New York Law School’s Digital Commons@NYLS

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Kovalsky, Lexi

DigitalCommons@NYLS 
NYLS Community News History & Archives 
4-21-2025 
Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an International German Exchange 
Lexi Kovalsky 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news 
Since 1891
WE ARE NEW YORK’S LAW SCHOOL
In early April, the New York Law School (NYLS) Criminal Defense 
Clinic, with Professor Anna Cominsky ’05 and Professor Emeritus 
Frank Bress, hosted a group of Berlin law student visitors and 
Professor Dr. Carsten Momsen as part of a continuing exchange 
between NYLS and the Freie Universistat of Berlin (FUB). The 
exchange helped us better understand the intricate differences 
between the American and German criminal legal systems.
On the first day of the visit, fellow Clinic students and I gave a 
three-hour presentation about the United States criminal legal 
system. We provided an overview on the U.S. Constitution and the 
historical context that influences how the criminal legal system 
is shaped today. We also dove deeply into how New York State 
handles cases in terms of arrest, arraignment, plea bargaining, 
speedy trial, trials—if any, convictions, and post-conviction 
matters, including parole. Our discussions with the visiting 
students highlighted our ability to take a client-centered approach 
as we zealously advocate for our clients. It was worthwhile to 
share not only what we have learned, but also what we do in the 
Criminal Defense Clinic, which results in positive outcomes for our 
clients—all within a one-year clinic.
On the second day, we observed court proceedings in New York 
City Criminal Court in Lower Manhattan. The Berlin students 
were able to watch how our nuanced and overworked criminal 
legal system operates. They first saw arraignments—the first 
court appearance of a person who has been accused of a crime. 
At arraignments, the accused typically meets with their lawyer 
for the first time and is interviewed, which includes explaining 
the charges against them. There are multiple outcomes that 
may come from arraignments: very few dismissals, bail, plea 
bargaining, or adjournment of the case. The Berlin students then 
observed the calendar parts, where a case is adjourned until the 
case is dismissed, pleaded, or stated ready for trial. Afterwards, 
we saw a trial with both prosecution and defense questioning their 
witnesses. The Berlin students shared their perspectives about 
their court visit with us, which was enlightening. Among other 
things, they told us that there are no public defenders in Germany, 
the victim is typically involved in court proceedings from the start, 
and their criminal proceedings move more slowly than ours. These 
were just some of the notable differences that distinguish how our 
legal system works.
Our exchange expanded our understanding of how different our 
criminal legal systems are from one another. It was amazing to 
learn Berlin law students’ perspectives on the key distinctions and 
similarities. The experience provided us context for how reform 
can be accomplished in the U.S. criminal legal system.
Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an  
International German Exchange
 Lexi Kovalsky ’25   •  Published April 21, 2025
NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases students and FUB students act as mock 
jurors during a voir dire simulation.
Members of the NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases course and law student 
visitors from Freie Universistat of Berlin (FUB) as well as NYLS Professor 
Anna Cominsky ’05, NYLS Professor Emeritus Frank Bress, and FUB 
Professor Dr. Carsten Momsen.
Experiential Learning at New York Law School 
Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS 
education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students 
the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their 
first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, 
and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice 
course. During their upper-level years, students may select 
from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone 
their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal 
education, these experiential offerings prepare our students 
for careers in advocacy.
Find more NYLS stories at news.nyls.edu.
  
 


English

Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an International German Exchange

