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In Conversation with Kenneth Anand ’02 The general counsel at Kanye West’s company Yeezy discusses how remaining true to his creative passions led to his dream job Before Kenneth Anand ’02 became the general counsel and head of business development at Kanye West’s fashion label Yeezy Apparel LLC, a partnership with Adidas, he spent years dressing in suits at New York City law firms. Today, at a dream job in Los Angeles with the popular brand, he’s kicking it in sneakers in a role that calls on his legal expertise and his passion for hip hop music and culture. Anand, a native of Montclair, N.J., traveled creative pathways both before and after his time at Brooklyn Law School, remaining devoted to his early pursuits: sneakers, music, and computers. By middle school, he was a hip-hop fan, writing songs and freestyling with his friends and producing music, while owning Chuck Taylors in many different colors. His first pair of Air Jordans landed in his closet in the late 1980s. “I definitely became a ‘sneaker head’ from that point on,” he says. Anand’s uncle, a computer programmer at Bell Labs, taught Anand how to build his first computer at age 7. His father brought home the Apple II computer, the first consumer product sold by Apple Computer, and Anand took it over. “When I started getting into hip-hop, I gravitated toward making software-based music. My friends and I used to make beats on a computer in high school,” he recalls. As an undergraduate at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, he spent days in the music studio, learning the mixing boards. He switched his major from computer science to communications, with a minor in music and computers. After graduation and a year of trying to break into the music industry, he decided to take the LSAT and enroll in law school. There he also met his future wife, Safia Anand ’02, counsel at Olshan Frome Wolosky. What were your early influences? My parents used to say that my friendship circle looked like the U.N.—a bunch of Asian, black, Latino, and white kids. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a soft spot for creatives. My older brother was a naturally gifted artist from age 5. So I learned how to talk to creative people and to understand their idiosyncrasies and quirks very early in life. My parents are academics. They met at NYU, where they both got their doctorate degrees: My dad has his dual Ph.D. in religion and philosophy, and my mother in education. Education was always important for us. What stands out about your experience at Brooklyn Law? My experience—from the people I met to the mental endurance I learned—has been invaluable. I met my wife Safia and some of my best friends there. I was very social at the Law School from the beginning. In my first year, I started getting involved in the SBA (Student Bar Association). In my second and third years, I was elected SBA president. I always tell students that networking in law school is key, because 10 or 15 years down the line all of your peers are going to be doing something interesting, and they’re invaluable as friends and colleagues. The people I met in law school became my network. What was your first job after graduation from law school? I worked at a firm, practicing employment and labor law. That was the area I fell in love with first. I liked dealing with real human issues in the workplace. How did you move from employment law to fashion law? It was a bit of a bumpy path. In 2009, I was laid off from my law firm during the height of the financial crisis. My wife and I had just had our son Alex; he was six months old. It was a very challenging time. But, rather than get discouraged, I started my own law practice. I think that was the first time, despite the stress, that I saw a way to combine my expertise with my passions. I marketed myself heavily. I immediately saw the value of my law school network. I reached out to all my classmates, offering to take on any referrals and overflow work, and their response was great. I reviewed employment agreements and severance packages. I represented fashion designers and clients in the entertainment world. I started to really understand the business of law, and how to bring in interesting work. After two years, I went back to a firm so I could offer more services to my clients. That’s when I really started trying to market myself as a fashion and sneaker lawyer. How did you get the opportunity at Yeezy? In 2016, I was working at a California-based firm when one of my LA clients, who I knew because his brother went to Brooklyn Law with me, called and said, ‘I’m going to work for Kanye West. Will you help me with my executive employment agreement?’ Of course, I said yes. A couple months later, when he asked me to do some more legal work, I saw an opportunity and was looking for a change. I took a leap of faith and asked him, “How about you just hire me, and I’ll do all of the company’s legal work?” Two weeks later, I got the job. I flew to Los Angeles and started working as general counsel for Kanye’s fashion company, Yeezy. I knew this was it—every piece of my childhood and my entire career came together in one role. The only stressful part for me was figuring out what to wear on my first day. Did you wear “Yeezys” (as the brand’s sneakers are popularly known)? Definitely. I wore the original 350 v2 Belugas with jeans and a sweatshirt. What’s the best part of your job now? I love that it changes all the time. You never know what the day is going to hold, and that’s really exciting. Within my first year, I was able to save the company a significant amount of money in legal fees. I put new systems and processes in place. I also started managing business development, and I help with HR and benefits. What’s the most challenging part? Traveling back and forth between LA and New York for work can be hard, especially on my wife and our sons, Alex and Deven. They’re 10 and 8 now. I just hope my kids see a father who’s passionate about what he does for a living and puts his heart and soul into it. I hope that they follow their dreams the same way I was able to. Any lasting lessons from law school that resonate today? “Knowing your audience” is the number one skill. That’s what I learned in my legal writing class, and it’s been an invaluable lesson. I wouldn’t talk to my designers and my creative people the same way I talk to outside counsel. I have the ability to wear many different hats and switch them at any time. The beautiful thing about the law is you can apply it to any profession, and I’ve been able to do that. In my business development role and the things I do that are not legal at all, there are still legal skills that I apply, like my analytical skills, and my questioning and reasoning. You’re also blazing a new trail as co-author of a book about sneaker law. What do you mean by sneaker law? It’s the body of knowledge about the multibillion-dollar business of sneakers and footwear and the role of reselling in the industry. As high fashion is being taken over by street wear, it’s important that people know more about the business of sneakers and its legal aspects—from how to protect yourself legally if you’re a designer, to how to buy and sell sneakers. There’s a significant number of cases in this area related to intellectual property and trade secrets. And there’s a Brooklyn Law School tie to this book project as well. Yes, I’m co-writing the book with a recent graduate, Jared Goldstein ’17 (corporate counsel at Undertone, a digital branding agency). We recently engaged a student, Rylan Brook ’20, through the Law School’s externship program, to help us with the book. What’s your best advice for law students and your fellow alumni? Be ready to hustle harder than anyone else. Remember, there are different paths to success with a law degree. Whatever your passions were before law school, don’t give up on them. Even if they don’t intersect with your work right away, they keep you excited. And when they do eventually intersect, it’s a beautiful thing. This interview was conducted and edited by Jen Swetzoff.

Preparing the Lawyers of Tomorrow Brooklyn Law School will roll out an innovative new curriculum—with practical opportunities for new students to research, write, and build their professional identity. By Jen Swetzoff “By the time our students graduate,” said Maryellen Fullerton, interim dean and professor of law at Brooklyn Law School, “they should all be able to tell a clear story about who they want to be as a lawyer. That conviction is really how the idea for our new curriculum started.” The art of storytelling is influencing all industries today, including the legal industry. As law school enrollment continues to rise, the job market for lawyers has become increasingly competitive. Candidates who effectively communicate a narrative about their interests, goals, and motivations will stand out. With this in mind, several faculty members began talking about how they might reimagine legal education. In 2017, Fullerton, a longtime advocate for curricular reform, offered to lead the group as they explored possibilities for change. The group—comprising faculty members and the registrar—has spent the last two years brainstorming creative ways to transform the traditional 1L teaching model. Now the Law School is ready to implement their vision. The new curriculum will be rolled out to 1L students beginning in the 2019–20 academic year. It will enhance both the basics—Building the Foundation in the 1L Year – and the advanced goals—Developing a Professional Identity in the 2L Year and Specializing and Transitioning to Practice in the 3L Year. It features many more writing and research opportunities, more robust academic advising, more exposure to the types of law practice that are available, and more intellectual stimulation in 3L seminars and faculty-led reading groups. Starting this fall, the Law School will increase its legal writing requirement in the first semester of the 1L year from two to three credits. The additional credit will boost the research component and will incorporate opportunities for students to draft professional correspondence to clients and supervisors, a form of legal writing not currently taught in the program. “New lawyers need to be able to research and write well starting on day one of their legal careers,” said Heidi K. Brown, director of the legal writing program and associate professor of law. “We need all our students to emerge from law school already knowing how to research and write well. Students have access to so many digital grammar and citation tools now, but the foundation for good written analysis starts with us, with the faculty teaching the curriculum. I’m appreciative of Dean Fullerton’s forward-thinking vision and of the board’s support on this initiative.” In spring 2020, the Law School will launch what is perhaps the most ambitious component of the revised J.D. program. The current legal writing requirement will become the new four-credit Gateway to Lawyering course, in which students dive deeper into one of four areas of law to help them focus their studies and potential area of career interest. The course will feature intensive research and writing as well as more engagement with statutory materials.Students will have the option to concentrate in one of four areas: Law and business Law and information Law and social change Law and individual life “Becoming a lawyer is about acquiring both substantive academic and practical knowledge,” said K. Sabeel Rahman, associate professor of law and the president of Demos, a public policy organization focused on ensuring equality in the American democratic process and economy. “The Gateway series is a great opportunity for students to start making choices and exploring their various interests. No matter what subject matter they study, they will get a taste of something new, and they can start considering if it’s the right professional path for them or not.” Each of the new Gateway courses will focus on a statutory framework in that particular subject area. This curriculum is designed to expose students to a wider range of legal writing competencies than the Law School’s previous traditional legal writing courses. Students will complete three types of written assignments: A descriptive piece of writing, answering a client’s legal question through reading, parsing, and applying a complex statutory framework A transactional document, such as a contract or settlement agreement related to a hypothetical client scenario A substantial, persuasive advocacy piece, such as a brief or a position paper, using case law to further interpret the statutory rule. Students will learn oral communication skills as well. The class sessions and assignments will explore professional ethics issues and involve simulations and other forms of skills training and interactive learning. Alumni practitioner panels will be integral to the courses as well to educate students about the practical aspects of the Gateway areas and provide networking opportunities. The faculty also enhanced 2L and 3L students’ upper-level writing requirements and experiences; students must complete a legal writing requirement in both the 2L and 3L academic years. Traditionally, the Law School required only one upper-level writing requirement—a faculty-supervised assignment. “We cannot wait until the third year to assess our students’ writing skills again,” Brown explained. “Students need to be writing during each year of law school. One main goal is to help students take charge of their own legal education—from the beginning and then continuing through the arc of their multiyear experience at Brooklyn Law School. Exposing them to various types of writing in each year of their law school journey builds a foundation of skills. Students can continue developing professional skills in their second year as they evolve as legal writers. They can take upper-level drafting courses and seminar courses or write an independent research paper. Alternatively, they might satisfy the additional upper-level writing requirement through written work performed in summer jobs, with the approval of their supervisors and faculty. Our goal is to make sure that all Brooklyn Law students walk into their first job feeling confident about their research and writing skills.” ROAD MAP TO THE FUTURE Beginning with the class entering the Law School in fall 2020, students will develop a comprehensive online portfolio checklist. Although this aspect of curriculum reform is still in development, students will eventually be able to access a checklist that will help them track the development of their strengths, competencies, and values in five categories: Effective communications Information gathering Problem solving Building a professional identify and a career plan Technological proficiency Starting in their 1L year, students can use this road map to track their progress as they navigate their personal journey through law school—ensuring that they garner the skills necessary to provide effective, ethical, and responsible legal services in everyday practice. When students are applying for admission to the New York State Bar, this checklist also will help them demonstrate they have satisfied all their requirements. “This portfolio will be an essential tool to engage all students, mobilize our resources, and build a stronger legal community,” said Fullerton. “It also puts the arc of legal education directly into the student’s hands. Each student will see an array of opportunities to learn doctrine, develop skills, and delve into specialized areas, as well as lists of all requirements, so the students can make intentional choices as they choose their courses and externships each semester.” In time, the checklist likely will include more than coursework and will incorporate lawyering skills and activities. Brown hopes it eventually will be used as a holistic guide for students to navigate law school, with a framework for well-being initiatives, professional development, and networking experiences in addition to academics. Fullerton noted that optional reading groups led by faculty members may be included in the future. “This initiative,” said Brown, “is, first and foremost, a way to help students structure their academic life. But we also see it potentially as a way to help structure their extracurricular life, their career pursuits, their interpersonal skills, and development of their lawyer personas, which includes categories like well-being that have not been traditionally emphasized or focused on in legal education. We want students to ask themselves, do I have the resources I need to make sure I can be a healthy lawyer, and not just a successful but stressed-out lawyer?” In addition, students following the new curriculum will have an array of opportunities to create a portfolio of high-quality writing samples that dovetail with their academic and professional interests. This process will help students better articulate their experiences and the strengths they will bring to their career, whether in the private, public interest, public service, or business sector—and give them a solid collection of writing samples to share with potential employers. “As teachers,” said Rahman, “it’s our job to set students up for a successful trajectory in law school—and beyond law school. This new curriculum is meant to do that, and it’s very exciting. I think it’s a real testament to the values and the creativity of the faculty and the administration at Brooklyn Law School. We want to do everything we can to make sure that students leave fully prepared.” SUPPORT CURRICULAR INNOVATION To ensure that the goals of this comprehensive curriculum initiative will be achieved, Brooklyn Law School has created a Fund for Curricular Innovation, which will provide the necessary support and resources to implement the plan. Strong supporters of the Law School and student success, Denise Faltischek ’00 and Kenny Faltischek ’00 are investing in this initiative as inaugural donors. “When Interim Dean Fullerton came to speak about her vision for curriculum reform, it was clear to us that this was something we wanted to support,” said Denise Faltischek. “These changes will differentiate the Law School as an innovative leader in the legal market. We are proud to be affiliated with such an important endeavor.” To learn more about becoming an investor in the Fund for Curricular Innovation, please contact Caitlin Monck, Interim Director of Advancement, at (718) 780-0322.

In Conversation with Elena Karabatos ’86, Aimee Richter ’93, and Marie-Eleana First ’98 Bar association presidents discuss the importance of making connections in an increasingly digital world BROOKLYN LAW SCHOOL graduates have long been leaders of bar associations across the country. New York is a case in point, featuring Marie-Eleana First ’98, president-elect of the Queens County Bar Association (she will become president in January); Elena Karabatos ’86, president of the Nassau County Bar Association; and Aimee Richter ’93, who completed her term as president of the Brooklyn Bar Association in June. Brooklyn Law Notes recently spoke with the three bar leaders about the value of bar association membership, the importance of face-to-face conversations rather than virtual connections, and why students should join during law school. First is an immigration lawyer in private practice at her own firm FirstLawNY. She handles a wide variety of immigration matters including removal/deportation proceedings, familybased immigrant petitions, artist and religious worker visas, employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant petitions, and special immigrant juvenile visas. Karabatos is a senior partner at Schlissel Ostrow Karabatos and a leading matrimonial lawyer in New York known for her courtroom advocacy as well as her ability to settle complex cases. She is the immediate past-president of the New York Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Her daughter Sofia Skarlatos ’16 clerked at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals before joining Arnold & Porter as an associate in New York City. Richter is a named partner and co-chair of the matrimonial and family law division at Lee Anav Chung White Kim Ruger & Richter, the fourthlargest minority-owned law firm in New York State. She recently was named to Crain’s New York Business 2018 list of Leading Women Lawyers in New York City. How has bar association membership shaped your career paths? Richter: As a 25-year-old, right out of law school, I joined the Brooklyn Bar Association and, ever since, it has helped me develop my professional relationships. It offers so many opportunities to meet leaders of the Brooklyn legal community. Looking back, the people I met through the bar association—when I was just starting out in my career—are now my friends, many of whom have gone on to become judges and politicians. You can’t build those kinds of relationships anywhere else as a young lawyer. You need the face-to-face interaction. Karabatos: My memberships, in both the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations, have absolutely shaped my career. I’ve met people who encouraged me not only to take on leadership roles, but to get involved in important legislation and policy initiatives. First: I joined the New York City Bar Association right after I graduated, and I participated in the Young Lawyers Committee. I then joined the New York State Bar Association where I served as co-chair of the Young Lawyers Committee of the Intellectual Property Section. After that, I got busy and I lost touch with the bar associations. But several years later, I met a colleague in immigration court and he invited me to join the Queens County Bar Association (QCBA), and I’ve had an incredible experience ever since. Membership in local bar associations has declined in recent years. How are you addressing that? Richter: Many young people who have grown up on their cell phones and on social media don’t understand that an in-person meeting is so much more valuable than a text. We are thinking hard about how to make that case to the generation of lawyers who are digital natives. Karabatos: I agree, and I do see younger attorneys are starting to recognize the limitations of what they can do online and why it’s important to get together with their colleagues in person. It is incumbent upon us to encourage the next generation to join us, and to help them understand and take advantage of the unique benefits of membership. First: All organizations have been affected by the internet because attorneys are now going online to seek knowledge and to market themselves. People feel that social media is the preferred mode of communication for legal research, learning, and self-promotion. However, nothing is as effective as an interpersonal face-to-face meeting. It fosters camaraderie among seasoned attorneys and mentorship for young attorneys. Bar associations also provide a way to meet your adversary in a non-confrontational way, and to build solidarity and empathy among adversaries. It raises the level of the quality and integrity of lawyering. Why should law students get involved in their local bar association? First: Young lawyers are the future of the bar association, and it’s a great idea to start building your professional relationships as a student—especially because membership is free to law students. We started a student ambassadorship program, in which we have two student representatives from each law school act as liaisons between the law school and the bar association. Our student ambassadors share information about our bar to the law students and also help our bar to coordinate its networking events, panels, and mentorship program. In this way, lawyers and law students can better engage with each other, fostering goodwill and deeper connections. We also have writing opportunities for students, including contests that recognize articles and law notes. Karabatos: Students are welcomed in bar associations— and they can join for free. They are mentored and invited to join committees, so they can meet lawyers in a very accessible, approachable environment. We have networking and social events for our law students. We also welcome new lawyers in leadership because they bring a different perspective. Richter: I sit on the Character and Fitness Committee for the Second Department, and when I am doing interviews with the students I stress the importance and value of joining. There are lots of benefits for new lawyers like free CLE, networking, and mentoring. How are your associations serving your communities? First: In 1991, QCBA created the Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project, which has grown and flourished since that time. Over the years, our members in conjunction with the project have provided free legal assistance to low-income Queens residents facing civil law matters involving basic human needs, such as eviction proceedings, foreclosure, family law matters, bankruptcy, and problems with insurers. When President Trump announced changes to DACA, we wrote a public service announcement for the bar that we aired on Queens public television about what the changes meant because we thought the policy was very confusing. The former president, Gregory Newman ’88, delivered the PSA in English, and I delivered it Spanish. Karabatos: Local bar associations are in the best position to initiate and coordinate pro bono programs and opportunities, as well as do charitable work, to meet the legal needs of the community. Access to justice is one of my passions and a priority for my term as Nassau County Bar Association’s president. My goal is to encourage members of the community, especially those who may have been underserved in the past, to use and rely on my association when they have legal problems. We offer a mortgage foreclosure program, family law clinics, and immigration legal services, which are all great ways to give back and get involved on a community level. We Care, the charitable arm of the Association, provides a way for attorneys to give back to their local communities. Richter: The role of the bar association is to respond to its community’s needs. We have a volunteer lawyer network and a referral system to get representation where it is needed. We have been setting up many foreclosure clinics. We responded with legal help after Hurricane Sandy in New York and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Recently, we have been working to protect children and families from being separated. We also have our Foundation Law Programs for the Public committee, which provides legal information and help with many issues, such as housing rights, foreclosure, divorce, and immigration. Younger lawyers today are more interested in social justice issues, and being a part of the bar association gives them a way to galvanize and work with a larger group of lawyers committed to those same causes. Whether it’s getting out to the airport after the first travel ban in 2017 or helping with parents who have been separated from their children, lawyers are being seen as the good guys, as saviors of the rule of law. How did Brooklyn Law School inspire your commitment to volunteering as a bar association leader? Richter: Brooklyn Law School showed me the importance of building a strong community and personal relationships. Even during the admissions process, a partner at a big law firm invited me to lunch to share his positive experiences at the school with me. That meant so much. Karabatos: The Law School taught me the importance of community engagement through its clinics and internships. Those programs were a wonderful experience. First: My professors, especially Professor Joseph Crea, inspired me to keep on persevering and go forward. I’ll always be grateful for my Law School experience. This interview was conducted and edited by Andrea Strong ’94.

Brooklyn Law School Celebrates Alumni at the Plaza Hotel In January, more than 250 alumni and their guests, faculty, students, and staff filled the grand ballroom at the famed Plaza Hotel in New York City for Brooklyn Law School’s Annual Alumni Association Luncheon. “I hope you share the pride I feel as president and dean of Brooklyn Law School,” said Dean Nick Allard in his welcome remarks. “Our great law school is increasingly known for what it has always been—a leading center for learning how to use the power of law in the service of people and society at home and abroad. Your achievements as Brooklyn Law graduates give us a sterling reputation, and your engagement and encouragement and support propel us forward.” After Allard’s remarks, Valerie Fitch ’88, president of the Alumni Association, introduced this year’s honorees. Martin A. Fischer ’64, former chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the New York State Insurance Fund, and the Honorable Nelson S. Román ’89, a U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York, were recognized as “Alumni of the Year.” Honored as “Rising Stars” were Winston M. Paes ’03, chief of the business and securities fraud section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and Nithya B. Das ’06, senior vice president and general counsel of AppNexus Inc. Martin A. Fischer ’64 had an eventful first year at Brooklyn Law School. Fischer’s congressman from Brooklyn, John J. Rooney, helped him leave his service in the Navy early so he could begin law school. To thank Rooney, Fischer traveled to Washington, D.C., and hours after arriving in the congressman’s office, he found himself at a party with top government officials. “I was 25 years old, in a room with Lyndon Johnson, the vice president of the United States, and half the cabinet, and one of the senators asks me for my thoughts on the Peace Corps,” Fischer recalled. “It was a highlight of my life.” The next day, Congressman Rooney introduced Fischer to Congressman Hugh L. Carey (who went on to become New York governor). Years later, Fischer was appointed by Governor Carey to serve as commissioner of the New York State Insurance Fund in 1977 and he served as its chairman until 1995. Fischer began his law career as an associate at Otterbourg, Steindler, Houston & Rosen. After two years, he joined Warner Communications as associate general counsel and held many positions, including executive vice president and director of the subsidiaries Kinney System and the Katz Parking System. In 1981, he became president and chief operating officer of these subsidiaries and served in this role until 1986. In 1987, he joined Warshaw Burstein Cohen Schlesinger & Kuh as counsel, where he remained until 2001. Today, Fischer serves on the Board of Directors of the Berkshire Bank, one of the oldest and largest independent banks in Massachusetts. He is also a member of the Brooklyn Law School Board of Trustees, which he joined in 1995; he sits on the finance committee. Fischer and his wife, Susan, have been longtime supporters of the Law School. When the addition was being built in 1994, the dining mezzanine was named in honor of them and their son, Michael Fischer ’92. He and his wife also have endowed a scholarship, which is awarded annually to a student in need of financial assistance to continue his or her education. In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed the Honorable Nelson S. Román ’89 as a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Judge Román’s career in public service began in the 1980s as a New York City police officer. He patrolled the South Bronx during the day and attended the Law School at night. After graduating, he joined the Kings County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney working in the domestic violence bureau and the felony trial division. He later joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office as a special narcotics assistant district attorney, where he prosecuted major felony narcotics cases. In 1995, he became a law clerk to the Honorable Jose A. Padilla of the New York City Civil Court. His judicial career began in 1998 when he was appointed to the Housing Court of the New York City Civil Court in Bronx County. Three years later, he was elected to the New York City Civil Court in Bronx County. Then in 2002, he was elected as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court in Bronx County, where he served for seven years. In 2009, Governor David Paterson appointed Judge Román as an associate justice of the Appellate Division, First Department. After four years on the Appellate Division, he was appointed as a United States District Court judge for the Southern District of New York. Judge Román is on the New York State Task Force on Mandatory Retirement of Judges and on the Special Commission on the Future of New York State Courts. Previously, he was president of the Puerto Rican Bar Association and was a founding member of the Cervantes Society. Judge Román has received numerous honors and awards including the Outstanding Service Award from the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and the President’s Award for Outstanding Judicial Service from the Bronx County Bar Association. He has twice been honored by the Latin American Law Students Association at the Law School. Over the years, numerous Brooklyn Law students have served as his interns and law clerks. Nithya B. Das ’06 is the senior vice president and general counsel at AppNexus Inc., a venture-backed global technology company that powers Internet advertising. AppNexus provides the technology that determines which ads appear on a website’s sidebar. The company employs more than 1,000 people in 23 global offices, and places $2.5 billion in advertising each year. Das oversees the global corporate, commercial, M&A, privacy, intellectual property, and regulatory legal affairs for AppNexus and serves as its corporate secretary and compliance officer. She was awarded the 2014 Women of Power and Influence honor by the National Organization for Women and was recognized as a 2011 Legal Rebel by the American Bar Association. “A former colleague of mine recently described me as being confident and persistent, and as having a strong sense of business acumen,” Das said. “Those characteristics were formed and furthered at Brooklyn Law School, and for that I really thank the school.” As a law student, Das was an editor of the Brooklyn Journal of International Law and a member of the Moot Court Honor Society. She was also an International Business Law Fellow and co-founded the South Asian Law Students Association. After receiving her J.D., she began her career at Goodwin Procter LLP as an associate in its technology company practice, where she represented public and private tech companies in a wide variety of corporate and transactional matters. While at Goodwin, she also helped create the Founder’s Workbench, a free, online legal resource for entrepreneurs. Today, Das continues to be involved with Brooklyn Law School. She has participated in Business Boot Camp and regularly participates in career and academic panels. “There is no better feeling, from my perspective, than to say in a courtroom that you represent the United States,” said Winston M. Paes ’03, chief of the business and securities fraud section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. “No matter how many times I say it, I still get goose bumps.” Moving from Goa, India, to New York City when he was 18 years old, Paes had no knowledge of the American legal system. But he quickly figured it out and credited the Brooklyn Law School faculty for helping him become a prosecutor. Today, Paes leads investigations and prosecutions in a variety of criminal matters, specializing in fraud involving publicly traded companies and corporate executives and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the False Claims Act. Paes began his career as a litigation associate at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, where he worked on a number of white-collar and regulatory matters. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2008, and was appointed to the business and securities fraud section the following year. He became deputy chief of the section in June 2014, and eight months later, he was promoted to his current position. Paes has worked on some of the office’s most significant white-collar cases and has received numerous awards including the 2014 Department of Justice’s Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team and the 2013 Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Award for Excellence in Investigation. As a board member of the Brooklyn Law School Alumni Association and a longtime mentor to students, Paes maintains close ties with the Law School. “I am standing here today because of the hard work and dedication of many people who have helped me along the way,” he said, “and I am grateful to be able to give back in some small way now.”

LL.M. Program Find Your Future in Brooklyn Location, Location, Location Brooklyn Law School is located just minutes from Wall Street, the epicenter of international finance, and the Brooklyn Tech Triangle, a hub for innovation and start-ups. The Law School is surrounded by courts, businesses, non-profit organizations, and law offices, as well as the vibrant neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Immerse yourself in a real-world learning environment where you can grow both professionally and personally. Our program is designed to help lawyers trained abroad to explore U.S. law, and connect with other international lawyers, our world-class faculty, and more than 24,000 alumni. Our students gain the knowledge, expertise, and networking opportunities to advance their legal education and careers. Students also have the option to sit for the New York State bar exam. Scholarship and Research Fellowship Opportunity  For the 2022-2023 academic year, Brooklyn Law School will offer one full-tuition scholarship with a customized fellowship research opportunity. The recipient will earn an LL.M. while developing independent research overseen by a Brooklyn Law School professor. For more details, please see the Scholarship section of the Application Information page.--> Graduation Requirements The LL.M. degree requires all students to complete 24 credits. Two courses – Fundamentals of American Law and Legal Writing & Research for LL.M. Students – are mandatory. No thesis credit is required. In addition to the general requirements, LL.M. students wishing to specialize in a particular area of law must earn a minimum of credits in that area. These specialties include Business Law (15 credits), Immigration and Refugee Law (10 credits), and Intellectual Property, Media, and Information Law (15 credits). LL.M. students begin their studies during the fall semester with Fundamentals of American Law, a 2-credit course designed to familiarize students with the legal system in the United States and provide them with the exposure to several significant areas of legal practice. They also take a 3-credit course, Legal Writing & Research for LL.M. Students. For this course, faculty members trained in linguistics and experienced in teaching ESL join the Brooklyn Law School writing and research faculty and work with students individually based on their needs. The LL.M. degree is earned in one year of full-time study, or up to two years of part-time enrollment. Note: part-time study is available to all U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, and those with visas that allow part-time study. New York State Bar In addition to the general requirements set forth above, LL.M. students wishing to sit for the New York State bar examination that are subject to Rule 520.6 must meet the following additional requirements: One of the following courses: Professional Responsibility, Legal Profession, or Professional Responsibility in Different Practice Settings Minimum of six (6) additional credits in subjects tested on the New York State bar examination Specializations Students may choose to specialize in one of three areas of law and earn a certificate in addition to the LL.M. degree. The areas are: Business Law, Refugee and Immigration Law, or Intellectual Property, Media, and Information Law. Application Requirements Admission Criteria To be eligible for admission to the LL.M. program for internationally trained lawyers, prospective students must:   Hold a first degree in law from an accredited foreign university that is substantially equivalent to the legal education provided by an American Bar Association-approved law school in the United States; and Have a minimum Internet-based TOEFL score of 5 (or 95 for tests taken before January 21, 2026) with a minimum of 5 on each of the four sections (or 23 for tests taken before January 21, 2026)), or a minimum IELTS score of 7.0. The language proficiency examination requirement may be waived only for candidates whose native and working language is English and whose first degree in law is from a college or university in a country where both the language of instruction and the native language is English.   Guaranteed Housing LL.M. students are very much a part of the Law School’s thriving intellectual and cultural life. To facilitate integration into our community, we provide guaranteed housing in Feil Hall to all applicants meeting our housing deadline. Feil Hall is a modern, furnished residence hall located just a few blocks from the Law School with over 200 apartments. Feil Hall is also the location of the Jeffrey D. Forchelli Conference Center, the site of frequent academic symposia, and Geraldo’s, a comfortable and relaxing area that hosts various programs of interest to BLS students and is a perfect location for meeting friends. The residence hall is located just three blocks from the Law School’s main building. The costs for Brooklyn Law School housing are highly competitive for apartments in New York City, especially those in the immediate vicinity of the Law School and the desirable neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights. All admitted LL.M. students who submit a completed housing application and deposit by the May 1 application deadline will be guaranteed housing while they complete the program. Family Housing is available for those who qualify. To Apply for Housing You must be an admitted student with a username and password from the Admissions Office to access the housing application on Brooklyn Law School's intranet website BLSConnect. If you have lost either of these, please contact the Admissions Office at admitq@brooklaw.edu. Alumni Testimonials In Their Own Words - LL.M. Alumni Testimonials   Kaine Agary ‘23Appellate Court AttorneySupreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department A key factor that drew me to Brooklyn Law School was the experiential learning. I participated in an outreach program through CUBE (Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship) where local businesspeople could come with their legal issues and, under the supervision of the law firm partners, we gave them solutions and answered questions... I also participated in the Brooklyn Law Incubator and Policy (BLIP) clinic where we did real legal work. One of the exciting things that my group did was to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court. I appreciated the opportunities to get that hands-on experience.   Sophie Jamesley ‘17Associate Counsel, Global ComplianceThe Estée Lauder Companies Inc. When I was looking at different law schools, Brooklyn Law stood out to me because it really prioritized career development. They want to equip non-U.S. LL.M. students with the connections and skills needed to succeed. One of the best courses I enrolled in was the Civil Practice externship, where I worked in-house at Thomson Reuters in New York. There, I was able to get involved in a variety of matters under the supervision of their Enterprise Compliance Counsel. Getting that practical, real-world experience and having the opportunity to connect with lawyers in my area of interest was invaluable.   Alex Kozlov ‘23Immigration AttorneyTLA Law, PLLC As a foreign-trained lawyer, being 29 years old and studying in a law school in NYC, the U.S. law school education process was a lot different from what I experienced in Ukraine. Brooklyn Law School has a lot more activities, organizations, and clinics for students to choose from. For those who desire to stay and become attorneys in the U.S., my advice is: do not fear the bar exam. Just take it seriously, study appropriately, and make it a priority during the bar prep period. If you are having a hard time, there is always someone ready to help. You just need to ask. Brooklyn Law School is not just a school; it is a community.   Janice Zelmati ‘17Founder, Attorney at LawLex Cordis P.C. I pursued my legal studies in my home country of France and the United Kingdom, where both institutions had partnerships with Brooklyn Law School. This connection initially piqued my interest. Upon visiting Brooklyn Law, I was impressed by the personal attention we received and the genuine care extended to us. The LL.M. cohort was a small, distinct group, allowing us to cultivate meaningful relationships that set us apart from the J.D. students. We formed a study group to collaborate on our classes and exchange ideas, a practice that continued as we prepared for the bar exam. This sense of community proved to be immensely valuable and is still very present in my practice because I continue to collaborate professionally with some of my former classmates.  Frequently Asked Questions for LL.M. Am I required to take the English proficiency test? A high level of English proficiency is required for the successful completion of the LL.M. Program. Your level of proficiency, as demonstrated by all aspects of your application, is a significant factor in the Admission Committee’s decision-making process. All applicants, except those whose native and working language is English or who earned their first law degree entirely in English, must take an English proficiency test. Applicants should be tested for English proficiency within two years prior to submitting their LL.M. admission application.   What is the minimum English proficiency test score requirement? •    TOEFL iBT Test (minimum score of 5 or 95 if taken before January 21, 2026)•    IELTS (minimum score of 7.0)•    Duolingo (minimum score of 120)   Can I request an English proficiency test waiver? Applicants whose native and working language is English and applicants whose first degree in law is from a university where both the language of instruction and the native language is English may request a waiver of the language proficiency examination. The request should be made through the law school application in sections 11 through 13. Include a brief statement in your application indicating the factual basis for the request. Waivers are not granted automatically. In many cases, in-person or evaluative online interviews will be required. Waivers are granted at the sole discretion of the Office of International Programs. Requests for TOEFL/IELTS waivers by applicants who do not clearly satisfy the above waiver requirements are seldom granted. There are no in-person TOEFL or IELTS tests scheduled in my area. Does Brooklyn Law School accept scores from Home Edition versions of these tests or Duolingo? Yes.    Can I transfer from the LL.M. to J.D. program? No. Students interested in the J.D. program must submit an application to the Office of Admissions and review their admissions guidelines.   What kind of scholarships and assistantships are available for international LLM applicants? Merit scholarships are offered to entering LL.M. students whom the admissions committee have reason to expect outstanding academic achievement. Awards are based on academic accomplishment and demonstrated aptitude for law study. Scholarships are awarded at the time of admission. Research and Teaching Assistantships open throughout the academic year, and LL.M. students are eligible to apply. These positions are paid at an hourly rate and are not considered scholarship awards. A student may not work more than twenty (20) hours per week while attending the Law School on a full-time basis.   Can you offer some help with obtaining a visa? As an admitted student, you are eligible for the F-1 Visa (Student Visa). Once an offer of admission is accepted and the seat deposit is paid, The Office of International Programs will initiate the process for issuing the Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status), a key document necessary in the visa application process.   When does the program start? Classes typically start the last week of August. Students are required to attend mandatory orientation the week before classes begin. Can I submit my application directly to Brooklyn Law School rather than through LSAC? No. All application materials should be submitted through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The one exception is that we allow Duolingo English Proficiency test scores sent directly from Duolingo.   Do you offer evening classes? There are some courses offered in the evening that you may register for but note that some courses may only be available during daytime hours.    Can I enroll part-time in the LL.M. program? The part-time LL.M. program is only available to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or those whose status in the United States allows part-time study. It requires a minimum of one and a half years (three semesters) of study.   What is the deadline for submitting my application? The Law School practices a form of rolling admissions. This means that there is no universal acceptance date. We review files year-round and give notification of acceptance, wait-listing, or denial, as decisions are made. If you need to apply for a student visa, you are strongly encouraged to submit your application with all supporting materials no later than June 1.   How do I apply for one of the specializations (Intellectual Property Law, Refugee and Immigration Law, Business Law)? Complete a Specialization form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar. Once you have met the requirements, a certificate will be awarded to you at graduation.   What is the cost of the program? The most current estimated costs are here. These amounts do not include the cost of health insurance, SEVIS fees, or additional expenses for dependents (spouse and children).   Does the curriculum include the NYS Bar requirements for International Students? All LL.M. students are required to take a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours. All LL.M. students are required to take the following courses: Fundamentals of American Law and Legal Writing and Research for LL.M. All other course selections are at the discretion of the student based on their plans and interests. Therefore, students should consult with their academic advisor and the Registrar to develop a course plan that will help them meet the NYS Bar requirements.   Does the LL.M. give me the possibility to take the Bar Exam? LL.M. students seeking to meet the New York Court of Appeals requirements for bar exam eligibility pursuant to Rule 520.6 must also take: A course in professional responsibility and a minimum of six (6) credit hours in other courses in subjects tested on the New York State bar examination. The principal focus of these courses must include material contained in the Content Outline for the New York State bar examination published by the State Board of Law Examiners. They will also be required to complete an online foreign evaluation and submit to the New York State Board of Law Examiners (NYS BOLE) prior to sitting the bar exam.   How long is the LL.M. program? The full-time LL.M. program requires a minimum of one academic year (two non-summer semesters) of full-time attendance. Full-time students must complete the entire program of study within twenty-four (24) months from the date of matriculation at the Law School. The part-time LL.M. program requires a minimum of one and a half years (three semesters) of study. Part-time students must complete the entire program of study within twenty-four (24) months from the date of matriculation at the Law School.    Can I take online courses to satisfy the credit requirements for the LL.M. degree? All LL.M. students are required to take a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours, which shall be in classroom courses at the Law School in substantive and procedural law and professional skills. Furthermore, to qualify for the NY bar exam all 24 credits (except as otherwise permitted) must be in courses requiring classroom instruction.   There is a long wait to get a visa appointment in my country, when can I receive the Form I-20 to start the visa application process? When you receive an admission letter, it will include a deadline for paying the seat deposit, your confirmation of an intent to enroll. Once the deposit is paid, The Office of International Programs will contact you to request documentation needed to issue a Form I-20, a key document necessary in the visa application process.   

Meet Dean Michael T. Cahill The new president and dean of Brooklyn Law School discusses his passion for legal education and his vision for the school in the years ahead. Michael T. Cahill returned to Brooklyn Law School July 1 as President, Joseph Crea Dean, and Professor of Law, rejoining the school after bidding farewell three years earlier to become co-dean at Rutgers Law School. Happily, for both Cahill and the Law School, the farewell was far from a goodbye; Dean Cahill now leads the Law School where he was a faculty member for 13 years (2003–16), during which time he also served as vice dean (2013–15) and as associate dean for academic affairs (2010–13). Before entering academia, Dean Cahill was staff director and consultant, respectively, for major criminal code reform projects in the states of Illinois and Kentucky. He received his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. and M.P.P. degrees from the University of Michigan. After graduating from law school, where he was a note editor for the Michigan Law Review, he served as a law clerk to Judge James B. Loken of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Although his scholarly work focuses primarily on criminal law, Dean Cahill also has written about health law and policy and taught Health Law as well as Property. He has coauthored three books with noted criminal-law scholar Professor Paul Robinson of University of Pennsylvania Law School, and published numerous articles in top law reviews. Cahill became co-dean at Rutgers, in residence at its Camden location, just a year after Rutgers–Camden merged with its sister law school at Rutgers–Newark. Under his leadership, the unified Rutgers Law School made significant strides in improving student quality and diversity, enhancing alumni engagement, stabilizing revenue, and cementing a shared identity. Dean Cahill recently sat down with Brooklyn Law Notes to share his passion and vision for Brooklyn Law School in the years ahead. What brought you back to Brooklyn Law School? Many things, but I would emphasize two big ones: the people, and the energy. I have longstanding relationships with faculty, administrators, and alumni, including my former students. In addition to respecting these people as colleagues, I value many as friends, so I was eager to work with and be around them again. And this Law School has a vitality that’s unusual. Not only does it draw energy from its urban setting, but many faculty and students live nearby, so they are a presence in the building, and there are daily opportunities to engage meaningfully with them. What led you from your work primarily in criminal law reform to academia? Even as I entered law school, I thought that teaching would be exciting, interesting, engaging, and fulfilling work, and being a professor was my dream job. I tried to look for opportunities after law school that would eventually lead to a career in academia, but getting to this point was ultimately a combination of planning and luck. What are your priorities for your first year as dean? First, I’m taking some time to get reacquainted with the people and the institution. I don’t want to take for granted my existing relationships with faculty, administrators, and alumni. I’d like to reengage with everyone, meet alumni I don’t know, and get to know better the faculty who’ve arrived since I was here previously. Second, I’ve undertaken an administrative restructuring. Before I came on board, for example, there were around 15 people who reported directly to the dean, which I feel is too many to be efficient; we’re streamlining reporting lines around shared areas of concern, and that number will soon be down to eight. I want to solidify the new structure, and once strong organizational and managerial practices are in place, we’ll be in a position to tackle longer-term projects. What are your top two long-term priorities for the Law School? My first priority is to explore different kinds of programs we can add to diversify our educational portfolio. As at most law schools, one degree program, the J.D., drives nearly all of our curriculum (and revenue). But unlike most law schools, we’re not part of a larger university that also offers a variety of other educational programs. Reliance on a single program has shortcomings as a business model; moreover, it neglects other exciting and interesting possibilities. Of course, we already have an LL.M. program for foreign-trained lawyers, which has great potential to grow, but there are many other avenues as well. We can pursue ways to offer our expertise to people who might not want to become lawyers, but who are interested in further education that will help them in a law-adjacent career—and in this day and age, legal concerns are relevant to nearly any professional setting. The second priority for me is fundraising. We need a sustained effort to broaden the number of alumni who give, and to seek out significant gifts from donors who have the capacity to contribute on a large scale. We have a strong case to make: Supporting the scholars and teachers who are shaping our legal world and serving our community, and the students who will make up the next generation of ethical and dedicated lawyers to preserve our economic and political order and promote justice for all, is as worthwhile a philanthropic cause as I can imagine. We’ve had a number of generous benefactors in the past, but there are others whom we can inspire to start giving for the greater good of the school, our mission, our profession, and our society. Where do you see Brooklyn Law School’s role in online education? I think we should explore some form of online education as well as other innovative ways to incorporate technology into legal education. Much of that effort also will intersect with offerings we can provide outside our J.D. programs. We must remain mindful when integrating technology into instruction that the law is an interactive profession, and we must enable students to speak, write, act, and interact as lawyers do—both in person and via technology. So, although portions of the J.D. program could perhaps take place online, there still would be an essential part that needs to be in residence. What’s the best advice you’ve received about leading a law school? That, above all else, it’s about serving students—to ensure they get the training, the support, the encouragement, and the guidance they need to succeed. Professor Emeritus Joseph Crea ’47 recently passed away at the age of 104. What does it mean to you to hold the dean’s title in his honor? I’m so thankful to have known Joe, and I spoke to him within 48 hours of accepting this position—to express my gratitude for having a title that included his name. He was completely devoted to teaching and helping his students and colleagues, and he also remained devoted to continuing to learn throughout his life. And, on our call, at the age of 104, he did most of the talking. Joe was an important person to me personally, and as important a person as there has been in the history of this Law School. My title, in his honor, is also a significant reminder to me of the centrality of our faculty. I think it’s important to remain conscious that I hold three titles: president, dean, and professor of law. So, among other things, I still am a faculty member, just like my colleagues. And it’s still my dream job! Considering the many law schools in New York, why should a prospective applicant choose Brooklyn? Of course, Brooklyn itself is a reason to come here. In the public sector, as the only law school in the city’s most populous borough, we have our own set of courthouses, government offices, and agencies, all within walking distance. In the private sector, the borough of Brooklyn, even more than Manhattan, now leads the innovation economy in the city and, in turn, the U.S. And of course, it’s a cultural hub. Regardless of the kind of law you want to practice, this is a great place to live and work. And Brooklyn Law School is a great place to study and grow. Although we’re a relatively big law school in a big city, we’re able to create the feeling of a small, close-knit community. We pride ourselves on training government and public interest lawyers, as well as business and private sector lawyers. So, no matter what area you want to pursue, our size, location, and breadth of curriculum make us well positioned to provide a legal education that’s tailored to your needs. The opportunities are as far-reaching as you could want, but you’re never lost in the crowd here, and you’ll get to know your classmates and professors. How do you plan to build on the Law School’s legacy and areas of distinction? Brooklyn Law School has always been a place that excels at preparing practice-ready lawyers, and it has always been a place of innovation. Our students benefit from a faculty of outstanding scholars who are nationally and internationally recognized for the excellence and impact of their work. In fact, in terms of how frequently their work is cited by other scholars, we are ranked as one of the top 40 schools in the nation. They bring this depth of expertise to the classroom and offer superb instruction in a variety of subject matter areas. We have tremendous opportunities to build on our faculty strength going forward. Historically, we’ve been known for providing access to legal education, and, in turn, access to justice in the community, city, and region. We have long welcomed women when other schools did not. This year’s first-year class is 58 percent women. We have a long record of admitting students of color and members of religious minorities, dating back to the early 20th century. This year’s incoming class is 34 percent students of color. Our diversity and inclusiveness are a significant component of who we are. We remain committed to these proud traditions. At the same time, we’re committed to doing even more and doing even better. We’re continuing to transform our skills-based and experiential education to meet the needs of the next generation of lawyers. We’re implementing the dramatic revision of our legal writing curriculum, which was led by my predecessor, Interim Dean Maryellen Fullerton, along with Legal Writing Director Heidi Brown. We’ll continue to expand our clinical offerings, not just in quantity but also in type, so we’re not only providing litigation experiences, but also opportunities to counsel clients, represent and advise businesses, and draft essential documents. We have a very exciting future ahead. What are the biggest trends in the legal profession affecting law schools now, and how is Brooklyn Law School responding? We must provide students with quantitative skills: the ability to read, understand, and analyze complex aggregated data. Training lawyers who are comfortable with sophisticated statistical and computational models will be a crucial part of legal education, regardless of whether our students practice in business or other areas. Nowadays, successful professionals of all varieties, including lawyers, must both make and understand data-driven decisions, and they must also be able to translate numbers into compelling narratives and arguments. It’s a crucial part of the job for professionals with significant managerial roles. How is the Law School positioned to thrive in response to shifting demographics and demand for legal education? We need to stay ahead of the curve, because there’s no assurance that the recent positive trajectory will sustain itself. The long-term demographic trend starting five or six years from now is that there will be fewer college-age students, and accordingly, fewer recent college grads seeking to enter law school down the road. Meanwhile, the cohort of people in their late 20s to mid-30s will increase. Therefore, we need to provide a variety of educational opportunities for various kinds of professionals. And in turn, having other complementary programs will enable us to be deliberate, rather than reactive, in contemplating the future of the J.D. program and making sure it continues to deliver the skills, knowledge, and values essential to the practice of law in the 21st century. Amid the 24/7 news cycle, political turmoil, and social media, how can students and lawyers uphold their core ideals of character, fitness, and justice? From what I see, this generation is as engaged and committed to confronting and overcoming social issues and injustices as any generation that has preceded it. For all of social media’s flaws, students are finding positive uses for these outlets and finding their voices. They see their own and our country’s problems as global in scope, and they want to solve those problems. It’s part of our role as legal educators to channel that passion while keeping it alive, and to remind our students daily about, and offer a model of, the honorable work that lawyers do and their true potential for making a difference in the world with their legal education. —Interview conducted by Elaine Friedman

