Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was awarded Honorary Degrees by the Brooklyn Law School (1987)
Address: 250 Joralemon St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States
Established: 1901; 124 years ago
School type: Private law school
Endowment: $250 million
Enrollment: 1,119 (881 full-time, 238 part-time; as of 2014)
USNWR ranking: 114th (2024)
Bar pass rate: 78.82% (2023 first-time takers)
Website: https://www.brooklaw.edu
Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a private law school in New York City. Founded in 1901, it has approximately 1,100 students. Brooklyn Law School's faculty includes 60 full-time faculty, 15 emeriti faculty, and adjunct faculty.
History
The origins of Brooklyn Law School can be traced back to the Pratt Institute in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, when, in the 1890s, the school established its Department of Commerce. Because of its overwhelming popularity, the Department of Commerce broke off from the main Institute and formed its own school under the guidance of Norman P. Heffley, personal secretary to Charles Pratt. The Heffley School of Commerce originally shared facilities with Pratt.
In 1901, William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley reorganized the Heffley School to become Brooklyn Law School, the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley's business school, the law school opened on September 30, 1901, with five faculty members (including Richardson as dean and Heffley as president), and two special lecturers.
The year began with five students and ended with 28. In late 1901, the Board of Regents of the State of New York granted a charter to the law school. The law school became fully accredited by the American Bar Association in 1937, and became a member of the Association of American Law Schools in 1973. The law school's curriculum is registered with and approved by the New York State Education Department.
From its opening, Brooklyn Law School opened its door to minorities, women, and immigrants, and it offered night classes for those with full-time jobs. Dean Richardson also allowed students who had difficulty paying tuition to remain enrolled on credit. The school moved twice between 1901 and 1928, when it finally moved into the first building designed and built specifically for it at 375 Pearl Street in downtown Brooklyn.
The school was affiliated with St. Lawrence University from 1903 to 1943. World War II struck Brooklyn Law School especially hard, and by 1943 enrollment was down to 174 students. St. Lawrence University, which until then operated Brooklyn Law School and conferred its degrees, decided to shut down the school. Alumni organized and negotiated the repurchase of the school's assets, ensuring that Brooklyn Law School would operate as an independent institution.
In 1969, the repurchased school moved to its current location at 250 Joralemon Street, selling its old Pearl Street location to Brooklyn Friends School, who still occupies the building.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Loveginsburg
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Loveginsburg
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joanruthbaderginsburg
This page was created by the Independent Director of the Supreme Court of the United States, Abraham Lincoln Ginsburg. (Reference 28 U.S. Code §608 - Seal, Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression. See 37 C.F.R. 201.2(a)(3). Contact Email: i.love.ruth.bader.ginsburg@gmail.com)