https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news/1138/thumbnail.jp

Bancamper, Jennifer

DigitalCommons@NYLS 
NYLS Community News History & Archives 
4-11-2025 
NYLS BLSA Students Illuminate and Inspire Pathways to Law 
Jennifer Bancamper 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news 
Since 1891
WE ARE NEW YORK’S LAW SCHOOL
On Friday, April 4, five students from NYLS’s 
Black Law Students Association (BLSA) chapter 
brought inspiration to students at George 
Westinghouse High School in downtown 
Brooklyn. As part of a new “Pathways to 
Law” initiative, BLSA members engaged with 
nearly 100 high school seniors to offer insight 
into different pathways to law school, discuss 
opportunities for people from underrepresented 
communities, and provide practical advice for 
pursuing a legal career.
The event was spearheaded by Christina Harris ’26, the incoming 
Vice President of BLSA, who recognized the opportunity for 
community outreach and designed the program. She was joined 
by fellow BLSA members Stephanie Pierre-Louis ’26, incoming 
President; Helima Greene ’26, incoming Attorney General; Bianca 
Vertus ’26; and Maya Page ’27.
“It was really encouraging to see how interested the students 
were in law,” said Harris. “This is why community outreach is so 
important, and it was great to help make that connection for them. 
I am grateful for the support of the School and for the space to 
create programming rooted in service and community. I’m excited 
to continue this program through our BLSA chapter for next year 
and hopefully it remains for as long as it can!”
NYLS BLSA members also guided the high school students through 
a hands-on mock negotiation exercise. Afterward, they led a 
thoughtful discussion, where they explored the unique challenges 
Black students and professionals may face in the legal field and 
shared advice on overcoming barriers, creating work-life balance, 
and finding support networks. The program concluded with a 
Constitutional Law Trivia game and an engaging Q&A session.
Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Dean for Evening Division 
Engagement, Professor of Law, and Director of the 21st Century 
Policing Project at NYLS, attended the event in support of BLSA. 
He shared his personal pathway to the field of law with the high 
school students and offered some insight into the legal education 
and career experience. “I cannot express how proud I am of 
these students for designing and executing such an impactful 
community service/pipeline program. I was honored that they 
asked me to participate,” he said.
NYLS BLSA Students  
Illuminate and Inspire  
Pathways to Law
Jennifer Bancamper  •  Published April 11, 2025Christina Harris ’26 speaking at George Westinghouse High School.
(Front row) Maya Page ’27, Stephanie Pierre-Louis ’26, Helima Greene 
’26, Christina Harris ’26, and (far right) Bianca Vertus ’26 with George 
Westinghouse High School students
Find more NYLS stories at news.nyls.edu.


NYLS BLSA Students Illuminate and Inspire Pathways to Law

https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news/1148/thumbnail.jp

Dvorkin, Ariel

DigitalCommons@NYLS 
NYLS Community News History & Archives 
5-12-2025 
NYLS Announces 94% Employment Rate for Class of 2024; 90% 
Employed in Gold Standard Jobs 
Ariel Dvorkin 
Marketing&Communications@nyls.edu 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news 
Recommended Citation 
Dvorkin, Ariel, "NYLS Announces 94% Employment Rate for Class of 2024; 90% Employed in Gold 
Standard Jobs" (2025). NYLS Community News. 207. 
https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news/207 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the History & Archives at DigitalCommons@NYLS. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in NYLS Community News by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@NYLS. 
For more information, please contact camille.broussard@nyls.edu, farrah.nagrampa@nyls.edu. 
Since 1891
WE ARE NEW YORK’S LAW SCHOOL
 
NYLS again outpaced the national average of 87.1%  
gold standard jobs for 2024 graduates at ABA accredited 
law schools.
New York Law School (NYLS) has achieved a 94% overall employment rate for the Class of 2024, with 90% 
of the class in jobs considered “gold standard” bar-required or J.D.-advantage positions. These rates of 
employment are as of 10 months after graduation.
More than one third of employed graduates entered the public sector (including government and state and 
federal judicial clerkships) and public interest careers. Approximately 65% of the class of employed graduates 
went into private practice roles, with 29% of those in private firms going into “Big Law” (law firms with 500+ 
attorneys), and 8% into mid-sized firms (law firms with 101-500 attorneys).
NYLS has once again achieved these extraordinary employment rates thanks to the work of our best-in-class 
Office of Academic Planning and Career Development, which is part of the School’s unique continuum of 
wraparound student support programs that begin before the first day of 1L orientation.
The Office helps students with all aspects of their careers, from polishing résumés and preparing for interviews 
to negotiating salaries and developing a professional network. They also connect with NYLS’s 20,000+ alumni 
and work hand-in-glove with a wide range of legal employers.
In addition, the Office operates in seamless collaboration with the Office of Academic and Bar Success and 
Office of Student Life to ensure full coordination and integration into a student’s law school journey so that they 
achieve their desired educational pathway and career. This employment data was reported as part of NYLS’s 
annual compliance with American Bar Association reporting compliance.
NYLS Announces 94% Employment 
Rate for Class of 2024; 90% Employed 
in Gold Standard Jobs
Ariel Dvorkin  •  Published May 12, 2025
Find more NYLS stories at news.nyls.edu.


NYLS Announces 94% Employment Rate for Class of 2024; 90% Employed in Gold Standard Jobs

Teitel, Ruti G.

Trump’s Dangerous Disregard for International Justice

Wice, Jeffrey M.

December 1 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update

Crowell, Anthony W.

The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Shrink New York’s Legal Workforce and Damage the Economy — Albany Must Act Now

Leonard, Arthur S.

Federal Court Vacates NEA Implementation of Trump’s ‘gender ideology’ Ban

DigitalCommons@NYLS 
Redistricting Roundtable Updates NY Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute 
3-3-2025 
March 3 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update 
Jeffrey M. Wice 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/redistricting_roundtable_updates 
 
 
 
 
 
N.Y. ELECTIONS, CENSUS & REDISTRICTING UPDATE 
 
N.Y. VOTING RIGHTS ACT LITIGATION 
 
Westchester County: Serratto et al. v. Town of Mount Pleasant 
 
On Thursday, oral arguments were made by the parties for summary judgment. No 
court decision on the matter has been released yet. 
 
ELECTION LAW 
 
Election Law Bills Advance in Albany 
 
Last week, both houses of the New York State Legislature held committee meetings 
to consider and advance changes to state election law. 
  
In the Senate, lawmakers advanced five proposals, including two voter protection 
bills that reduce voter confusion by improving the quality and clarity of information 
voters receive from the board of elections. S2543 (Myrie) requires providing voters 
with information about the candidates on the ballot and more notice regarding the 
dates of upcoming elections. The bill directs the state board of elections to develop a 
voting guide, akin to what is provided to City residents by the New York City 
Campaign Finance Board's NYC Votes program. This would permit candidates to 
submit a sworn statement containing biographical information, along with answers to 
a set of issue-based questions to be developed by the state board of elections. The 
guide would then be emailed and mailed to voters and published online. In addition, 
the State Board would be required to send two postcard mailers to all voting 
households during the two weeks before a primary or general election day, while TV 
and radio stations would inform their audiences about upcoming contests during 
each of the ten days leading up to Election Day. S5183 (Jackson) adds a prominent 
instruction to absentee ballot envelopes reminding voters that they need to sign the 
affirmation before returning the ballot. If enacted, this could reduce the quantity of 
ballots from legitimate voters that either need to be corrected via the “opportunity to 
cure” process, or summarily disqualified. 
  
Other proposals advanced by the Senate include S2541 (Myrie), an integrity and 
transparency safeguard intended to ensure the accuracy of election results by 
making the ballot images and the 'cast vote record' (i.e., how the ballot was 
interpreted by the scanner) available to the public and campaigns in the wake of a 
close contest. Second, S5142 (Myrie) would exempt income earned by poll workers 
from their federally adjusted gross income at the state level or in factoring into state 
benefits. Finally, the Senate's new Election Committee Chair Kristen Gonzalez 
advanced a bill (S5101) to cut a weekend of early voting from upcoming April special 
elections, which coincide with Easter Sunday and the end of Passover, requiring 
administrators to make up the lost hours on the remaining early voting days.  
  
 
 
In the Assembly, Election Law Chair Latrice Walker also advanced this bill last week 
(A5834). A similar adjustment was made during the 2024 Presidential Primary to 
account for Easter Sunday and the proposal is now awaiting passage by each 
chamber. As lawmakers continue to grapple with how best to right-size early voting 
access for different election events, Democrats in each house have introduced a bill 
to prohibit voting on federal holidays that occurs during early voting (e.g. 
Juneteenth), despite policy in the existing law (EL § 8-600(4)(c)) that explicitly treats 
holidays like weekend voting days—i.e., requiring robust access when voters may 
have more time to cast a ballot. Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of 
slavery, is always an early voting day in New York as the annual primary occurs on 
the fourth Tuesday in June. Although Early Voting remains popular with voters, 
lawmakers in New York and across the country are weighing various changes that 
would curtail access if enacted. 
  
The Assembly also advanced a bill A1416 (Rosenthal) to inform voters that their 
districts may have changed as a result of the redistricting process that follows the 
decennial U.S. Census. Finally, the Assembly's Election Law committee advanced 
legislation A1993 (Colton), to increase poll worker pay. The bill now awaits 
consideration by the Assembly's Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance. 
 
CENSUS 
 
Comprehensive Census 2030 Bill Introduced in the Assembly 
 
New legislation (A5864) has been introduced by Assembly Members Michaelle 
Solages (D- Nassau) and Landon Dais (D-Bronx) to provide New York with a 
comprehensive state-supported Census 2030 initiative. The legislation would (1) 
create an office of state census assistance through the Secretary of State’s office; (2) 
establish a 30-member New York Counts Commission; and (3) authorize a state 
census education and outreach grant program for non-profit, community-based, and 
academic organizations.  
  
