of Brooklyn Law School and his love of running, the Brooklyn Law School Race Judicata is dedicated to Professor Zaretsky's memory.

The Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice (SLJ) is a small public high school in Brooklyn serving low-income, at-risk students. Themes of law and social justice permeate the curriculum and school culture, which are intensely college-preparatory in tone and content. Staff, families and partners work together to challenge and support students with a curriculum that respects their right to learn at high levels and with enrichment services that every student deserves. SLJ delivers personal attention in an empowering environment that fosters intellectual independence and civic engagement. Equipped with an understanding of law and social justice, SLJ's students, most of whom come from the city's historically least served communities, graduate ready to succeed in college and effect change in society.