Search Results

Karin Norton ’97: Science, Technology, and the Law Vice President and Senior Counsel at Samsung Electronics By Andrea Strong '94 “NO ONE DOES IT ALONE,” said Karin Norton ’97, vice president and senior counsel at Samsung Electronics, and an inaugural member of Brooklyn Law School’s Women’s Leadership Circle. “I’ve been graced with some very generous and staunch believers in me. Now I feel a responsibility to pay it forward, to try to make the path a little bit easier for other women.” To that end, Norton serves as the Washington, D.C., co-chair of Chiefs in Intellectual Property Sisterhood (ChIPs). Founded as an informal dinner group by seven female leaders of IP at Silicon Valley tech companies, ChIPs has grown into a national organization that supports women in technology, law, and policy—from high school through senior leadership. Norton’s career path began in science. She studied biology as an undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania, then received her Ph.D. in human physiology from Temple University. From there, she did a two-year fellowship in biomedical research at SUNY Stony Brook in the hematology department, working on the mechanism of blood clotting and creation of artificial blood, before transitioning to the legal sector. She joined Kaye Scholer (now Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer) as a technical advisor on pharmaceutical patent litigation, and while working there during the day she attended Brooklyn Law School at night. “My advisor, Richard Greco (a partner at the firm), had the faith and confidence in me to give me more and more responsibility,” Norton said. “His support and mentorship inspired me to go to law school. But if I’d been forced to quit my job, I would not have been able to go to law school. Brooklyn Law School’s evening program was the only way I could have done it.” When Norton graduated, she joined Graham & James, then a well-known patent firm with a roster of clients in the biotech and pharmaceutical business. A few years later, to gain more trial experience, she moved to Kalow, Springut and Bressler, a smaller firm. She enjoyed doing litigation so much that she made her next move to a position that involved primarily trial work at the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency with broad investigative responsibilities on matters of trade. Given the proliferation of new technology, ITC has become an increasingly important forum for resolving patent disputes. As senior investigative attorney at ITC’s Office of Unfair Import Investigations, Norton focused on investigating unfair trade practices in the importation of goods, primarily intellectual property matters. In these ITC cases, “there are three parties: the plaintiff, the defendant, and the public,” Norton explained. “I represented the public. ITC does not award damages to the patent holder; rather, it has the power to direct U.S. Customs to keep the infringing product out of the United States.” Norton said working at ITC was the best job she ever had—and the hardest. “I was an independent third party with no stake in the litigation other than to try to get the right result,” she said. “We did our own discovery and depositions. We appeared at trial and crossexamined witnesses. We wrote our own briefs. There was one investigative attorney per case, and that was me for my cases. I was doing everything.” Norton highly recommends government service to law school students. “The experience is unlike any I’ve had in private practice,” she said. “But it’s not for the faint of heart.” After eight years as an investigative attorney, Norton became well known for her experience in complex IP matters and was ready to return to private practice. She began litigating ITC claims first as special counsel to Covington and Burling, and then as counsel at Sidley Austin, before she was hired by Samsung in 2010. Today, Norton oversees the company’s ITC cases, and develops policy relating to issues of intellectual property, such as fighting patent trolls. “I love this work,” she said. “For me, the adventure just continues.”

Faculty Books Tackle Animus, Introversion, and More Recent Books by Professors Araiza, Brakman Reiser, Dean, Brown, and Tebbe Brooklyn Law School faculty are nationally recognized not only for their superb teaching but also for their innovative and award-winning scholarship that has a significant impact on the law and policy. They are prolific scholars who publish influential books and articles that appear in the country’s top law reviews. Following are highlights from recent faculty books. To learn more about their work, visit brooklaw.edu/faculty. Animus, A Short Introduction to Bias in the Law (NYU Press, 2017) by Professor William D. Araiza In his latest book, constitutional law professor William D. Araiza explores an important and under-theorized area of constitutional law—the concept of animus. The idea goes like this: If a town council denies a zoning permit for a group home for intellectually disabled persons because residents don’t want “those kinds of people” in the neighborhood, the town’s decision is motivated by the public’s dislike of a particular group. Constitutional law calls this rationale “animus.” Using the Supreme Court’s most important discrimination cases through the lens of animus, Araiza traces the concept from nineteenth century legal doctrine to today’s landmark cases, including Obergefell vs. Hodges and United States v. Windsor, both related to the legal rights of same-sex couples, illustrating what constitutes animus, and why the prohibition against it matters more today than ever in our pluralistic society.   Social Enterprise Law: Trust, Public Benefit and Capital Markets (Oxford University Press, 2017) by Professor Dana Brakman Reiser and Vice Dean Steven A. Dean Here’s the controversial concept set forth in Professor Dana Brakman Reiser and Vice Dean and Professor Steven Dean’s newest book on social enterprise: law can make corporations better citizens and make it easier for start-ups to raise capital by preventing insiders from selling out a social mission for increased profit. In Social Enterprise Law: Trust, Public Benefit and Capital Markets, their first book together, they explore the potential impact of new crowdfunding rules and increasingly popular hybrid legal forms such as the benefit corporation on the ability of start-ups to raise capital. Brakman Reiser and Dean advocate for creating a stable balance between financial returns and public benefits, which will allow social entrepreneurs to team up with impact investors that share their vision of a double bottom line. They demonstrate how a social mission can even be shielded from the turbulence of an acquisition or bankruptcy. Their comprehensive book explores how legal institutions across the globe could be reformed. The Introverted Lawyer: A Seven-Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy (Ankerwycke Books, 2017) by Professor Heidi K. Brown Associate Professor of Law and Director of Legal Writing Heidi K. Brown champions the important skills of quiet lawyers in a field dominated by extroverts. This book highlights the valuable gifts of introverted and socially anxious legal professionals, such as empathy, impactful writing, creative problem-solving, and active listening. The second half of the book is dedicated to helping quiet law students and lawyers become more powerful advocates without rejecting their authentic personalities. Brown uses a holistic approach to help introverted and shy students and legal professionals stake their claim in the legal industry and make the case for compassionate collaboration and self-awareness in a world that often prioritizes extroversion and rapid-fire communication.   Religious Freedom in an Egalitarian Age (Harvard University Press, 2017) by Professor Nelson Tebbe When a bakery refuses to prepare a cake for a gay couple’s wedding, how does that square with the Constitution? As lawmakers work to protect LGBT citizens and women seeking reproductive freedom, religious traditionalists assert their right to dissent from what they see as a new liberal orthodoxy, and tensions between religious freedom and equality law are newly strained in America. In his new book, Professor Nelson Tebbe, who teaches courses on constitutional law, religious freedom, legal theory, and professional responsibility, explores this heightened polarity. Tebbe advances a method called social coherence, based on the way that people reason through moral problems in everyday life. Social coherence provides a way to reach justified conclusions in constitutional law, even in situations that pit multiple values against each other.

Daniel Ratner ’82 Meet Daniel Ratner '82, partner at Levy Ratner and general counsel to 1199 SEIU In April, Brooklyn Law School’s Labor & Employment Law Association honored Daniel J. Ratner ’82, a partner at the firm of Levy Ratner and general counsel to 1199SEIU, the largest healthcare union in the country, with its 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award. The award was presented by Laureve Blackstone ’06 and Susan Cameron ’06, both members of Levy Ratner. “Dan is extremely knowledgeable and confident, but never stops asking questions, even of those with far less experience,” Blackstone said at the award presentation attended by students and graduates. “He thinks big and strives for the best outcome, but is ever pragmatic in achieving success for his clients.” Ratner is a labor law powerhouse. The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, which honors leading labor and employment lawyers nationwide, inducted Ratner as a fellow in 2014, an honor reserved for those, in the words of former National Labor Relations Board Chairman John Truesdale, “whose professional achievements symbolize the highest level of expertise, integrity, and leadership.” Throughout his long career, Ratner has been instrumental in achieving significant legal victories for workers. Ratner was a member of the AFL-CIO national litigation team that established the healthcare bargaining unit rules through NLRB rule making and subsequent cases that went to the United States Supreme Court. He also was responsible for the legal victory that initially established the right of graduate teaching assistants to organize at New York University under the National Labor Relations Act. As general counsel to 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which has more than 400,000 members, he oversees the union’s bargaining, legal strategy, litigation, and internal governance. Among the agreements he has bargained is the master contract between 1199SEIU and the League of Voluntary Hospitals, a multibillion-dollar agreement covering approximately 150,000 workers in more than 100 hospitals and nursing homes. After decades sitting across the bargaining table from management, Ratner says the art of the labor bargain has nothing to do with how experienced or articulate the lawyers are. “It’s the strength of the workers,” he said. “They will determine the nature of the agreement. An experienced bargainer can help fashion the terms so that a strike is not necessary, but in the end it’s about the workers—how important they are, how active they are, how connected they are to the community and their religious leaders, and how prepared they are to strike. That is really the key.” The son of a salesman and a nurse, Ratner says the seeds of advocacy were planted early on. “I was in college during the height of the anti-war era and activism was rampant,” he said. “I was studying both economics and the times.” After graduating from George Washington University in 1969, he became a field organizer for 1199SEIU. There, he organized thousands of workers and negotiated and enforced collective bargaining agreements, while pursuing a master’s degree in economics from the New School in the evening. But the life of a labor organizer was stressful and Ratner and his wife were starting their family. Ratner decided law school would lead to a “saner lifestyle.” “The hours as an organizer are just nuts,” he said. “You could go out in the morning when you were on strike and not know if you were going to come back or if you were going to get arrested. I was running picket lines from midnight to 8 a.m. when I took my LSATs.” In law school he continued to work as a union organizer during the day (District 65 UAW), and spent his evenings in class, excelling and joining the staff of the Brooklyn Law Review. Ratner started his legal career at Murray Gordon, a firm that represented public sector labor unions. In 1986, he joined the Writers Guild, representing writers and producers in the television and motion picture industries. He played a critical role in organizing the writers for Major League Baseball Productions and bringing them into the Writers Guild. There he met labor attorney Richard Levy and joined him at his firm, Eisner and Levy. In 1993, the two formed their own firm, Levy Ratner, which now has 23 lawyers in Manhattan and represents labor unions and workers in employment discrimination and civil rights cases. Ratner maintains strong ties to the Law School, hiring graduates, including Blackstone and Cameron, and Jessica Apter ’15. Levy Ratner also regularly hires Law School students as law clerks and summer associates. “I got a great legal education at Brooklyn, and I am so grateful to the school for allowing me to obtain a terrific education at night,” he said. “Had they not had that program I could never have become a lawyer.” —Andrea Strong ’94

Making Positive Changes from the White House Meet Ashley Allison ’11, deputy director in the Office of Public Affairs at the White House When President Barack Obama first ran for office in 2007, Ashley Allison ’11 was inspired, like so many other young people, to get involved with his campaign. A journalist and high school teacher at the time, she began volunteering in her Brooklyn neighborhood, and eventually went to work in South Carolina for the primary race there. After graduating from Brooklyn Law School three years later, she moved back to Ohio, where she had grown up, to work full time on Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Allison served as a regional field director for Organizing for Action, and soon became the state’s African-American vote director. She then moved to Washington, D.C., to work on the inauguration. A position with a nonprofit focusing on the Affordable Care Act led to her current job at the White House. “It’s kind of been like a very fast dream since then,” she said. Today, Allison serves as deputy director in the Office of Public Engagement for the Obama administration. She focuses on policy areas including criminal justice, education, and economic ladders of opportunity, working closely with President Obama’s senior advisor and director for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement, Valerie Jarrett. She also manages a team of associate directors who work with leaders in the African-American, entertainment, faith, disability, and international communities. Her projects regularly cross over with the communications team and the Department of Justice, among other agencies. Every day, we’re dealing with important policies that will impact people for the rest of their lives." “We’re the outward-facing component of the White House,” she explained. “We bring folks into the building to make sure they know where the president stands on policies and issues, and what his priorities are. We also host and speak at other events to hear from the public; we want to know what people’s thoughts are on issues that are affecting their community, so that we can communicate them to the president and ultimately make positive changes.” In January, for example, Allison coordinated the president’s first visit to a U.S. mosque. And last year, she helped create the vision for President Obama’s speech on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in Selma, Ala., which marked the 50th anniversary of the marches from Selma to Montgomery. “Every day, we’re dealing with important policies that will impact people for decades, for the rest of their lives,” she said. “It’s rarely an eight-hour day, but it’s worth it.” Allison’s wide-ranging background includes working as the national director of partner engagement and outreach at Enroll America. Prior to that, she was a constituency coordinator for the 2013 presidential inaugural committee, focusing on women and faith outreach. Earlier in her career, as a New York City Teaching Fellow, she was a special education teacher at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn. She also worked as a freelance journalist. “Back then, I saw some of the challenges that the high school was facing and I thought that I could probably have a bigger impact if I learned the law,” Allison said. “Brooklyn Law School was particularly attractive to me because of its location and its part-time day program.” Allison was an active student at the Law School. She was an Edward V. Sparer Public Interest Law Fellow, participated on the Moot Court Honor Society as a member of the national trial advocacy team, and served as the vice president of alumni affairs for the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). As the president’s second term in the White House winds down, Allison is looking ahead to more opportunities in public service. “Whatever I do next, I want to continue working to help people improve their quality of life. That’s what I love most about what I do now,” she said. —by Jen Swetzoff

Promoting Justice Around the World Meet Karyn Kenny ’95, resident legal advisor in Malaysia Sometimes, life takes us in unexpected directions. Perhaps no one knows this better than Karyn Kenny ’95, who has traveled a long way from where she started, to do work she didn’t even know existed when she began her career. Today, Kenny is the resident legal advisor for the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, focusing on issues related to counterterrorism, anti–money laundering, and trafficking. Previously, she held the same role in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In both places, she serves as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, while remaining an employee of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where she plans to eventually return. “The best part of my job,” she said, “is responding to another country’s needs, while also interweaving America’s interests. I know this might sound sappy, but the most rewarding part of my career is how proud and honored it makes me feel to be American.” Kenny didn’t always want to be an attorney. In the early 1990s, she aspired to become an English professor. While a student in a master’s program in literature at New York University, she worked as a paralegal in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pay the bills. But she proved to be so good at her day job that she was asked to be the paralegal assigned to the John Gotti organized crime racketeering and murder case. (The case ended in 1992 with the sentencing of Gotti to life imprisonment without parole by Judge I. Leo Glasser ’48.) “Right from the start,” she said, “I loved the courtroom’s drama, its stories.” Kenny soon changed course and enrolled as a part-time student at the Law School, determined to become a prosecutor. “I never felt like a different kind of student because I took classes at night,” she said. “I still had the chance to participate in Moot Court and take classes with renowned professors like Lisa Smith and the late Bob Pitler, who had a big impact on me.” The most rewarding part of my career is how proud and honored it makes me feel to be American." After graduation, Kenny worked as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan for five years and then as a federal prosecutor in Las Vegas, where she started specializing in financial crimes such as bank robberies and money laundering. Kenny loved her work— and she met the love of her life while doing it. Her husband, Thomas, a U.S. Army reservist, was an assistant U.S. attorney in Las Vegas as well. But she dreamed of living and working abroad. A Fulbright teaching scholarship took her to Lithuania, where she taught law students the U.S. criminal law system. After a fellowship with the U.S. Supreme Court, she joined the World Bank, where she worked with candidate E.U. accession countries. She met with local justice officials to create a framework of their justice sector that would demonstrate the required steps to meet certain benchmarks and satisfy the E.U. accession chapters. “Sometimes, people outside the United States would ask me about how our jury system works,” Kenny said. “They were shocked by the idea of a jury, that we would trust anyone off the street with a verdict.” After two years with the World Bank, Kenny joined the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section at the DOJ in Washington, D.C., where she focused on Mexico and Argentina. “Our job,” Kenny said, “was to make sure that the economies were kept clean of dirty money because that’s a cancer. The more dirty money you have, the weaker your economic system.” When her husband volunteered for a six-month deployment in Afghanistan, Kenny took a DOJ position in Bangladesh, where she focused on money laundering and forfeiture issues. Kenny’s husband soon joined her in Bangladesh and they became the third married couple in DOJ history to co-run the justice section of an embassy. Their next stop was Kuala Lumpur, where Kenny now works in the resident legal advisor position. “Every day here is different,” Kenny said. “The most challenging part of the work, of course, is the fact that we can’t change the world. I often wish I had a magic wand, so I could fix everything, but I don’t. So I try to focus on what I can do and how I can have an impact on a small part of the puzzle.” —by Jen Swetzoff

Vincenzo D’Angelo ’20 Vincenzo D’Angelo ’20 Hometown: Palermo, Italy Career Plans: Business law, working with start-ups   Vincenzo D’Angelo ’20 Hometown: Palermo, Italy Career Plans: Business law, working with start-ups --> Why did you decide to come to Brooklyn Law School? I first learned about Brooklyn Law School when I took a class with Professor Maryellen Fullerton in Italy, then I came to New York to visit and immediately fell in love with the school. What I liked most was, unlike other schools that kept its LL.M program separate, Brooklyn Law School’s program allows international students to attend classes with J.D. students and engage with and learn from them. It made the experience more competitive and fulfilling. What is the most surprising thing you learned at Brooklyn Law School? The sense of community and the feeling of being a member of that community. Even my relationships with my professors was very easy. In Italy, we have a different culture, where professors are more distant with their students. But here, I can say I am in touch with almost all my professors. What law school accomplishment are you most proud of? The certificate in Business Law. Planning that program was tricky because of various requirements and limits on the number of credits I could take at a time, but I eventually made it. Brooklyn Law School offers a lot of good classes, but I was more interested in specializing in one area, and luckily, I had the opportunity. What is your most memorable law school moment? The first day of orientation. I had just arrived at a new school from another country, but right away I felt like I was home. Desiree Jaeger-Fine, Director of Global Engagement and International Programs, welcomed us with our home flags and broke the ice right away. It was very comfortable from the start, and I felt like I already knew everyone. If you could come back and teach a class here, any class, one we have or one of your own invention, what would it be? Startup Law. It was an interesting class I took with Adjunct Professor John Rudikoff, and it was not a typical law class. Guest lecturer taught from experience, not books, and we learned all the steps start-ups need to know to get going. What did you like about going to law school in Brooklyn? It is walking distance from all my favorite places. I liked the opportunity of being very close to the Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO, and even the courthouses. I would walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and back almost every day. What is your favorite place in Brooklyn and why? DUMBO, because it has everything I like about New York City: amazing view of Manhattan, restaurants and bars, local markets, and a wonderful park. What advice would you give to an incoming law student? You need to network—with other students, professors, and staff—and join associations. I had a wonderful time with the associations I belonged to, preparing for meetings outside school. I made a lot of connections and friends that way. Your last semester of law school was disrupted by a global pandemic, with New York City at the epicenter. What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you deal with it? What have you learned about yourself, your law school, and your hopes for the future? My biggest challenge was that I could not network in person. Before the pandemic, I used to spend all day at school, and I enjoyed that life. It was hard to stop doing that, especially in the beginning. As an international student, another tough moment was when all the flights to Italy were banned. For the first time, I felt like I was away from home. It was really hard living with the thought that I could not reach my family if something would happen to them.

Consumer Information (ABA and MSCHE Required Disclosures) Consumer Information (ABA and MSCHE Required Disclosures) In compliance with ABA Standard 509, Brooklyn Law School’s website provides all required consumer information regarding employment statistics, merit scholarship retention, bar passage rates, entering class and enrollment data, curricular offerings, and other details. 2024 Entering Class Statistics    All Full-Time Extended (Part-Time) AppliedAdmittedEnrolled 3,8722,087387 3,5071,977349 36511038 Men / Women / Other41% / 57% / 2%       Students of color38%       States of permanent residence(including District of Columbia & U.S.Territories)32       Foreign countries of citizenship8       AgeFull-Time medianExtended (Part-Time) medianOldest/Youngest     242754/20         Colleges and universities represented163   Academic majors represented66     Advanced degrees9%       Interval between college and law schoolLess than 1 year1-5 years6 or more years     22%62%16% LSAT / GPA All Full-Time Extended (Part-Time) 75% LSATMedian LSAT25% LSAT75% GPAMedian GPA25% GPA 1621601563.693.543.27 1621601563.703.553.29 1631601573.603.293.07 Conditional Scholarship Data ABA 509(b)(3) Merit Scholarship Retention Data Students Matriculating In # Entering with Conditional Scholarships # Whose Conditional Scholarships Have Since Been Reduced or Eliminated 2022-2023:   393 365 61 2021-2022:   422 390 73 2020-2021:   411 394 74 2019-2020:   401 365 67 Employment Data Standard ABA 509(b)(7) Employment Summary for 2025 Graduates Employment Summary for 2024 Graduates Employment Summary for 2023 Graduates Please reference the 3 years of employment outcome data posted on the ABA Required Disclosures webpage of each ABA-Approved Law School or at www.abarequireddisclosures.org. Bar Passage Rates ABA Bar Passage Report New York State Bar Exam Pass Rates for First-Time Test Takers Year Brooklyn Law All Graduates of ABA-Approved Schools July 2018  72.3%  83.0% July 2017   78.6%   86.0% July 2016   83.0%   81.0% July 2015   81.0%   79.0% July 2014   84.5%   82.7% July 2013   93.7%   86.1% July 2012          85.7%   83.3% July 2011   89.1%     86.1%  July 2010   89.7%   85.6% July 2009   89.5%  88.3% July 2008   92.0%   90.5% --> Skills Competency Learning Outcomes  NY Court of Appeals Skilled Competency Pathways ABA Standard 509(c) Refund Policies Curricular Offerings  Academic Calendar  Academic RequirementsTransfer of Credit Policies MSCHE Accreditation Brooklyn Law School is currently engaged in the process for determining eligibility to apply for candidacy for accreditation status (pre-application) with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education’s (MSCHE). MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidacy status) activities for institutions of higher education, including distance education, correspondence education programs, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States. MSCHE accepts complaints and third-party comments for institutions engaged in the application and candidacy process. Please visit MSCHE’s website at www.msche.org for more information. MSCHE provides an online form for the submission of complaints or third-party comments on its website. Other Disclosures Standard 509 Information Report  ABA Standard 310 – Policy Governing Credit for Course Work ABA Standard 504 - Qualifications for Admissions to the Bar MSCHE Required Disclosure of Third-Party Provider

Public Service Law Center A Hub for Public Service Law Brooklyn Law School’s Public Service Law Center serves as a hub of resources and information related to public service programs and initiatives. The PSLC advances the Law School’s dynamic tradition of service, offering myriad ways for students to use their legal education to engage in public service, from an expansive array of student-led pro bono projects to innovative fellowship programs. Whether or not students hope to devote their entire career to this field, engaging in public service is a great way to gain real-world legal experience and make a positive difference for individuals and communities. Students can participate in a skill-building program, intern with a government agency or nonprofit legal services or policy organization, or get involved in one or more of the Law School’s many pro bono projects. The PSLC offers individual public service career counseling to students and alumni; programming on public service-related topics, such as client interviewing workshops, career roundtables with practicing public service attorneys, and workshops on preparing for public service job interviews; and support for pro bono projects and public service-oriented student organizations. Community Building The Public Service Law Center coordinates events year-round to help developing public service lawyers gain valuable skills and create networking opportunities. These include an annual welcome lunch, community service day, and award ceremony, as well as information sessions on careers in public service, workshops, and more. Academics The Public Service Law Center offers opportunities to engage in public service through courses and hands-on experience.  