Professor David Reiss on the Future of Homeownership With homeownership significantly on the decline since the 2008 recession, what role should the federal government play in the housing market? By Professor David Reiss Two movie scenes can bookend the last hundred years of housing finance. In Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), George Bailey speaks to panicked depositors who are demanding their money back from Bailey Bros. Building and Loan. This tiny thrift in the little town of Bedford Falls had closed its doors after it had to repay a large loan and temporarily ran out of money to return to its depositors. George tells them: You’re thinking of this place all wrong. As if I had the money back in a safe. The money’s not here. Your money’s in Joe’s house…right next to yours. And in the Kennedy house, and Mrs. Macklin’s house, and a hundred others. Why, you’re lending them the money to build, and then, they’re going to pay it back to you as best they can. Local lenders lent locally, and local conditions caused local problems. And in the early 20th century, that was largely how Americans bought homes. In Adam McKay’s movie The Big Short (2015), the character Jared Vennett is based on Greg Lippmann, a former Deutsche Bank trader who made well over a billion dollars for his employer betting against subprime mortgages before the market collapse. Vennett demonstrates with a set of stacked wooden blocks how the modern housing finance market has been built on a shaky foundation: This is a basic mortgage bond. The original ones were simple, thousands of AAA mortgages bundled together and sold with a guarantee from the U.S. government. But the modern-day ones are private and are made up of layers of tranches, with the AAA highest-rated getting paid first and the lowest, B-rated getting paid last and taking on defaults first. Obviously if you’re buying B-levels you can get paid more. Hey, they’re risky, so sometimes they fail... Somewhere along the line these B and BB level tranches went from risky to dog shit. I’m talking rock-bottom FICO scores, no income verification, adjustable rates...Dog shit. Default rates are already up from 1 to 4 percent. If they rise to 8 percent—and they will—a lot of these BBBs are going to zero. After the whole set of blocks comes crashing down, someone watching Vennett’s presentation asks, “What’s that?” He responds, “That is America’s housing market.” Global lenders lent globally, and global conditions caused global and local problems. And in the early 21st century, that was largely how Americans bought homes. Heart of the American Dream So how did we get from the housing finance system in It’s a Wonderful Life to the one in The Big Short? And what are the consequences of that journey? The system was not perfect when mortgages came from lenders like Bailey Bros. Building and Loan, nor is today’s version where borrowers access the global capital markets. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each phase of the housing finance system will enable us to design a stronger system for the rest of the 21st century. Although the 2008 financial crisis splashed residential housing finance across the front pages and home pages day after day, many people still find the topic pretty murky. Yet it is important in the lives of most of us, since 63 percent of Americans owned their home in 2017. This was down from an all-time high of 69 percent just prior to the 2008 crash. In addition, for most people, homeownership carries strong emotional connotations, forming the heart of the American Dream. If we are fortunate, our home is the place where we feel safest, the place we share with our loved ones, the place we raise our children. Over the last decade, however, the drop in homeownership rates has meant that about 2 million fewer households own the place they live in. A lot of people may not get the same warm feeling about their rented or shared home that they would have gotten from owning their home. Many people burned by underwater mortgages, defaults, and foreclosures have seen their version of the American Dream betrayed. Entire communities—especially African American communities—have seen their home equity evaporate in the face of falling housing prices and other big shocks to the local economy. These shocks were sometimes compounded by mortgages with predatory terms, which had become all too common starting in the late 1990s. As a result of these broad shocks and personal experiences, many people just don’t trust that they will get a fair shake as homeowners. That may be bad for people individually as well as for the economy as a whole, because residential real estate is big money—both for individual households and for the overall economy. Homes are generally the single biggest investment that families make and are potential engines of wealth creation. And all of these individual investments combine to create a residential real estate market worth roughly $26 trillion. By way of comparison, the market capitalization of domestic companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges is only a bit higher, at $30 trillion or so. The run-up to the financial crisis saw the wealth-creation engine go full throttle, as home equity increased by more than $7 trillion between 2004 and 2006. But from 2007 through 2011, residential real estate lost more than $6 trillion in value, devastating countless homeowners and driving many investors to ruin. So there is no question that housing finance has a tremendous effect on America as well as on Americans. But how should the postcrisis discussion of the topic be framed? Is the subprime crisis/foreclosure crisis a story about a free market run wild or a story about out-of-control government regulation? On the surface, the massive residential real estate sector has some of the characteristics of a free market. Innumerable buyers and sellers negotiate, agree on prices, and close millions of transactions each year. But undergirding that market are a whole host of government interventions in every aspect of the transaction. The federal government exerts an extraordinary amount of control in the housing finance market in particular, most notably by subsidizing a shockingly large proportion of mortgages. About 60 percent of the roughly $10 trillion in outstanding residential mortgage debt is backed by federally related entities. New Deal to Big Short This government-dominated housing finance system grew up piecemeal from the earliest days of President Franklin Roosevelt’s administration. The New Deal included a variety of interventions such as the creation of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Housing Administration. These interventions were made to address the catastrophic failure of the housing and housing finance markets that were part and parcel of the Great Depression. In the eightplus decades since then, the federal government has repeatedly intervened in the housing finance market to achieve a range of additional goals, but policymakers have rarely stopped to thoroughly consider when it makes sense for the government to intervene and when it makes sense to let markets operate on their own. The 2008 financial crisis provides an opportunity to design a housing finance system that lets the free market concentrate on its strength (pricing risk) and permits the government to focus on regulating and subsidizing aspects of that market to achieve various consumer protection, redistributive, and safety and soundness goals. Although this may sound reasonable enough, it is in fact highly contested. Some, including influential members of Congress, believe that the government should have no role at all in the housing finance market. Others, including many in government and in policy circles, believe that the housing market is too important to leave to market forces and to profit-maximizing private actors. They believe that the government should continue playing the dominant role. Within this polarized debate, there is a middle ground: Free markets should be allowed to work in the absence of market failures, and the government should intervene to correct any market failures that emerge. The government also could subsidize entry into the housing market for those who would otherwise not have access. Three Housing Principles A framework for a discussion of the future of American housing finance policy should consider the three main housing policy principles that have informed federal housing policy: allowing all Americans to live in a safe, well-maintained, and affordable housing unit; providing a specialized form of income redistribution that ensures that the income transferred is consumed in increased housing; and incentivizing Americans to take on the key attributes of the Jeffersonian yeoman farmer: economic self-sufficiency as well as a jealous regard for one’s liberty. A policy guided by the first principle would emphasize housing for very low income households that would not be able to pay market rates for safe, well-maintained, and affordable housing. A policy guided by the second principle would likely contemplate some kind of progressive housing subsidy for a broader range of lowand moderate-income households. And a policy guided by the third principle would seek to maximize the homeownership rate for the nation as a whole. We can reinvent the housing finance system to meet the needs of 21st-century Americans by focusing on these housing policy principles and goals—regardless of whether they were met in the past. Having identified these legitimate principles of housing policy, we can then evaluate housing programs to see whether they achieve goals consistent with some or all of those principles or whether they work at cross-purposes. This process should help to clarify debates surrounding American housing policy and set the stage for the development of future policies that will prevent the stack of wooden blocks from again crashing down. If we succeed, most Americans will have a good feeling about their home and will not notice the massive regulatory infrastructure that makes it all possible. If we fail, our children and grandchildren may have difficulty enjoying the financial and emotional benefits of homeownership, finding themselves living in the wretched Pottersville that seems to replace Bedford Falls when George Bailey gives up hope in himself and his community. This article was adapted from PAYING FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM: HOW TO REFORM THE MARKET FOR MORTGAGES (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2019). David Reiss is professor of law at Brooklyn Law School and research director at the Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship. His scholarship and teaching focus on real estate finance and community development, and he is the founding director of the Community Development Clinic. In 2017, he was named a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers as well as a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Reiss is frequently quoted on legal developments in the real estate finance sector. His comments have appeared in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, among other major news outlets. Reporters and practitioners also rely on Reiss’s popular REFinBlog, which offers a roundup of developments in the law and practices related to the real estate finance industry. Reiss is a graduate of New York University School of Law and served as a clerk for Judge Timothy Lewis of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He also was an associate in the New York office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in its real estate department and an associate in the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster in its land use and environmental law group.

