A Historic Celebration. A Bold Future. The Boldly Brooklyn Campaign Begins.
On Nov. 5, 2026, Brooklyn Law School officially launched Boldly Brooklyn, its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, at a special celebration at the Brooklyn Museum.
The evening, which brought together hundreds of alumni, trustees, friends, faculty, staff, students, and other members of the Law School community, marked the Law School’s milestone 125th Anniversary and the launch of an ambitious campaign that will ensure its future growth and excellence.
With a goal of $50 million, Boldly Brooklyn is a multiyear campaign focused on the people, programs, and places that will shape the Law School for generations to come.
More than $37.5 million in philanthropic commitments have already been secured during the campaign's nucleus phase, which began on July 1, 2023, including a $3 million gift from Allen Grubman ’67 — the second-largest gift by a living donor in BLS history.
The celebration took place in the Brooklyn Museum’s Beaux-Arts Court, an expansive 10,000-square-foot gallery with 60-foot ceilings and a dramatic skylight.
The venue was particularly fitting for an occasion centered on both history and the future. The Brooklyn Museum’s current building opened to the public in 1897, just seven months before Brooklyn became part of New York City and only four years before Brooklyn Law School welcomed its first students in 1901.
"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," said Dean David D. Meyer.
That legacy is embodied by generations of BLS alums who broke barriers and opened doors for those who followed. They include David N. Dinkins ’56, New York City’s first Black mayor; Frieda B. Hennock 1924, the first woman appointed to the Federal Communications Commission; Dorothy Chin-Brandt ’74, New York State’s first Asian American woman judge; and Justice Rachel Freier ‘05, the first Hasidic woman to serve on the New York bench and to be elected to any public office in the United States.
"The Brooklyn Law School story is one of the transformational power of a legal education—for talented students of all backgrounds but also for society," Meyer said. "That distinctive mission remains core to who we are today and, in many ways, has never been more important. Boldly Brooklyn is an opportunity to build on that legacy, raise Brooklyn Law’s national profile, and ensure that future generations of students have the resources and support to make their mark on the legal profession and society."
Investing in the Future
Boldly Brooklyn focuses on three priorities central to the Law School’s future:
Student Experience will expand scholarship support to ensure continued access and strengthen the programs and initiatives that help students succeed in law school and in their careers.
Faculty Excellence will ensure that Brooklyn Law School continues to recruit and retain world-class faculty whose teaching, scholarship, and mentorship transform students’ lives and drive national debates on public policy and law.
Campus Renewal will transform the Law School’s historic home at 250 Joralemon Street, which has been at the heart of the Brooklyn Law School community since 1969, to better support teaching, learning, collaboration, and student life in the 21st century.
Proud of Our Brooklyn Roots
More than just a campaign name, Brooklyn is central to the Law School’s identity, history, and mission.
For 125 years, Brooklyn Law School has grown alongside a borough known for its independent spirit, extraordinary diversity, and outsized influence on American culture, business, civic life, and law. Approximately 2.7 million people call Brooklyn home, and one in three Brooklyn residents is an immigrant. If Brooklyn were an independent city, it would rank as the fourth-largest city in the United States.
Today, that tradition continues at the heart of Brooklyn’s legal and civic life. The Law School’s campus in Downtown Brooklyn is surrounded by courts, law firms, government agencies, legal services organizations, and advocacy groups, giving generations of students the opportunity to learn not only about the law, but also from the people and institutions shaping it.
Building on Unprecedented Momentum
While the public launch marks a new phase for Boldly Brooklyn, the campaign has already generated significant momentum.
Philanthropic support secured since July 1, 2023 has helped expand scholarship funding, establish seven new faculty chairs and professorships, strengthen clinics, launch and expand academic Centers and Institutes, enhance holistic bar preparation, and support new student amenities, including the Feil Hall fitness center.
That momentum has produced back-to-back record fundraising years. In FY26, the Law School secured more than $9.3 million in philanthropic commitments, surpassing the previous annual record of $8.4 million set in 2005 during fundraising for Feil Hall. The year included 13 gifts of $100,000 or more, more than double the number secured the previous year.
FY25 also marked a historic year. The Law School received a $12 million estate gift from alum Sheridan Albert, the largest single gift in its history. Excluding that estate gift, FY25 commitments totaled $5.9 million, the Law School’s third-highest annual total and its strongest since 2014.
"The momentum we’re seeing across the Brooklyn Law School community is deeply inspiring," said Robert Fairfield, the Law School’s Chief Advancement Officer. "Every donor and alumnus has their own 'why'—a scholarship that opened a door, a professor who served as a lifelong mentor, or a favorite spot on campus where it all clicked. The Boldly Brooklyn campaign is about honoring those individual stories by investing directly in our student experience, our faculty excellence, and the renewal of our historic home. We are building the philanthropic foundation that will empower our students to follow their passions and shape the future of law."
Campaign Leadership
Boldly Brooklyn is supported by a Campaign Committee of alumni leaders whose service, philanthropy, and commitment to the Law School span generations:
- Colleen Caden ’99 – Partner, Pryor Cashman
- Wanda Denson-Low ’81 – Senior Vice President of the Office of Internal Governance (retired), Boeing Company
- Andrew Finkelstein ’91 – Managing Partner, Finkelstein & Partners
- Allen Grubman ’67 – Partner, Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks
- Howard Hershenhorn ’89 – Partner, Gair, Gair, Conason
- Melique Jones ’98 – Chief People Officer, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
- Warren Lazarow ’86 – Of Counsel (Retired Partner), O’Melveny & Myers LLP
- Sasha Linney ’11 – Managing Director and Senior Counsel, GoldenTree Asset Management LP
- Stu Subotnick ’68 – Former President and CEO, Metromedia Company
The committee will help advance the campaign’s vision, engage fellow alumni and friends, and build support for the priorities that will shape the Law School’s future.
Looking Toward the Next 125 Years
The November 5 celebration came just weeks after Brooklyn Law School officially began its 125th Anniversary year. On Sept. 30, 1901, the Law School welcomed its first five students.
"Boldly Brooklyn celebrates the transformation of Brooklyn Law School itself over the past 125 years," Meyer said. "In celebrating the impact that the Law School has had, we also now commit to ensuring that it continues to play the same seismic role in the lives of future talented, ambitious students—and in the lives of the clients, communities, and the nation they serve."
Boldly Brooklyn. The next chapter starts here.
To learn more about Boldly Brooklyn or discuss supporting the campaign, visit this web page: https://www.brooklaw.edu/boldly-brooklyn/
Watch the campaign video and highlights from the evening below and view photos from the event.