The Pro Bono Scholars Program allows students in their final year to devote their last semester to performing pro bono service for low-income individuals through an approved externship program, law school clinic, legal services provider, law firm, or corporation. Pro Bono Projects Brooklyn Law School has over 20 student-run pro bono projects. Participation in pro bono projects allows students to give back to the community, gain valuable legal experience, and enhance their resume. Pro bono projects span a range of practice areas and populations, including working with alleged debtors, domestic violence survivors, entrepreneurs, immigrants, public benefits recipients, students, and veterans. The Public Service Law Center also hosts alternative spring and winter breaks where students engage in public service in locations including the U.S.-Mexico border and Puerto Rico. Career Support & Summer Funding Public service employers look for relevant experience and demonstrated commitment to their mission when considering applicants. Internships, clinics, pro bono projects, and other relevant work experience are critical to landing a public service job after graduation. The Public Service Law Center helps students locate opportunities and, through assistance with resumes, cover letters, and interviews, put their best foot forward in the internship and job search process. The PSLC also offers sources of funding that allow students to both take an unpaid public service summer internship and cover living expenses. Public Service Awards Every spring, the Public Service Law Center hosts an award ceremony and reception to celebrate graduating students who have performed extraordinary pro bono and public service work during law school. In addition to working with myriad non-profit organizations including The Legal Aid Society and Legal Services NYC, our students have developed dozens of pro bono projects that help improve the quality of life for vulnerable individuals and families. Alumni The Public Service Law Center supports alumni at any stage in their careers—including both those in public service and those looking to transition from the private sector to nonprofit or government work. The PSLC provides counseling, resume and cover letter review, and help preparing for interviews. Alumni also have access to our internal job board and PSJD, as well as our alumni database. If you are interested in mentoring a BLS student or participating in one of our many student programs, email us at publicservice@brooklaw.edu. PSLC Newsletter Contact Us Have questions about the Public Service Law Center? Brooklyn, NY--> Email: publicservice@brooklaw.edu Phone: (718) 780-0689

Nationwide Events Brooklyn Law School Recruiting Schedule Meet us on the road! Recruiting events are a great way to learn more about Brooklyn Law School in person from one of our admissions counselors, alumni or other various school representatives. Please check the list below for recruitment events in your area where you can meet a Brooklyn Law representative in person. Don't see your school on our upcoming visit list? Please reach out to our team at admitq@brooklaw.edu to coordinate a campus visit or virtual event.  Don't forget to check LSAC's schedule to learn about upcoming Law School forums in your area. For more information about the events at colleges and universities, contact the pre-law advisors or career service officers at the participating schools. State (Alphabetically) Event Date Time AL Auburn University Law Fair Wednesday, January 27, 2027 12:00 PM–3:00 PM AZ University of Arizona (WAPLA) Thursday, October 22, 2026 12:00 PM–3:00 PM AZ Arizona State University (WAPLA) Friday, October 23, 2026 10:00 AM–1:00 PM CA University of California San Diego Law Fair Wednesday, November 4, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM CA University of Southern California Law Fair Thursday, November 5, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM CA Claremont Colleges Law Fair Friday, November 6, 2026 11:00 AM–2:30 PM CA Los Angeles LSAC Forum Saturday, November 7, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM CO University of Denver (WAPLA) Monday, October 19, 2026 12:00 PM–3:00 PM CT Connecticut Law Fair Thursday, September 17, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM CT University of Connecticut Law School Fair Wednesday, October 14, 2026 12:00 PM–3:00 PM CT Fairfield University Law Fair Thursday, October 15, 2026 12:30 PM–2:30 PM DC George Washington University Law School Fair Monday, October 19, 2026 4:00 PM–7:00 PM DC Howard University Law Fair Tuesday, October 20, 2026 11:00 AM–4:00 PM FL Florida A&M University (SAPLA) Tuesday, October 20, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM FL Florida State University Law School Fair Wednesday, October 21, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM GA University of Georgia Law Fair Thursday, October 8, 2026 3:00 PM–6:00 