NYU Law recognizes that lawyers in our society routinely become managers and leaders of organizations, and we are committed to providing opportunities to develop those skills.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Assessment
Beginning in the 2013-14 academic year, NYU Law will offer incoming students the opportunity to take an emotional intelligence (EQ) assessment. The assessment is designed to deepen the life-long process of developingthe self-awareness and relationship management skills that are critical to becoming a successful leader.
Leadership Training
We offer a number of courses designed, in part, to teach leadership. Formal leadership skills training is introduced in the Lawyering Program during the 1L year. Throughout the 1L year, Lawyering students collaborate in small teams, evaluate their own performance and that of others, and develop interpersonal communication skills while learning to solve problems and acquire professional judgment. For 2L and 3L students, the Law School offers a variety of simulation courses, clinics, and seminars that involve collaborative learning and delve deeply into skills-based components.
Subject-Area Seminars
The Law School offers subject-area seminars that focus on the exercise of leadership, such as the Guarini Leadership in Government Service Seminar, which explores themes of leadership in public service and specifically maps the students’ emotional intelligence skills training onto their conversations with government leaders. The Jacobson Leadership in Law and Business Program offers similar leadership-focused courses, such as a Corporate Crisis seminar in collaboration with the Stern School of Business, which uses factually rich hypotheticals (such as the BP-Deepwater Horizon oil spill) to explore leadership challenges.
Alumni Leaders
NYU Law students also get exposure to distinguished alumni leaders, whose own experiences are featured through a variety of forums modeled on the Leaders in Public Interest Series, which has long been a centerpiece of the Law School’s renowned Public Interest Law Center.
- A new “Conversations with Leaders” series will feature a Q&A with lawyers from various sectors to share their insights about leadership.
- Dean’s Roundtable Series features graduates with innovative careers
- NYU Leadership Series in Law and Business focuses on graduates whose work is in the confluence of law and business
- Amy and Brian Schorr Family Luncheon Speaker Series features business leaders sponsored by both the Stern School of Business and the NYU Law
- Graduate Tax Program Lunch Series features bi-weekly roundtable discussions with prominent alumni of the Graduate Tax Program
Advanced Certificate Program in Leadership
The Law School is participating in the creation of a new advanced certificate program in leadership for select students in NYU professional schools. The program is under design by Melody Barnes, former assistant to President Barack Obama and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and currently the Vice Provost for Global Student Leadership Initiatives at NYU. This program involves cross-disciplinary training of select students from the Law School, the Wagner School of Public Service, the Stern School of Business, and the Medical School. Students will learn about contemporary leadership theory and be exposed to specific content on leadership challenges, strategies and frameworks.
Scholarship Programs
A number of the NYU Law students are awarded scholarships because they have demonstrated an aptitude for leadership.
The AnBryce Scholarship Program seeks to identify and cultivate future leaders from economically disadvantaged groups, providing them with full-tuition scholarships. AnBryce Scholars have specific emotional intelligence skills training in addition to an enriched academic program.
The Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business provides scholarships to students who aspire to non-traditional career paths in law and businss. The program also includes a Law and Business Mentor network designed to connect business-minded students with mentors in the corporate world.
The Root-Tilden-Kern Program, established in 1951, is the nation’s premier public service scholarship. The program pays full tuition, without regard to financial need, for three years of law school to outstanding students who promise to pursue public service. Scholars are selected based on three criteria: commitment to public service, academic excellence, and potential for leadership.
Careers in Government
The Law School is also deeply committed to helping students build successful careers in government and understand the significant impact of government action, regardless of where they choose to work. The Frank J. Guarini Leaders in Government Service Institute, founded by former U.S. Representative Frank J. Guarini ’50 (LL.M. ’55), provides structured support for students interested in leadership roles in all levels of government, as well as at think tanks and policy organizations. Scholars are provided with a specialized academic program, individualized counseling, and access to thought leaders and government practitioners.
By offering instruction in the personal and professional skills needed to lead, NYU Law positions its graduates to assume and excel in top leadership roles and to perform well in them.