The legislation creates a census infrastructure that would rely on experienced state 
advocates (or “census warriors”) outside state government to organize and 
undertake major efforts to combat undercounting, especially in “hard to count” 
communities. The New York Counts Commission would be comprised of several 
state officials and fifteen representatives from the state’s non-profit, community 
action, philanthropic, and academic organizations. 
  
The state provided a first time ever $2 million census effort in 2010 that funded thirty-
one local non-profit organizations. For the 2020 census cycle, the state legislature 
authorized approximately $30 million for census support but only allocated about $7 
million to counties to share with non-profit organizations. A complete count 
commission established by the Governor before 2020 produced a report after a 
series of hearings, but the COVID epidemic prevented the state from an active 
census effort. The state’s past experiences supporting census efforts demonstrate 
need to begin preparing for the 2030 census now. 
  
As the state is now projected to lose at least two congressional district after the 2030 
census (and possibly more losses depending on how non-citizens are counted in the 
 
 
census and treated by the new federal administration’s policies), the new legislation 
addresses the need for the state to begin early and to act comprehensively to reach 
hard-to-count communities, educate the public about all aspects of the census and 
why it’s so important to everyday lives, and build a strong infrastructure well before 
the 2030 census gets underway.  
  
A counterpart bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate shortly and efforts are 
underway to obtain funding in the new state budget to kick off the program. 
 
Register Now for the April 1st N.Y.C. Census 2030 Conference  
 
New York City activists can register now for a conference focused on organizing for 
the 2030 Decennial Census. The event will be held at New York Law School on 
Tuesday, April 1st from 9:00 AM to Noon. Organizers include New York City Council 
Member Julie Menin (who directed N.Y.C.’s 2020 census effort), the N.Y.C. Central 
Labor Council, and the N.Y. Elections, Census & Redistricting Institute. Register 
here: https://nyls.wufoo.com/forms/q19nfln10ghm3va/. 
 
STATE GOVERNMENT 
 
New York’s Lieutenant Governors: The Ups & Downs 
 
New York’s Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional office tasked with three basic 
responsibilities: (1) preside over the Senate, (2) serve as acting governor when the 
governor is out of state, and (3) succeed the governor if the current governor leaves 
office permanently. The governor and lieutenant governor run separately in the 
spring primary but together in the November general election. 
  
Recent lieutenant governors have had a checkered past with their governors. In 
1933, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Lieutenant Governor Herbert Lehman 
stepped up to become Governor after Roosevelt went to the White House. Malcolm 
Wilson became Governor after Nelson Rockefeller went to Washington to become 
Vice President. It hasn’t been as smooth in recent years. 
  
1978: Governor Hugh Carey’s Lt. Governor Mary Anne Krupsak decided to run 
against Carey in the primary after an unhappy tenure in the number two position. 
She lost to the incumbent Governor overwhelmingly. Interestingly, Carey originally 
sought to run with Mario Cuomo as Lt. Governor. Cuomo lost the 1974 to Krupsak 
who went on to win with Carey against GOP incumbent Wilson. 
  
1984: Lt. Governor Al Del Bello resigned, reasoning that he was bored in office after 
Governor Mario Cuomo did not give him enough work to do. 
  
1998: After a lingering fallout, Gov. George Pataki dropped Lt. Governor Betsy 
McCaughey Ross from the ticket, instead running with Judge Mary Donohue (who 
went on to serve two terms with Pataki). 
  
2008: After Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned after a scandal, David Paterson moved 
up to succeed him. Because there was no provision in law to replace a lt. governor, 
 
 
Senate leaders became acting lt. governor. Eventually, Paterson appointed Richard 
Ravitch, an elder statesman of New York government, to fill the lt. governor’s office. 
The State Court of Appeals let the appointment stand after Senate Republicans 
balked and took the appointment to court.   
  
2021: After the resignation of Governor Andrew Cuomo, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul 
replaced Cuomo. Hochul filled the vacancy with Senator Brian Benjamin who went 
on to resign a year later following corruption charges. Hudson Valley Congressman 
Antonio Delgado then replaced Benjamin. Hochul and Benjamin won re-election in 
2024 on the same ticket. 
  
2025: As we now know, current Lt. Governor Delgado announced he will not run 
again with Governor Hochul in 2026. We await the next chapter. 
 
