For Students
All New York Law School students are welcome to affiliate with the Center for New York City and State Law.
Affiliated students participate in all areas of the Center’s programming—from writing its newsletters to assisting with events focused on governmental and political issues.
The Center assists students in obtaining internships and employment with governmental agencies. Graduate affiliates have been hired with many city agencies, including City Hall, the Law Department, the Mayor’s Office of Contracts, and the Office of Management and Budget.
Some years, the Center appoints one or two members of the graduating class as Fellows. Fellows work full-time at the Center, assisting in the writing and editing of CityLaw and CityLand and becoming deeply involved with New York City government and legal issues.
Apply to Join
All NYLS students are welcome to apply to join the Center as affiliates. Affiliates must meet curricular and extracurricular requirements, found in Student Resources on the NYLS Portal. Students may not join or transfer to the Center during their final semester of law school.
Resources
The Center offers students specialized resources, which can be accessed in Student Resources on the NYLS Portal.
Related Courses
These courses are affiliated with the Center and likely to be of interest to affiliated students.
Administrative Law
The complexity of modern government means that much governing is done by administrative agencies with quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial, as well as executive, functions. This course explores those administrative processes and procedures.
Cannabis Law
This upper-level substantive course focuses on the federal and state laws that regulate cannabis in the United States.
Community Public Legal Education
In this course, students will teach classes in a community setting for individuals experiencing homelessness many of whom identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community (Ali Forney Center
and/or Streetworks).
and/or Streetworks).
Constitutional and Civil Rights Issues in Public Education
This upper-level, substantive education law course examines how the U.S. Constitution has shaped public education and students’ and parents’ rights.
Criminal Prosecution Clinic – (Kings County)
The Criminal Prosecution Clinic – Kings County engages students in the prosecution of criminal cases in conjunction with the Brooklyn District Attorney under the supervision of adjunct professors.
Criminal Prosecution Clinic – (New York County)
The Criminal Prosecution Clinic – New York County engages students in the prosecution of criminal cases in conjunction with the Manhattan District Attorney under the supervision of experienced ADAs.
Defending American Democracy and the Rule of Law
This seminar explores the defense of democracy through efforts to uphold the rule of law and reinforce safeguards of democratic institutions.
Drafting: Labor and Employment Transactions
This writing and research course teaches the skills needed to draft transactional documents in the context of labor and employment legal practice.
Drafting: Legislation
This course teaches students the principles involved in drafting regulations and legislation, and incorporating policy-making into drafting.
Education Law and Policy
This course focuses on the intersection of public schools, K-12 educational policy, and the law, exploring the crucial role education plays in sustaining a democratic society.
Elections Redistricting and Voting Rights
This course will explore a broad swath of voting rights law. In coverage of reapportionment, redistricting, the census, racial vote dilution, and partisan gerrymandering, students will build on concepts of federal jurisprudence of reapportionment and redistricting, including the core constitutional doctrines, the Voting Rights Act, census issues, and the landmark cases that govern the redistricting process.
Environmental Law and Policy
This course is designed for students who wish to understand how the law protects the environment, and who wish to litigate environmental issues.
First Amendment
This is a substantive course essential for any student interested in constitutional law or civil liberties. The course explores First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and freedom of religion, the Fifth Amendment Takings Clause, and more.
Judicial Externship Placement and Seminar
This course includes a placement with a federal judge or a state court judge in New York City or surrounding jurisdictions with a related seminar.
Land Use Regulation
This course covers the jurisprudence, regulations, and policies related to the use of land in the U.S.
Landlord and Tenant Law
This course examines the relationship between the landlord and the tenant.
Law Office Externship Placement and Seminar
This externship experience is comprised of an externship placement with a mentor attorney at a law office and a co-requisite seminar.
Law, Public Policy, and Social Change
This course covers legal history and how lawyers are involved in social change.
Legal Journalism
This course provides students with the opportunity to write and publish news articles and commentary on current legal issues.
Legislation and Regulation
This course introduces students to legislative process and the nature of statutory construction. It explores the role of public law, legislation, and administrative regulations.
Mini-M.B.A.
The Mini-M.B.A. is a five-day program that aims to present a coherent framework of inter-related and inter-dependent concepts essential for in-house counsel positions.
New York City Honors Full-Time Specialized Externship (Gotham Honors)
The Gotham Honors Externship in NYC is a full semester offering and will provide a hands-on complement to conventional courses in public law and related areas. It will connect academic learning and abstract thinking to practice, providing unparalleled lawyering experience in some of the City’s fast-paced, mission-critical agencies and/or firms.
New York City Law Department Labor and Employment Specialized Externship
This Specialized Externship gives students the opportunity to work closely with experienced attorneys on all aspects of litigation handled by the Labor and Employment Law Division of the New York City Law Department.
New York City Law Department Tort Defense Specialized Externship
This field placement and co-requisite seminar on state and local government expose students to the practice of municipal law.
Policing the Police
This course examines the theories and practical realities of police regulation, exploring assumptions about the police function, policy implications for criminal law, the balance between police power and constitutional protections, and more.
Real Estate Development
This course provides an overview of the laws, process, and business concerns related to real estate development with a particular focus on New York City.
Special Education Law and Practice
This course examines the history, legal framework, and application of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
State and Local Government
This course surveys the major legal and governmental issues of state and local government, emphasizing historical antecedents and current problems.
State and Local Legislation: Substance, Process, and Politics
This course teaches the principles involved in drafting legislation and regulations and incorporating policymaking into drafting.
State and Local Taxation
This course provides an overview of state and local taxation.
Center for New York City and State Law • T 212.431.2115 • E nycitylaw@nyls.edu