NYU Law announces 2026 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients

Barry Adler, Adam Cox, and V. Patrice Wylly ’15 LLM ’18 have been named this year’s recipients of the NYU Law Distinguished Teaching Award, which recognizes faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to student learning and engagement.

Each year, NYU Law solicits nominations from the Law School community for the award, based on criteria that include extraordinary commitment to teaching and mentorship. These awards represent the highest recognition of teaching excellence at NYU Law.

Adler, the Lawrence P. King Professor of Law and associate dean for information systems and technology, was celebrated by students for the exceptional personal investment he brings to his courses. According to one student, “no teacher I have ever had at any stage of my education has put as much effort, personality, or genuine care into a course” as Adler has. Students highlighted his habit of opening class sessions with music thematically tied to the day’s cases, his extensive office hours and review sessions—which he hosted personally—and a supportive classroom culture. Nominators particularly praised his approach to the Socratic method, challenging students to find the right answer through trial and error while offering steady encouragement and recognizing genuine effort.

Cox, who is the Robert A. Kindler Professor of Law and a leading expert on immigration law, voting rights, and constitutional law, earned recognition for the depth and accessibility of his engagement with students. Nominators said that he welcomes and engages deeply with student questions, and that he integrates technology and media into the classroom in ways that enhance rather than distract from learning. His responsiveness to student feedback—actively soliciting suggestions and incorporating them throughout the semester—also drew praise. Outside the classroom, students credited Cox with creating a climate of accessibility and genuine mentorship. One student called his Immigration Law course “singularly the best course” the student had taken at NYU Law.

Wylly, who is professor of practice and deputy faculty director of the Graduate Tax Program, was praised for the extraordinary care she brings to teaching complex material. Students described a learning environment in which they feel simultaneously challenged, supported, and valued. Nominators highlighted the variety of methods she uses to explain difficult concepts—written explanations, visual diagrams, numerical examples, and formulas—and the thoughtful scaffolding of her lessons so that each topic builds naturally on the last. One student wrote of having “never felt more acknowledged, supported, or understood by a professor” than with Wylly. Her background—which includes a JD and LLM from NYU Law, an MSc in Sociology from the University of Oxford, private practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and at global trading firm Jane Street—was noted as a distinctive influence on her approach to legal pedagogy.

“It is my honor to recognize Barry, Adam, and Patrice as this year’s standout educators at NYU Law,” said Dean Troy McKenzie ’00. “Each of them brings something special to the classroom—whether it is Barry’s infectious enthusiasm, Adam’s genuine investment in every student’s growth, or Patrice’s extraordinary gift for making the most challenging material feel within reach. Together, they embody NYU Law’s commitment to teaching excellence.”