A Legacy of Teaching, Scholarship, and Service: Honoring Five Distinguished Faculty Careers
From left, bottom row: Susan Herman and Aaron Twerski. From left, top row: Dean David D. Meyer, Stacy Caplow, Joel Gora and Maryellen Fullerton.
On May 19, 2026, alumni, colleagues, students, family members, and friends gathered in Feil Hall’s Forchelli Conference Center to celebrate the remarkable careers of five distinguished professors who represent more than 200 years of service to Brooklyn Law School:
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Stacy Caplow (faculty member since 1976)
During her 50 years at Brooklyn Law School, Caplow taught courses in criminal and immigration law and directed and taught in our Clinics program, launching an immigration clinic, the Safe Harbor Project, in 1997. A leader in clinical legal education, Caplow served as the Law School’s first dean overseeing clinical and experiential programs, was a former president of the Clinical Legal Education Association, and also worked on many international legal education projects. (Read Professor Caplow’s retirement profile story here.)
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Maryellen Fullerton (faculty member since 1980)
The Suzanne J. and Norman Miles Professor of Law, Fullerton is a leading expert in immigration and refugee law, an esteemed teacher of civil procedure and federal courts, and the former interim dean. Her casebooks are widely used nationwide, and her work has influenced international refugee law and policy. (Read Professor Fullerton’s retirement profile story here.)
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Joel Gora (faculty member since 1978)
A nationally recognized constitutional law scholar, Gora worked on more than 100 U.S. Supreme Court cases during his time with the ACLU, including Buckley v. Valeo, and has spent decades shaping First Amendment law. At the Law School, he has taught more than 10,000 BLS students and served nine years as academic dean. (Read Professor Gora’s retirement profile story here.)
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Susan Herman (faculty member since 1980)
The inaugural Ruth Bader Ginsburg Professor of Law, Herman is a leading authority on constitutional and criminal procedure law and served as president of the ACLU from 2008 to 2021, following two decades of leadership within the organization. She is a prolific scholar whose work has shaped national conversations on civil liberties and the Constitution. (Read Professor Herman’s retirement profile story here.)
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Aaron Twerski (faculty member since 1986, with a break in service from 2004 to 2007)
A preeminent scholar in products liability and tort law, Twerski, who is the Irwin and Jill Cohen Professor of Law, has received the field’s highest honors, including the ABA’s Robert B. McKay Award and the William L. Prosser Award. He also recently received the Jewish Media All-Star Award for breaking stereotypes in the legal profession. (Read Professor Twerski’s retirement profile story here.)
The evening featured a dinner reception, reflections from Dean David D. Meyer, remarks from each retiree, and tributes from friends and colleagues honoring the lasting impact each professor has made on Brooklyn Law School and the legal profession.
Professors Caplow, Fullerton, Gora, Herman, and Twerski have taught generations of students, fundamentally reshaped legal scholarship, and strengthened the institution in countless ways. Reflecting on their collective impact, President and Joseph Crea Dean David D. Meyer noted during the celebration, "Together they have done as much, these five individuals, to shape and make Brooklyn Law School what it is today, as any other five individuals in the 125-year history of this great institution."
Brooklyn Law School is deeply grateful to these five extraordinary legal minds. It was an honor to celebrate the influence and enduring legacy of these remarkable educators.
View the photo gallery and video of the celebration below:
