Welcome to NYU School of Law! We are excited to have you join our community.
Orientation is required for all first-year JD students and will take place Wednesday, August 22 through Monday, August 27.
We see your orientation as an introduction to your classmates, faculty, and other members of the law school family. In addition, you'll launch your legal studies with a substantive program that will pave the way for a great experience here.
For questions and concerns, please email law.studentaffairs@nyu.edu.
2018 Schedule of Events
*NOTE: The schedule below is tentative, and subject to change.
For location information, please see our campus map.
Wednesday, August 22
Move-in Day
9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in Hayden & D'Agostino Residence Halls
Welcome to NYU! Please join the Residence Services team as they help you get situated in your new home.
Registration
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (sections 1-3)*
12:00-1:00 p.m. (sections 4-5)*
*Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Greenberg Lounge
The Admissions Office and the Office of Student Affairs will welcome you to the Law School and provide information about programming for the remainder of Orientation.
Section Lunch
12:00-1:45 p.m. (sections 1-3)*
1:00-2:45 p.m. (sections 4-5)*
*Please see room assignments sheet for locations.
Get to know members of your section over a casual lunch.
IT System Basics: Tech Support from the ITS Team
2:45-3:45 p.m. or 4:00-5:00 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, Room 204
During these optional (identical) sessions, the Information and Technology Services (ITS) team will provide an overview of the Law School's technology systems.
Welcome BBQ
5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Vanderbilt Hall Courtyard
Please join the Student Bar Association (SBA), incoming LLM class, and current students as they welcome you to NYU Law.
Thursday, August 23
Continental Breakfast
8:00-8:45 a.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Greenberg Lounge
Join your classmates for pastries and coffee.
Welcome to NYU Law
8:45-9:45 a.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Tishman Auditorium
Dean Trevor Morrison; Cassandra Williams, Assistant Dean for Admissions; and Jason Belk, Dean of Students, will formally welcome you to the Law School and provide some helpful insights as you begin the first day of your legal career.
Anatomy of a Case
9:45-10:45 a.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Tishman Auditorium
Professor Shanda Sibley ’07 will lead you through a discussion of Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 752 (1969), breaking down mechanics of a court opinion. Please be sure to have read Chimel prior to your arrival.
Lawyering Session 1: Moving Targets
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.*
*Please see room assignments sheet for locations.
In your first Lawyering class, your professor will introduce developing and interpreting a rule and briefing a case.
Grab & Go Lunch
1:00-2:00 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall and Furman Hall
Enjoy a casual lunch with your classmates. You may pick up lunch from either Golding Lounge Café, Vanderbilt Hall, 2nd Floor, or Wachtell Café, Furman Hall, 2nd Floor.
Reading and Briefing Your First Case
2:00-4:30 p.m. in Residence Halls, Library, Vanderbilt Hall, and Furman Hall Lounges and Classrooms
Having learned how to analyze a case, you will have this time to read and brief your first case. Briefs are due to your Lawyering professor by 4:30 p.m.
"Sundae" Funday
5:00-7:00 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Greenberg Lounge
Enjoy Ben & Jerry's ice cream with faculty and administrators.
Friday, August 24
*NOTE: This is a tentative schedule for Friday's activities based on last year's program.
Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:00 a.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Greenberg Lounge
Join your classmates for pastries and coffee.
Community Expectations
10:00-10:45 a.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Tishman Auditorium
Jason Belk, Dean of Students, and Michelle Kirkland, Assistant Dean for Academic Services & Registration, will discuss the Law School’s expectations regarding academic integrity and professionalism as well as how to achieve balance as a law student.
Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Presentation
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Tishman Auditorium
This program, lead by David Glasgow, executive director of Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, will explore diversity and inclusion issues at NYU Law and offer solutions to help you bring your full selves to the study and practice of the law.
Grab & Go Lunch
12:30-1:30 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall and Furman Hall
Enjoy a casual lunch with your classmates. You may pick up lunch from either Golding Lounge Café, Vanderbilt Hall, 2nd Floor, or Wachtell Café, Furman Hall, 2nd Floor.
Lawyering Session 2: Case Analysis
2:30-4:30 p.m.*
*Please see room assignments sheet for locations.
This session will continue your introduction to Lawyering, interpretation, and case analysis.
LACA + OUTLaw Welcome Reception
6:00-8:00 p.m. in Furman Hall, 2nd Floor, Sexton Lounge
All students are invited to a welcome reception hosted by the NYU Law Association of Color Association (LACA) and OUTLaw alumni.
Saturday, August 25
The Office of Student Affairs has planned a variety of community building activities that are designed to help you become better acquainted with your class peers, Greenwich Village, and New York City, and to introduce you to advanced students and Law School administrators. With the exception of the Women of Color Collective Luncheon, Law School administrators will facilitate the Saturday activities. Although participation is optional, we encourage you to go out and explore your new home through community service, exploring iconic NYC, and the Law School’s Women of Color outreach activities.
Friday 8/24
Saturday 8/25
- Tour of the Leslie-Lohmann Museum – (1:30-3:30 p.m.) Join members of OUTLaw and explore the vibrant New York City art scene with a general overview of the museum’s world-class exhibits and collections.
- Walking Tour of the Brooklyn Bridge - (9:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) Look over the majestic skyline of Manhattan, and experience a walk along a National Historic Landmark.
- Picnic in Washington Square Park – (12:30-3:30 p.m.) Learn about NYU Law’s global programming opportunities for students over a light lunch and beverages.
- Highline & Chelsea Market Trip – (12:30-3:30 p.m.) Experience the grandeur of a repurposed, elevated railway that has become the model for innovative urban park renewal, as well as a trip to the vibrant Chelsea Market.
- WoCC Welcome Picnic – (1:00-3:00 p.m.) Meet Women of Color Collective members and learn about the organization’s goals and programming over a casual lunch in Washington Square Park.
- Running Along the River – (9:30-11:30 a.m.) Join members of the Law School community for a brisk, early morning run along the gorgeous Hudson River.
Sunday 8/26
SBA Bar Review
9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. at 3 Sheets Saloon
Come get to know your classmates and SBA members at the weekly SBA bar night.
Sunday, August 26
Optional: Big Apple Brunch
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the Vanderbilt Hall Courtyard
Meet incoming JD and LLM students and administrators while enjoying an NYC tradition: Sunday brunch! The Big Apple Brunch is a fun opportunity to mix and mingle with your new classmates. Food will be served until 12:30 p.m. Seating is available in the courtyard and on the 1st and 2nd floors of Vanderbilt Hall.
Monday, August 27
Lawyering Session 3: Case Planning
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.*
*Please see room assignments sheet for locations.
In preparation for the afternoon’s oral argument, you will begin identifying material facts and arguments for advocacy.
Center on Race, Inequality,and the Law Presentation
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Professor Tony Thompson, director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law, and Dean Trevor Morrison will discuss the importance of teaching lawyers to be leaders, and the influence of race and inequality on legal doctrine, law school education, and life after law school. The discussion will be moderated by Vincent Southerland, executive director of the Center.
Grab & Go Lunch
12:15-1:45 p.m.
in Vanderbilt Hall and Furman Hall
Enjoy a casual lunch with your classmates. You may pick up lunch from either Golding Lounge Café, Vanderbilt Hall, 2nd Floor, or Wachtell Café, Furman Hall, 2nd Floor.
Moot Court
2:00-3:30 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, 1st Floor, Tishman Auditorium
Advocates will argue a real case in front a panel of three Federal Judges.
Presiding
The Honorable Dennis Jacobs ’73, US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The Honorable Raymond J. Lohier ’91, US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The Honorable Katherine B. Forrest ’90, US District Court for the Southern District of New York
Advocates
Jessica Lonergan ’08, Assistant US Attorney, Southern District of New York
Nathan Freed Wessler ’10, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project
Reading Requirements
Please be sure to complete the required reading, Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 752 (1969), prior to Orientation as this case will be discussed at one of your first orientation sessions. Please do not feel compelled to do anything with this case except read it a couple of times.
Optional Reading
As you prepare to begin your law school career, we want to bring to your attention a few books you may find of interest. None are required reading, but they may be helpful as you transition into law school during your first year.
- Finding Your Voice in Law School: Mastering Classroom Cold Calls, Job Interviews and Other Verbal Challenges, by Molly Bishop Shadel, Carolina Academic Press
- Open Book: The Inside Track to Law School Success (Second edition), by Barry Friedman and John C.P. Goldberg, Wolters Kluwer Law & Business
- Mindfulness for Law Students: Using the Power of Mindful Awareness to Achieve Balance and Success in Law School, by Scott L. Rogers, Mindful Living Press
-
Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights, by Kenji Yoshino
Orientation
LLM Orientation
Incoming LLM students should visit the Graduate Affairs website for details regarding LLM Orientation activities.
JSD Orientation
The JSD and VDR Orientation and welcome meeting will take place on August 28th 2018 between 10:30am-1:00pm in the first floor conference room at 22 Washington Square North, New York, NY 10011. For questions about the JSD and VDR orientation please contact Karin Loevy, JSD Program Manager.
Transfer Orientation
Orientation for incoming transfer students is designed to facilitate your smooth transition into our community. You will meet the various administrators who are available to assist you throughout your time here. Also, you will learn more about the Writing Competition from journal members.
The Transfer Student Orientation will take place on Thursday, August 2, 2018.
Housing
The Department of Residence Services strives to provide an environment which supports your studies at the Law School through well-maintained facilities, community-enhancing activities, policies, and procedures that are comprehensive, easily understood, and equitable. They work to create an atmosphere where learning is fostered, diversity is embraced, and mutual respect for all members of the community is cultivated. Take a moment to learn about what NYU School of Law Housing has to offer!
NYU ID Cards, Laptops, and WiFi
NYU IDs
All incoming students will need to secure an NYU ID card in order to gain access to our buildings and University facilities. You can obtain your card at the NYU Card Center, 7 Washington Place (on the corner of Mercer Street) with proof of identification such as a state driver's license or a passport. The Card Center is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. We recommend that you obtain your ID prior to Orientation on Wednesday, August 23, or that you visit the Card Center when you arrive on campus. Visit https://photoid.nyu.edu/ for more information.
Laptops
You will find your laptop useful throughout Orientation, but we want to point out a few critical times when you will want to have your computer with you. On Wednesday, August 22 at 2:45 p.m. and again at 4:00 p.m., we will be holding (optional) IT workshops in Vanderbilt Hall Room 218 during which you will learn about connecting to our wireless system, printing using the Law School's network printers, and a variety of other technology-related matters. The substantive programming, including your Lawyering classes, begins on Thursday, so you will want to have your laptop with you then.
Connecting to Wireless at NYU
There are a variety of ways to connect to NYU-NET, from both on and off campus, at all NYU global locations. Explore the pages linked below for more information and instructions. Learn more about Network and Connectivity.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
New York University is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and participation for students with disabilities. It is the University's policy that no qualified student with a disability be excluded from participating in any University program or activity, denied the benefits of any University program or activity, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination with regard to any University program or activity.
The Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) determines qualified disability status and assists students in obtaining appropriate accommodations and services. CSD operates according to an Independent Living Philosophy and strives in its policies and practices to empower each student to become as independent as possible. Their services are designed to encourage independence, backed by a strong system of supports.
Any student who needs a reasonable accommodation based on a qualified disability is required to register with the CSD for assistance. To schedule an appointment, please visit the office at 726 Broadway, 3rd floor or call at (212) 998-4980. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact Paula Bailey, Associate Director of Academic Services at paula.bailey@nyu.edu or (212) 998-6020.