Happy Women’s History Month!

March is Women’s History Month! In celebration, we are honoring some outstanding woman alums of New York Law School.

 

Elizabeth Johnston Schenkel (Class of 1937) was the first woman to graduate from New York Law School. After graduation, Schenkel started practicing law from her home to be more available to her three young children. As her practice in trusts, estates and real estate grew, she became a legal consultant for several law firms. Schenkel received the Distinguished Alumna award from New York Law School in 1992. (New York Law School Magazine, Vol. 26, No. 2)

Barbara M. Watson (Class of 1962) was the first woman and the first black person to serve as an Assistant Secretary of State. She served as an Assistant Secretary of State for Security and Consular affairs during the administrations of Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter. President Carter later appointed Watson the United States Ambassador to Maylasia. Upon her passing in 1983, the State Department renamed the Consular Officer of the Year Award to the Barbara M. Watson Award for Consular Excellence in honor of her outstanding work and devotion to public service. (NYLS 125th Anniversary Materials)

Judith “Judge Judy” Sheindlin (Class of 1965) is well known for her court shows, Judge Judy and most recently Judy Justice. Before entering the spotlight, Scheindlin was appointed by then-Mayor Ed Koch as a prosecutor in the New York family court system, eventually becoming the supervising judge of that system. She was, and still is, known to be tough. This attitude helped her move into media. During its 25-year run, Judge Judy won numerous awards as Sheindlin heard thousands of cases and earned her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (NYLS Interviews Judy Sheindlin)

Hon. Joan M. Azrack (Class of 1979) is a judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She was nominated for this position by President Barack Obama in 2014 and assumed senior status in 2024. Prior to taking this position, Azrack was a trial attorney, leading to her positions as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Narcotics Section (deputy chief), Business and Securities Fraud Section (chief), and the Criminal Division (deputy chief).  (NYLS 125th Anniversary Materials)

Hon. Clare M. Henry (Class of 1979) was a High Court Judge for the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. From 1986 to 1989, she served as Crown Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chambers for Antigua & Barbuda. From 1989 to 1994 she was engaged in private law practice in Antigua & Barbuda. She became a Magistrate for Antigua & Barbuda in 1994, becoming Chief Magistrate for Antigua & Barbuda in 2000. It was in 2004 that she was appointed a High Court Judge for the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. (NYLS 125th Anniversary Materials)

 

 

 


Valentine’s Day Info Hunt Returns to Mendik Law Library!

Love is in the Air at the Mendik Library!

As a special early Valentine’s Day treat, starting on Wednesday, February 5, you have a chance to WIN lovely prizes such as study aids, Lexis reward points, law dictionaries, NYLS travel mugs, and Bluebooks.

To participate, just answer our eight Valentine’s Day Info Hunt questions. Your answers don’t need to be perfect—just close! Click here to access the questions. Each slide features one question, along with step-by-step instructions to help you find the answer.

Hunt ends at 1:00 p.m., on Thursday February 13th.  Winners will be selected randomly from all valid entries outside the library at 1:30 p.m. on February 13th. Those present have twice the chance to win!

Don’t forget to stop by the Reference Desk on Friday, February 14, to enjoy some Valentine’s Day chocolates. Remember, whatever you do, do it with love!

Happy hunting!


Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Legislation signed in 1983 marked the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a federal holiday. It is celebrated on the third Monday of each January. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service, now led by AmeriCorps.

This year, the NYLS community is honoring Dr. King’s legacy with a powerful day of workshops and service, organized by NYLS’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law.  The Monday January 20, 2025 program runs from 12:00 noon through 3:00 p.m., at the Park Slope United Methodist Church, 410 6th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215.


New Group Study Rooms!

Welcome back! We hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season, and we offer our best wishes for a happy New Year!

We have exciting news for you: more group study rooms are now available in the library.

Room L204, formerly a printing/scanning room, has been converted into a group study room similar to existing ones.  Rooms L203, L206, and L207, which have until now served as  computer labs, have been converted into group study rooms (although they are not configured in the same way as existing group study rooms). Use of these new rooms is subject to the same rules that apply to existing rooms.

Desktop computers have been removed from rooms L203, L206, and L207. If you need to   access a computer, you can find them available in L205.

As always, if you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please let your librarians know.

Wishing you a successful new semester! 😊

-Mendik Library

 



Remembering President Jimmy Carter

NYLS joins the nation in mourning the loss of President Jimmy Carter.

In October 1985, President Carter delivered the inaugural Mario Biaggi Lecture on Human Rights at New York Law School. He was then awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

For more details about President Carter’s remarks and to view photos from the event, see the Winter 1985 issue of New York Law School In Brief. Additional photos are available here and here.

A student review of the lecture can also be found in the New York Law School Reporter.



Library Hours for the Intersession Period and the 2025 Spring Semester

Below are the library hours for the Intersession Period and the 2025 Spring Semester            beginning Friday December 20, 2024 through Friday March 7, 2025. The library will be closed on Monday January 20, 2025, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Intersession: Friday December 20, 2024 through Sunday January 12, 2025

 

 

Spring Semester: Monday January 13, 2025 through Friday March 7, 2025

 

 

 


New Group Study Room Is Ready For You!

Welcome back! We hope you had a restful, enjoyable, and productive Thanksgiving break. 😊

We’re excited to share some good news with you: The Mendik Library has a brand-new group study room for your use—L204! (Excuse what we hope will be just temporary furniture.) Whether you’re working on a group project or prepping for finals, we hope this new space becomes another one of your go-to spots. Just a quick reminder: this room follows the same guidelines as our other study rooms.

As always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here for you, and we’re rooting for your success!

Happy studying! Looking forward to seeing you in L204!

-Mendik Library