January Jumpstart   New Career Development Program Dates: Wednesday, January 13 – Friday, January 15 Please join us for our inaugural January Jumpstart: Career Development Program for alumni and students to be held Wednesday, January 13 through Friday, January 15. January Jumpstart will feature a full slate of Zoom panel discussions and engaging conversations with faculty members and graduates who are leaders in their industries. Below is the schedule of events with full program details. We invite you to attend as many sessions as you would like. You can register for one or more sessions on the online registration link. We look forward to you joining us for our inaugural program! Program Schedule   Day 1 Schedule: Wednesday, January 13 12 – 1 p.m. EST | Careers in Intellectual Property Law Learn about the many career opportunities in the Intellectual Property space. From protecting the latest technological advancements to defending against the unlicensed use of a brand’s mark or copyrighted material, our panelists will describe their pathway to their current positions. Moderator: Joseph Yarsky, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Panelists: Susanne Flanders ’08 – Partner, Venable LLP  Michael Jones ’14 – Attorney, Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP   Olivera Medenica ’01 – Partner, Dunnington, Bartholow & Miller Karin Norton ’97 – Vice President and Senior Counsel, Samsung Electronics 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. EST | Careers in Health Law Panelists will discuss their career paths in the field of health law and life sciences and the different career options. Moderator: Karen Porter, Arthur Pinto & Stephen Bohlen Associate Dean for Inclusion and Diversity; Professor Panelists: Dexin Deng ’16 – Law Clerk, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey Veronica Jackson ’14 – Agreement Associate, Partners Healthcare Ari Markenson ’96 – Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP Danette Slevinski ’05 – Chief Compliance Officer & HIPPA Privacy Program Executive, University Hospital 3 – 4 p.m. EST | Careers Outside New York At these concurrent session panels, panelists will discuss career opportunities in both California and Washington, D.C. California Our Los Angeles-based panelists will discuss their legal careers in California, the differences between practicing in New York and California, and will provide you with information on how to make the transition from Brooklyn to California to begin your practice in the Golden State. Moderator: Francesca Cicero, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Panelists: Peter Altman ’05 – Partner, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP  Andrew Brettler ’05 – Partner, Lavely & Singer, P.C.  Vanessa Domenichelli ’16 – Associate, Cole Pedroza LLP   Lisa Okamoto ’14 – Attorney, Immigrant Defenders Law Center Washington, DC Panelists will discuss the professional opportunities available in the Washington, D.C. area including government, law firm, and in-house positions. They will share what life is like working and living in the nation’s Capital. Moderator: Steven Gordon, Director of Career and Professional Development Panelists: Jodi Avergun ’87 – Partner and Chair White Collar Defense and Investigations Group, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP Narda Jones ’94 – Senior Technology Policy Advisor and Counsel for the Minority Staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Transportation and Science Grace Lykins ’13 – Director of Global Government Engagement, Visa Keith Tashima ’00 – Senior Trial Attorney, Environmental Enforcement Section, U.S. Department of Justice 5 – 6 p.m. EST | The Role of the Attorney in New Ventures Expert practitioners and entrepreneurs will explore how attorneys across industries such as tech, consumer products companies (CPCs) and consulting are critical contributors to their companies’/clients' strategic growth trajectories. Moderator: John Rudikoff ’06, CEO, CUBE; Professor Panelists: Denise Faltischek ’00 – Chief Strategy Officer, aphria inc. Warren Lazarow ’86 – Partner and Firmwide Co-Chairman of Corporate Department, O’Melveny & Myers LLP Robert Manne ’77 – Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Ultimate Software Group; Adjunct Professor, Brooklyn Law School Sonya Smith Valentine ’97 – Founder and CEO, Financially Fierce 6 – 7 p.m. EST | Happy Hour: Conversation on Sports and Entertainment Law Professor Jodi Balsam and the panelists will engage in discussion about how the field is changing, not just as a matter of short-term and possibly temporary adjustment to the pandemic, but also long-term in response to globalization, technology and innovation, and a combination of both disruption and opportunity for the client base. Moderator: Jodi Balsam, Professor and Director of Externship Program Panelists: Jeff Gewirtz ’94 – Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, and General Counsel of BSE Global (BSE) Keith Sheldon ’07 – President of Entertainment, Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming   Day 2 Schedule: Thursday, January 14 12 – 1 p.m. EST | Using your JD on Wall Street Panelists will share their career paths to Wall Street and how they use their legal training in their current positions. They will tell you how to leverage your law degree and experience to launch and advance your career in the financial industry. Moderator: Michael Tenenhaus, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Panelists: Michelle Crutchfield ’05 – Senior Vice President Legal, Commodities and Global Markets, Macquarie Group Marija Dabovic ’15 – Vice President, Legal and Compliance Division, Morgan Stanley Andrew Fleming ’16 – Vice President, Legal and Compliance, The Blackstone Group Zachary George ’02 – Co-Founder, FrontFour Capital Group 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. EST | Careers in Criminal Law What is it really like to practice criminal law? Hear our panelists discuss the role of the federal and state prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Moderator: Dina Adler, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Panelists: Chris Amore ’11 – Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey Lindsay Ashwal ’06 – Assistant Prosecutor, Monmouth County, NJ Prosecutor’s Office ; former Assistant District Attorney, Kings County District Attorney’s Offiice Kevin Hellman ’95 – Director, Training and Professionalism, Miami Dade Public Defender’s Office 3 – 4 p.m. EST | Building Your Own Firm A multi-generational group of BLS graduates who decided to strike out on their own explain why they started their own firms, how they built successful practices from the ground up, and why this was the right career move for them. Moderator: Michael Gerber, Professor Panelists: David Berger ’89 – Founding Partner, Allegaert, Berger & Vogel Jeffrey Block ’87 – Founding Partner, Block, O’Toole & Murphy Jessica Hoffman ’12 – Senior Legal Counsel, Dentsu International Aimee Richter ’93 – Partner and Co-Chair of Matrimonial and Family Law Practice, Lee Anav Chung White Kim Ruger & Richter LLP Brian Sokoloff ’86 – Founding Partner, Sokoloff Stern LLP 5 – 6 p.m. EST | The Future of NYC Real Estate This panel will address the condition and outlook of the real estate market in New York City during the pandemic, particularly as good news on the COVID vaccine front begins to come out. The panelists will also discuss the paths their careers took that led them to the top of their chosen professions. Moderator: David Reiss, Professor Panelists: Lisa Bova-Hiatt ’94 – General Counsel, NYC Housing Authority Laurie Grasso ’99 – Partner and Co-Chair of Global Real Estate Practice, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Ricky Liang ’15 – CEO, Sun Sun Group; Principal Attorney, Ricky Liang, P.C. Sophia E. Valiotis ’04 – CLO, Alma Realty 6 – 7 p.m. EST | The Thriving Lawyer: Tending to Multiple Dimensions of Attorney Well-Being Like athletes and performers (singers, dancers, actors), attorneys cannot just focus on the skill or talent that brings glory in the arena. We must tend to our emotional/mental, physical, intellectual, occupational, spiritual, and social dimensions. Professor Heidi K. Brown (author of two books on attorney well-being, and a novice boxer) and Professor Aysha Ames (founder of Yogalese, LLC, and an avid yoga practitioner and teacher) share practical strategies for thriving and flourishing in our lives in the law. Panelists: Heidi Brown – Professor and Director of Legal Writing, Brooklyn Law School Aysha Ames – Professor, Brooklyn Law School   Day 3 Schedule: Friday, January 15 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EST | Postgrad Clerkship Program Alums who are clerking and/or have clerked for various courts and judges will discuss their experiences as post-graduate judicial law clerks, the benefits of clerking, the qualities sought by judges, and how they incorporated clerkships in their career paths. Moderators: Jodi Balsam, Professor and Director of Externship Programs; and Tamara Stephen, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Panelists: Myra Din ’16 – Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit Gaddi Goren ’11 – Partner, Turek Roth Grossman LLP Dong Joo Lee ’13 – Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals Christine Rodriguez ’10 – Associate, Kasowitz Benson Torres Ryan Wagner ’11 – Of Counsel, Greenberg Traurig 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. EST | Professionalism in a Virtual World Learn how to advance your career in the virtual world with members of the Alumni Association Board Professional Development Committee. Topics include: networking, managing assignments, virtual meeting etiquette, and business development. Q&A and networking with Committee members follow. Moderator: Michael Tenenhaus, Esq., Associate Director of Career & Professional Development Members of Alumni Association Board Professional Development Committee: Evan Azriliant ’92 – Principal, S & E Azriliant, PC David Berger ’89 – Founding Partner, Allegaert, Berger & Vogel Colleen Caden ’99 – Partner and Chair of Immigration Group, Pryor Cashman Valerie Fitch ’88 – Senior Director of Talent Development, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Dona Fraser ’01 – Senior Vice President, Privacy Initiatives, BBB National Programs Gloria Greco ’98 –Global Wealth & Investment Management Compliance and Operational Risk Executive, Bank of America Corporation Roger Griesmeyer ’04 – Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Timothy Oberweger ’05 – Vice President, Senior Business Development Officer, Stewart Title Guaranty Company Stephen Popernik ’13 – Solo Practitioner (Commercial Litigation) & Senior Legal Fellow, When We All Vote Joseph Samet ’74 – Partner, Baker McKenzie (Ret.) Thomas Welling ’07 – Counsel, Venable LLP 2 – 3 p.m. EST | Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession Dean Michael Cahill will lead a discussion with alumni leaders on promoting diversity and inclusion in legal education and in the legal profession. Panelists will explore the challenges and obstacles they have faced, the successful initiatives they have undertaken, and the continuing steps that are necessary to make the legal profession a more open and inclusive community as a whole. Moderators: Michael Cahill, President, Joseph Crea Dean, and Professor Panelists: David Djaha ’88 – Managing Partner, Ropes & Gray LLP Gloria Greco ’98 –Global Wealth & Investment Management Compliance and Operational Risk Executive, Bank of America Corporation Alphonzo Grant ’98 – Managing Director, Legal and Compliance Division, Global Litigation Group, Morgan Stanley   Career Development Center - Mock Interview Program One-on-one mock interview program to prepare students for virtual on-campus interviews (OCI). Alumni will virtually interview and critique students on their interview skills in as “real world” a setting as possible. Students will schedule their training mock interviews directly with their assigned graduate volunteers during this week at a mutually convenient time.  