 
The N.Y. Elections, Census & Redistricting Institute is supported by grants 
from the New York Community Trust, New York Census Equity Fund, and the 
New York City Council. This report was prepared by Jeff Wice, Alexis Marking, 
and Jarret Berg. 
 
 
 
 


March 3 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update

https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news/1133/thumbnail.jp

Hyung Ryu, Jae

DigitalCommons@NYLS 
NYLS Community News History & Archives 
2-26-2025 
The Plumeri Center Hosts Small Business Forum for Tribeca 
Community 
Jae Hyung Ryu 
New York Law School, jaehyung.ryu@nyls.edu 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news 
Recommended Citation 
Hyung Ryu, Jae, "The Plumeri Center Hosts Small Business Forum for Tribeca Community" (2025). NYLS 
Community News. 180. 
https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/community_news/180 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the History & Archives at DigitalCommons@NYLS. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in NYLS Community News by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@NYLS. 
For more information, please contact camille.broussard@nyls.edu, farrah.nagrampa@nyls.edu. 
  
Since 1891
WE ARE NEW YORK’S LAW SCHOOL
All business is local—especially here in New York City, where we 
walk to our favorite coffee shops for morning coffee and corner 
bodegas for lunch, ride the bus and the subway to school and 
work, and find respite in many a park, plaza, and playground. 
More than 180,000 small businesses power that vast web of local 
networks and form the critical foundation of the city’s bustling and 
resilient economy.
Recognizing that small businesses are indeed the linchpins of our 
city and neighborhoods, The Plumeri Center for Small Business 
Empowerment at New York Law School (NYLS) hosted a panel 
and community gathering event on February 20 during National 
Entrepreneurship Week. The event was organized in partnership 
with our Tribeca neighborhood partners, Borough of Manhattan 
Community College (BMCC) Small Business and Entrepreneurship 
Program and Laughing Man Coffee, as the launch of a series of 
efforts to support Tribeca as vibrant neighborhood with a thriving 
commercial corridor.
The evening kicked off with a panel of experts providing new 
insights and key information for small business owners and 
entrepreneurs, including artificial intelligence (AI) use issues with a 
focus on privacy and intellectual property laws, contract and other 
common legal dispute considerations, and a wealth of technical and 
financial resources provided by the NYC Small Business Services. 
The panelists were Cecilia Jeong and Madeline Koo of Gunderson 
Dettmer; Joam Alisme ’14 of Alisme Law LLC; and Natasha Joseph, 
Assistant Commissioner for Government Navigation and Regulatory 
Reform at the NYC Department of Small Business Services. 
A diverse audience that included Tribeca and NYC small business 
owners and entrepreneurs, BMCC student entrepreneurs, and 
NYLS students filled every chair in the lecture hall and engaged 
the panelists with questions and shared their stories. After the 
panel discussion, the panelists and attendees mingled in the lobby 
of The Plumeri Center for lively follow-up conversations.
The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment launched this 
school year with a generous foundational gift from visionary business 
leader Joseph J. Plumeri ’15 (Hon.). The Center is a resource hub 
for the Tribeca and NYC small business and entrepreneurship 
communities through NYLS’s wide selection of pro bono legal clinics 
among other programs and initiatives being actively developed with 
the consultation of the Center’s advisory board.
The Plumeri Center Hosts  
Small Business Forum for  
Tribeca Community
 Professor Jae Hyung Ryu  •  Published February 26, 2025
Small business owners and entrepreneurs network 
in The Plumeri Center.
Professor Jae Hyung Ryu speaking at the small 
business forum.
(From left to right) Madeline Koo, Cecilia Jeong, 
Natasha Joseph, and Joam Alisme.
NONPROFIT AND SMALL BUSINESS CLINIC OF THE PLUMERI 
CENTER FOR SMALL BUSINESS EMPOWERMENT 
The Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic, directed by Professor Jae 
Hyung Ryu, is a yearlong clinic, providing upper-level day and evening 
students an opportunity to provide transactional legal assistance to 
nonprofit organizations and small businesses.  
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL 
Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through 
our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn 
theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in 
counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational 
Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may 
select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their 
lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these 
experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.
Find more NYLS stories at news.nyls.edu.


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Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an International German Exchange

NYLS BLSA Students Illuminate and Inspire Pathways to Law

NYLS Announces 94% Employment Rate for Class of 2024; 90% Employed in Gold Standard Jobs

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The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Shrink New York’s Legal Workforce and Damage the Economy — Albany Must Act Now

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March 3 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update

The Plumeri Center Hosts Small Business Forum for Tribeca Community

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