Convocation Ceremony Welcomes New Students to the Law School
Brooklyn Law School welcomed 371 new students on August 21 at the annual Convocation Ceremony, held in the Ceremonial Courtroom at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Vice Dean Steven Dean served as master of ceremonies for the event, which also featured remarks from Giancarlo Martinez ’18; Hon. Robert A. Katzmann, chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; Wanda Denson-Low ’81, vice chair of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Board of Trustees; Professor David Reiss; and Dean Nick Allard.
The incoming class includes 29 members of the 2-Year Accelerated J.D. Program, 310 members of the traditional 3-Year Program, and 32 members of the extended 4-Year Program. The LL.M. program welcomed 22 new students from 20 countries, including India, Azerbaijan, the Dominican Republic, and Ukraine. The new students join the Law School community with an array of impressive backgrounds: they are athletes, entrepreneurs, teachers, philanthropists, and Army veterans, to name just a few of their accomplishments.
Martinez shared the three best pieces of advice he had received when beginning his own legal education: “Be focused, get involved, and stay true to yourself.”
Judge Katzmann, whose book, Judging Statutes, was given to every member of the incoming class through the generosity of Denson-Low and her husband, Ronald Low, extolled the scholarship of the Law School’s faculty and commended students’ dedication to public service. “Brooklyn Law School’s contributions to the law and to the public good have been enormous,” he said, describing the many accomplishments of faculty, students, and graduates.
Denson-Low, who previously served as senior vice president for the Office of Internal Governance at Boeing and general counsel of Boeing Defense, spoke to her fellow introverts and “nerds” in the crowd, encouraging them to embrace their anxiety as a challenge. She also pointed to her own career as an example of flexibility paying off. She came to the Law School hoping to work for Legal Aid, but ended up on a very different path. “Don’t assume the law firm is the only vehicle for you,” she said.
Reiss spoke about the enduring power of words, reminding students of the importance of the oath they will take at the end of their legal education. Introducing some levity with a story about his son’s favorite comic book hero, the Green Lantern, Reiss said, “invisible forces of justice, fairness, and decency can still move us.”
Allard closed the ceremony with a call to action during this pivotal moment in history, encouraging students to speak up for what they believe is right, and be open to lively debate throughout the school year.
“Lawyers are needed more than ever before,” he said.
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