NYU School of Law

Great School at the Best Location!

This law school claims to support students interested in public service, but I found that it fails in its commitment on many fronts. NYU makes exceptions to its entrance criteria for rich, well-connected students. I remember that Alan Morrison, a rather mean professor, in spite of his impressive record working for Public Citizen for many years, withdrew from teaching for a year following my participation in his class, to avoid embarrassing his daughter, who was probably admitted due to his influence. I had him for civil procedure, and he earned the infamous hissing of the students during his class for reducing one student to tears by humiliating him in front of the whole class. I got very poor treatment from Vice Dean Stephen Gillers, when I complained about the NYU policy of refusing to issue graduation gowns to students who didn't report their employment status following their 3L year. After financing a $150,000 education, that was a slap in the face to students, and basically amounts to blackmail. I reported my employment, but didn't attend my graduation in protest of this policy. Gillers told me I should just go along with the policy even if it was unjust. I also had an issue with one of the lawyering professors in my 1L year, Fred Bernstein, who didn't like me because I challenged his assertion that we need to be dishonest during negotiations so we can get the best deal for our clients. After this exchange, Fred singled me out to humiliate me in front of my peers by telling them all that I was "arrogant." I was probably a bit naive at the time, but if someone pulled that on me today, I would go straight to the administration to report a professor who was trying to humiliate his students. Apparently, Fred is now an architect, which is probably a good idea since lawyers have to deal with lots of people, and Fred's people skills probably rate about 2 out of 10. Another experience in "lawyering" class, involved a mock trial, where students were assigned roles in a fake legal proceeding. As each of my peers went through their legal arguments, I noted that they were exaggerating, and telling half-truths. We were asked to comment on the mock proceeding at the end. When it was my turn, I noted that I knew all these students, and that under normal circumstances, they were relatively straightforward and honest, but in this exercise, they resorted to all sorts of subterfuge to win their case. I questioned whether the adversarial system was not to blame, and that it twisted everything towards untruth and exaggeration. The professor in this instance was excited about this question and asked the other students to comment on my statement. The rich kids in my class had absolutely nothing to say about my comment, so the discussion died before it had even started. I found this very disappointing, since this school is supposed to be open to wide-ranging academic discussion, even that which questions the roots of our legal system. I became convinced that most of these students are just here to make as much money as they can after graduation, without regard to justice or fairness. I had another negative experience related to NYU when I was en route to a trip to Europe a few years after my graduation. I happened to come out of Penn Station just as the convocation for a later class was convening. I asked permission to attend since I had missed mine for reasons already explained. I was allowed in, but before the ceremony started, NYU security escorted me out and told me they didn't want me there. I sent a letter of complaint to the Dean, and got a response which shocked me, since it contained typos, something I was taught to never allow with my own correspondence. Later I attended the Occupy movement protest at Wall Street before departing for another trip abroad. I went to to use the library, carrying my sign protesting the bank bailout that used billions of tax dollars to save corrupt banks from their own crimes. I was told I could not enter the campus with my sign. This law school caters to the rich.

NYU is awesome! Such a great location and atmosphere. Great shops and food very nearby. Washington square park is fun for college kids any time of the year.

Great!

Sounds like Andrew Weissman is headed here to teach. Hope he finds here the same cruelty and viciousness he has inflicted on others in the practice of law. He is a vile man and a shame to America.