PM GA Atlanta LSAC Forum Friday, October 9, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM IA University of Iowa (MAPLA) Monday, September 21, 2026 11:00 AM–3:00 PM IL University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (MAPLA) Wednesday, September 23, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM IL Chicago LSAC Forum Saturday, October 24, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM IN Indiana University Bloomington (MAPLA) Thursday, September 24, 2026 11:00 AM–3:00 PM KY University of Louisville Law Fair Tuesday, October 13, 2026 9:00 AM–12:00 PM KY University of Kentucky Law Fair Wednesday, October 14, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM LA Louisiana State University (SWAPLA) Monday, October 5, 2026 10:30 AM–1:30 PM MA Boston Law Fair at Suffolk University Law School Saturday, September 19, 2026 10:00 AM–1:00 PM MA Boston University Law Fair Monday, October 19, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM MA Boston LSAC Forum Saturday, November 14, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM MD University of Maryland Law Fair Monday, October 19, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM MI Michigan Law Fair Wednesday, October 7, 2026 12:00 PM–4:00 PM MI Michigan State University Law School Fair Wednesday, October 14, 2026 3:00 PM–6:00 PM MN University of Minnesota (MAPLA) Tuesday, September 29, 2026 12:00 PM–3:00 PM NC North Carolina Central University HBCU Law Fair Friday, September 25, 2026 2:00 PM–5:00 PM NC Greater Charlotte Law Fair at Davidson College Thursday, October 8, 2026 10:30 AM–12:30 PM NY Tri-State Law Fair at St. John's University Tuesday, September 15, 2026 12:00 PM–3:00 PM NY Syracuse University Law School Day Friday, October 2, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM NY Greater Rochester Area Law School Night Monday, October 5, 2026 4:00 PM–6:00 PM NY University at Buffalo Law School Fair Monday, October 5, 2026 10:00 AM–1:00 PM NY Cornell University Law School Day Tuesday, October 6, 2026 10:00 AM–1:00 PM NY SUNY Oswego Law School Fair Tuesday, October 6, 2026 4:00 PM–6:30 PM NY Binghamton University Law School Day Thursday, October 8, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM NY University at Albany Law School Fair Thursday, October 8, 2026 5:00 PM–7:00 PM NY Baruch College Pre-Law Panel Thursday, October 8, 2026 12:30 PM–2:00 PM NY New York LSAC Forum Friday, October 16, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM NY New York LSAC Forum Saturday, October 17, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM OH Ohio University Law Fair Monday, October 5, 2026 11:30 AM–2:30 PM OH Dayton Metro Law Fair Monday, October 5, 2026 5:30 PM–7:30 PM OH The Ohio State University Law School Fair Tuesday, October 6, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM OH Miami University Law Fair Wednesday, October 7, 2026 11:30 AM–1:30 PM OH University of Cincinnati Law Fair Thursday, October 8, 2026 3:00 PM–6:00 PM ON Toronto LSAC Forum Monday, September 28, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM OR University of Oregon (WAPLA) Friday, October 30, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM OR Portland State University (WAPLA) Saturday, October 31, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM PA Philadelphia Law Fair Tuesday, October 20, 2026 4:00 PM–7:00 PM PA Penn State Law School Day Tuesday, October 20, 2026 11:00 AM–3:00 PM PA University of Pittsburgh Law Fair Wednesday, October 21, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM RI Providence College Law Fair Friday, September 18, 2026 1:00 PM–3:00 PM SC University of South Carolina Law Fair Wednesday, October 7, 2026 12:00 PM–4:00 PM TN University of Tennessee (SAPLA) Monday, September 28, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM TX The University of Texas at Dallas (SWAPLA) Friday, October 2, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM TX Houston LSAC Forum Saturday, October 3, 2026 10:00 AM–4:00 PM TX The University of Texas at San Antonio (SWAPLA) Tuesday, October 6, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM TX Texas State University (SWAPLA) Tuesday, October 6, 2026 4:00 PM–7:00 PM TX The University of Texas at Austin (SWAPLA) Wednesday, October 7, 2026 11:00 AM–2:00 PM UT University of Utah Law Fair (WAPLA) Tuesday, October 20, 2026 12:00 PM–3:00 PM UT Brigham Young University Law Fair (WAPLA) Wednesday, October 21, 2026 10:00 AM–1:00 PM Virtual LSAC Digital Forum Tuesday, October 13, 2026 5:00 PM–8:00 PM Virtual LSAC Digital Forum Wednesday, November 18, 2026 5:00 PM–8:00 PM Virtual LSAC Digital Forum Thursday, February 4, 2027 5:00 PM–8:00 PM WI University of Wisconsin–Madison (MAPLA) Tuesday, September 22, 2026 11:00 AM–3:00 PM   *Times are in local time zones. Schedule and locations are subject to change. Please check school or organization websites for details and registration instructions.   

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.

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