Dean David Meyer Appointed to New Five-Year Term in Unanimous, Ahead-of-Schedule Vote
Brooklyn Law School’s Board of Trustees has unanimously renewed Dean David D. Meyer’s appointment as President and Joseph Crea Dean for a new five-year term, acting ahead of schedule in recognition of the significant progress the Law School has made under his leadership since July 2023.
"When the board selected Dean Meyer, we knew that he was the right leader to build on Brooklyn Law School's distinguished history and position the law school for its next chapter," Frank Aquila '83, a Sullivan & Cromwell LLP partner and chair of the Brooklyn Law School board of trustees, told Law360 Pulse. "In just three years, his leadership has simply exceeded our expectations. The momentum we are seeing across the institution — from admissions and student outcomes to faculty excellence and philanthropy — gives the board tremendous confidence in the law school's future. As we approach Brooklyn Law School's 125th anniversary, we are proud of the progress the law school has made and confident that its best years are still ahead under Dave Meyer's leadership."
The following message from Aquila was shared with Brooklyn Law School alumni on Monday, June 29, 2026:
Dear Faculty and Staff,
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce that the Board has unanimously renewed Dean David D. Meyer’s appointment as President and Joseph Crea Dean of Brooklyn Law School for a new five-year term.
The Board took this action enthusiastically and ahead of schedule in recognition of Dean Meyer’s exceptional leadership and the significant progress the Law School has achieved since his arrival in July 2023.
When we selected Dean Meyer following a national search, we sought a leader capable of building on Brooklyn Law School’s distinguished legacy while strengthening its position in a rapidly evolving legal and educational environment. Dean Meyer brought to Brooklyn Law School a distinguished record as one of the nation’s longest-serving law school deans, a strong record of academic leadership, and a clear commitment to expanding opportunity through legal education. He has delivered on that mandate.
Under Dean Meyer’s leadership, Brooklyn Law School has strengthened its position as one of the nation’s leading law schools and achieved sustained momentum across every dimension of its mission:
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Admissions: Demand for a Brooklyn Law School education is surging. Applications have increased by nearly 50% over the past two years, reflecting significantly heightened interest, selectivity, and academic competitiveness. We are on track to welcome this summer one of the most diverse and academically strongest classes of new students in BLS history.
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Bar passage: The Law School delivered its strongest bar examination results in many years. In the February 2026 New York Bar Exam, 88% of first-time takers passed, with graduates outperforming the statewide average for ABA-accredited law schools by 10 percentage points across all categories. These results flow from a sustained, institution-wide focus on academic support and bar readiness.
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Employment outcomes: The Class of 2025 produced the strongest employment results in the Law School’s history, with 90.7% of graduates securing full-time, long-term legal employment within 10 months of graduation. Brooklyn Law School also continues to earn national recognition for placement into leading law firms, including a No. 42 ranking for Big Law placement.
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Faculty excellence and retention: The Law School continues to attract and retain an exceptional faculty whose scholarly impact now ranks 29th in the country. Under Dean Meyer’s leadership, the Law School has advanced faculty excellence through the creation of seven new endowed professorships and chairs and the appointment of 17 colleagues to named professorships and Dean’s Research Scholar positions.
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Alumni engagement and philanthropy: Alumni engagement and philanthropic support have reached record levels, including record-breaking fundraising results in FY25 and FY26. The Law School also received a transformational $12 million gift from the estate of Sheridan Albert ’48—the largest gift in its history. Together, these results reflect an energized philanthropic base and deepened alumni commitment to the Law School’s long-term mission.
Equally important, Dean Meyer has strengthened the Law School’s internal culture—fostering collaboration, ambition, and intellectual rigor across faculty, staff, students, alumni, and trustees. That cultural foundation has been central to the Law School’s continued performance.
As Brooklyn Law School approaches its 125th anniversary, the Board is confident in its direction and long-term trajectory. Dean Meyer has consistently emphasized the Law School’s role in preparing lawyers for leadership in a complex and changing profession. Under his leadership, Brooklyn Law School is well positioned to build on its strengths and continue advancing its impact in the years ahead.
Please join me in congratulating Dean Meyer on his renewal and thanking him for his leadership and service to Brooklyn Law School.
Sincerely,
Francis J. Aquila ’83
Chair, Board of Trustees