Weather Alert Weather Alert 4/3/24 Dear Brooklyn Law School Community, The National Weather Service has issued the following: What: High Wind Warning Where: NYC When: 11 a.m. on 4/3 to 6 a.m. on 4/4 Hazards: Winds of 25-35mph with gusts up to 60mph expected. Winds at these speeds can cause flying debris, turn unsecured objects into projectiles, & cause power outages. Exercise caution when walking, biking, or driving. Given the forecast of rain, windy weather, and cold temperatures, creating potentially hazardous travel conditions, the city advises limiting travel and staying indoors during severe weather periods. If you must travel, exercise caution, allocate extra time, and check the service status of your transportation provider before embarking on your journey. Preparedness Actions: Before an Outage - Charge cell phones, gather supplies, turn refrigerators/freezers to a colder setting. During an Outage- Stay clear of downed power lines, turn off all appliances, keep refrigerator & freezer doors closed. Do not use generators indoors. If you lose power & have a disability/access needs or use Life Sustaining Equipment (LSE) & need immediate assistance, dial 9-1-1. Alumni events scheduled for tonight will take place, if you are attending, please use caution while traveling. Members of facilities and campus safety will be on site and are available to assist when needed. If you identify an unsafe condition, or flooding please contact Campus safety at Feil Hall (929-822-4017) 250 Joralemon St (718-780-0600) or facilities at facilities@brooklaw.edu. Safety Tips Stay informed: Monitor local weather updates though reliable sources and keep an eye on any official communications from Brooklyn Law School. Emergency Kit: Prepare an emergency kit with essentials such as non-perishable food, water, medications, flashlight, and warm clothing. Home safety: Ensure heating systems are in working order if you reside off campus and have extra blankets available. Avoid unnecessary travel during the storm especially for those on the outskirts of NYC who may be affected. Travel guidance: - Check road conditions: If you must travel before heading out check road conditions to avoid closures and delays. - Car maintenance: Ensure your vehicle is ready for winter. Check tires, brakes, and fluid levels. - Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle: keep a shovel, and bag of cat litter in your vehicle go bag to assist if stuck in snow, adding a candle in your go bag can also provide additional light and minor warmth if stranded in vehicle, blankets, flashlight. - Travel early: if you need to travel plan your trip early to avoid peak storm hours and inform a friend or family member of your travel plans. - Public transportation: If possible, please consider using public transportation which may be more reliable during adverse weather conditions. An monitor the MTA’s website for delays.   If you see an unsafe condition on campus such as leaks, open windows, or icy ground conditions, please notify facilities at facilities@brooklaw.edu . Our members are readily available to assist. If off campus report issues to 311 and in emergencies, contact local law enforcement 911. Stay aware of your email, and the Brooklyn Law Schools website, and local news channels regarding any updates. Members of the campus safety team and facilities will be on-site conducting patrols and monitoring conditions throughout the weekend. If you have any concerns or issues on campus, please contact Campus safety at Feil Hall (929-822-4017) 250 Joralemon St (718-780-0600) or facilities at facilities@brooklaw.edu.   For the latest information on weather and transit please visit: The MTA website: https://new.mta.info/ The new York city severe weather website: https://www.nyc.gov/site/severeweather/index.page The national weather service: https://www.weather.gov/ Ready NYC Emergency management: https://www.nyc.gov/site/em/ready/ready-new-york.page FEMA Resources: Earthquakes | Ready.gov & FEMA P-530   Weather Alert 2/27/2023 Dear Brooklyn Law School Community: In light of the anticipated winter weather event this evening into tomorrow morning, we have decided that *all evening classes today (beginning after 5:30 p.m.), and all morning classes tomorrow (until 12:45 p.m.), will be offered remotely.* The library will be open, but with limited services, from 6pm this evening until normal law school operations resume, effective 12:45 p.m. tomorrow. Please be careful and stay safe and warm. Sincerely yours, Michael T. Cahill (he/him) President, Joseph Crea Dean & Professor of Law   Weather Alert 1/28/2022 Dear Brooklyn Law School Community: The greater New York area is under a National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning from 7:00 p.m. this evening until 7:00 p.m. tomorrow evening, with snow accumulations of 6 to 9 inches and wind gusts as high as 45 mph expected. In light of these weather concerns, the main law school building, including the library, will be CLOSED tomorrow, Saturday, January 29, and will reopen on Sunday, January 30 at 10:00 a.m. Classes are planned to be held as scheduled and in person on Monday, January 31. Please stay safe and warm this weekend. Sincerely yours, Michael T. Cahill (he/him) President, Joseph Crea Dean & Professor of Law   Weather Alert 10/25/2021 Due to flash flood watch in NYC, all evening classes (after 6 p.m.) are suspended today, Monday, Oct. 25. Faculty will determine if classes will be conducted remotely. Library circulation will close at 5 p.m. and be open for study until 10 p.m. Weather Alert 9/23/2021 Due to the Flash Flood Watch, starting at 3:55 p.m. today, in-person classes will be suspended. Faculty may decide whether to hold class remotely via Zoom or plan a make-up class later in the semester. Weather Alert 9/2/2021 Dear Brooklyn Law School Community: The intensity and impact of last night’s unprecedented weather caught us flat-footed. Neither we nor our fellow NYC law schools had the foresight to cancel evening classes yesterday, and many students (and teachers) paid the price for that. I can only apologize and say that I deeply regret this and will follow up later about what the school can do to make up for this to those who were affected. We are not going to compound this mistake. MTA service has not been restored, and the city is still in a state of emergency. Accordingly, all in-person day and evening classes are suspended today, Thursday, September 2. Library study areas will be available for student use from 9–5. All employees can work from home, though offices will be accessible to faculty and staff who want to use them. As when we cancelled in-person classes earlier in the semester, we anticipate most classes will be conducted on Zoom instead, but individual professors may choose to cancel class and have a make-up session later in the semester. We expect a return to normal operations tomorrow. All best, and again, my apologies to those who bore the brunt of this historic storm. Sincerely yours, Michael T. Cahill (he/him) President, Joseph Crea Dean & Professor of Law -->

Campus Essentials Stay connected, visit our online stores, and learn more about technology at the Law School BLSConnect, the Law School’s Portal, is an essential information source that will keep you up-to-date on important announcements, including class schedules, as well as upcoming academic and social events. Additional coverage of campus news, events, key announcements, and rotating photos of campus life are also displayed on digital monitors, prominently placed in the lobby and on the fourth floor of the main building. Information and flyers about upcoming events are also posted on notice boards throughout the main building. Bookstore Order textbooks in our online bookstore, which offers students an efficient, personalized shopping experience. All courses, required materials, and pricing options are displayed in one easy-to-navigate page. Barnes & Noble is also just a few blocks away from the Law School, and Court Street Office Supplies, one-half block away, is a convenient resource for school supplies. Apparel Store Get yourself Brooklyn ready with specially curated gear. Zoom Backgrounds We created customized Brooklyn Law School Zoom backgrounds to help us feel connected while learning remotely. Brooklyn Law School Courtyard Blue Background Library Library (option #2) Moot Court Room Entering Class of 2020   Entering Class of 2020 - Courtyard   Entering Class of 2020 - Blue Instructions How to Download Right click on the image of your choice. Click "Save Image As" and save it to your desired location (desktop, downloads, a folder, etc.). How to Set Downloaded Image as Backdrop in Zoom Open the app, not the website to set up before meeting. OR when you log into your account and join a meeting, tap the three dots at the bottom right of the screen to open the More menu. Tap Virtual Background. From the menu on left, select virtual background. Find your saved image and select it. Be sure to uncheck “Mirror My Video.” This will ensure your background is not reversed. How to Set Downloaded Image as Backdrop in Zoom while you are in a meeting Once you've launched a Zoom meeting. Click on ^ next to "Stop Video" on the bottom left of your Zoom window and select "Choose Virtual Background." Click on the + on the right-hand side below the current image in your settings. Click "Add Image." Find your saved image and select it. Be sure to uncheck “Mirror My Video.” This will ensure your background is not reversed. See Zoom Help Center for full instructions. Technology Internet and Wireless Access Brooklyn Law School maintains a high-speed wireless network across campus that is available in every public area and Feil Hall. Access to the school wireless network is available to students using their BLS credentials. Visitors from other schools can access Brooklyn Law School’s wireless network through Eduroam or the Guest networks. Computer Labs, Laptops and Exam Software Brooklyn Law School maintains computer workstations that span throughout the Library and laptops can be loaned out from the Library’s circulation desk for a period of up to four hours. All Library computers and laptops permit internet access, office productivity software, and other necessary software. The computer workstations and the loaner laptops are configured to delete all saved files once they are rebooted. As a result, we recommend that students save all work when working on one of the Law School’s computers.  Most professors allow students to use laptops to take notes during class. However, some do not. Students will need a laptop of their own in order to take exams. The Law School uses Exam4 exam software, which runs on both Windows and Apple platforms. Students are instructed to make sure their computers are up to date and that they have downloaded the most recent version of Exam4 prior to exams.  Laptop Purchase and Recommended Specifications The Law School strongly recommends that students purchase a laptop for law school use. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) recommends Apple or Windows devices. Please ensure whichever device purchased is compatible with Exam4, which will be used for exams, as noted in the previous section.   IT Services for Students The Office of Information Technology is dedicated to providing students with support for all their law school needs. OIT can help resolve software problems, assist in removing viruses and help with updates. Hardware issues are not addressable by the Office of Information Technology.  Brooklyn Law School also provides an email account to every student for school purposes. The email account stays active for three years following graduation. Following the three years, email forwarding can be set up by requesting mail be forwarded from it to another provider.  As part of our agreement with Microsoft, you are able to download a suite of applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint while you are a student.  Lockers To keep your valuables safe while you are in class, lockers are provided where you can store your personal belongings. Restrooms are located conveniently on each floor of the school’s main building. Office of Student Affairs For more information on student services and amenities, our Office of Student Affairs is the primary advocate and administrative liaison for the student body. The office is responsible for enhancing quality of life for students through support of student groups, accommodations for disabilities, assistance with ethical issues, academic advising, counseling, securing Law School services, and publishing resources for students. Student Affairs 250 Joralemon Street Telephone: 718-780-0679 Fax: 718-780-0393 Email: studentaffairs@brooklaw.edu