New York Law School sheds light on “enormous” impact of state law on NYC life

Some people say civics is an often overlooked subject in school, especially when it comes to city and state law. But a NYC law school is hoping to make civics and policy easier to understand with a name change and expanded programs for one of its main centers.

New York Law School’s Center for New York City Law has been renamed The Center for New York City and State Law, the Tribeca-based school announced on Monday. It will provide a variety of expanded programs for the public and law students on city and state policy, focusing on how the two governments interact and the roles they play in creating law.

The civic engagement hub will expand to be a convening spot for legal experts, policymakers, students, and the public to discuss important government matters. It will offer discussions on news and explainer articles, research and analysis, an array of public events featuring expert guests and podcast conversations.

“There’s a variety of programming that the center already does and expanded programming that it will do,” Ben Max, the center’s executive editor and program director, said. “Some of it will be open to the public, and some of it will be for New York Law School students or the New York Law School student faculty staff community. It will offer a lot of public programming that the center has done for 30 years and will continue to do with an expanded programming roster.”

NYS has an ‘enormous‘ impact on the city

Max said the center at the school, which sees one-third of graduates taking roles in public service, will look deeply at New York state law’s “enormous” impact on the Big Apple. This includes the many ways decisions at the state level impact the laws and administration of NYC government and society.

“We have always, at the center, focused on some of that, but we have been feeling and seeing the importance of taking even more of a detailed look at how the state impacts the city and the many interactions between the two levels of government that have so much impact on New Yorkers’ lives.”

Max emphasized that state law impacts everyday services and policy in the city in many ways, from transit to housing, much of which will be discussed at future public events.

He cited the subway system, run by the state’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) as an example.

“A lot of people are unfamiliar with the structure of the MTA and how it’s really a state authority,” Max explained. “It’s not simply the mayor’s fault when the subways are delayed.”

New York Law School’s Dean Anthony Crowell, who served as counselor to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, spearheaded the changes and will serve as the center’s faculty director.

“The Center for New York City Law for over thirty years has showcased New York Law School as a launching pad for public service legal careers, and a forum where lawyers and policy and civic leaders come together for substantive and meaningful dialogue,” Crowell said.

Founded in 1994 by Professor Ross Sandler, the center is home to the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institution. More recently, it began producing the “Max Politics” podcast, where Max interviews New York newsmakers.

Upcoming public events

Public events at the renamed center will likely be scheduled twice a month.

As part of the center’s CityLaw Breakfast series, it will host an event on the topice of: The Adams Administration’s Response to a Humanitarian Crisis. The guest speaker will be Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Islom.

Additional upcoming events can be found at nyls.edu.