Brooklyn Law School Begins Its 125th Year

Today, Brooklyn Law School marks the beginning of its 125th year, celebrating a history rooted in opportunity and access. In the message below, President and Joseph Crea Dean David D. Meyer reflects on the Law School’s humble beginnings, its enduring mission, and the people who have shaped Brooklyn Law School over the past one-and-a-quarter centuries.

 

The following message from Meyer was shared with Brooklyn Law School alumni on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026:   

Dear Brooklyn Law School Community, 

Today, Brooklyn Law School begins its 125th year. 

On September 30, 1901, five students gathered for an 8:00 p.m. evening class in borrowed office space in Clinton Hill. The setting was humble. The idea was not. 

Brooklyn Law School was founded on the proposition, then considered radical, that the legal profession should be open to everyone with the talent, ambition, and determination to make something of themselves and to make a difference in society. At a time when most law schools were largely exclusionary and focused on preserving the status quo, Brooklyn Law School from its founding welcomed women, students of color, immigrants from every corner of the globe, and adherents of every religious faith. 

The disruptive vision of Brooklyn’s 26-year-old founding Dean, William Payson Richardson, immediately tapped a deep well of talented and ambitious working people previously denied a pathway to the professions. That first group of five students grew to 112 before the year was out; by the 1920s, Brooklyn was the largest law school in the United States, with more than 3,000 students, most of them immigrants. And Brooklyn’s first graduates proved their mettle by going on to careers of leadership and impact, in law practice, in the courts and government service, and in business and academia. 

That commitment to opportunity and access remains central to who we are. 

Over one-and-a-quarter centuries, we have grown from those modest beginnings into one of the oldest and most respected independent law schools in the United States, known internationally for its powerhouse faculty and for the quality and impact of its graduates. The law has changed. The profession has changed. Brooklyn has changed. Through it all, this community has met – and often driven – that change with ambition, innovation, and excellence. 

This milestone is a moment to reflect on what we have accomplished together, to celebrate the people who have made it possible, and to recommit ourselves to sustaining Brooklyn’s important and distinctive mission. It is also an invitation to celebrate throughout the year ahead. 

Celebrating 125 Years 

On Wednesday, September 30, students, faculty, and staff will gather in the BLS Library from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for the opening of the first of five anniversary exhibits. Student Life Over the Years will feature rarely seen photographs, documents, and other materials from our archives, offering a glimpse into how students have studied, socialized, and spent time outside the classroom over the past 125 years. 

Alumni visiting for Reunions 2026, October 1–3, or returning to campus anytime through the end of October, are invited to stop by and see the exhibit. New exhibits highlighting other dimensions of Brooklyn Law’s vibrant history will follow in the months ahead.  

And throughout this anniversary year, there will be many more opportunities to gather and celebrate the people, ideas, and experiences that have shaped our institution. 

I am proud to share this milestone with all of you. Thank you for being part of our community and for helping to write the next chapter in the Law School’s enduring mission of ambition, innovation, and excellence. 

Happy 125th Anniversary! 

David D. Meyer 
President and Joseph Crea Dean 
Brooklyn Law School