New York University School of Law has produced many influential alumni in law, government, business, academia, and society. Following is a list of notable NYU Law School alumni.
Academia
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Broyde | J.D. 1988 | Professor of law and academic director of the Law and Religion Program at Emory University School of Law. | |
| John C. Coffee | LLM, 1976 | Adolf A. Berle Professor at Columbia Law School | |
| Yoram Dinstein | J.D. | President of Tel Aviv University | |
| Deborah Epstein | J.D. 1988 | Professor at Georgetown Law School | |
| Richard Joel | J.D. 1975 | President, Yeshiva University | |
| Roberta Karmel | LLB, 1962 | Centennial Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School; first female Commissioner of the SEC. | |
| Raymond Lisle | J.D. 1936 | Dean of the Brooklyn Law School | |
| Bridget McCormack | J.D. 1991 | Professor University of Michigan Law School and founder and co-director of its Michigan Innocence Clinic | |
| James J. Reynolds | J.D. | Assistant Superintendent, New York City Board of Education | |
| Abbe Smith | J.D. 1982 | Professor at Georgetown University Law Center |
Advocacy and nonprofit
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Eastman | J.D. 1907 | Co-founder and co-editor of The Liberator, co-founder of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union. | |
| Abraham Foxman | J.D. 1965 | Chairman and national director of the Anti-Defamation League | |
| Sherrilyn Ifill | J.D. 1987 | President and director-counsel of NAACP Legal Defense Fund | |
| Helene L. Kaplan | J.D. 1967 | former chairman of the Carnegie Corporation of New York |
Business
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| John J. Creedon | J.D. 1957 | Former CEO and chairman of MetLife | |
| Michael Karlan | LL.M. 1993 | Founder of Professionals in the City | |
| Herb Kelleher | LL.B. 1955 | CEO and founder of Southwest Airlines | |
| Robert A. Kindler | J.D. 1980 | Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley | |
| Paul Moore Sr. | LL.B. 1911 | Founder of Republic Aviationo | |
| Barry Salzberg | LL.M. | CEO of Deloitte | |
| Stuart Subotnick | J.D. | President of Metromedia Company, Inc. |
Entertainment
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Chevapravatdumrong | J.D. | Writer and co-producer of Family Guy | |
| Nancy Grace | LL.M. | Court TV host | |
| Sally Kohn | J.D. 2002 | Political commentator and contributor to Fox News | |
| Kenny Lucas | Non-degreed | Academy Award-nominated writer and producer of Judas and the Black Messiah | |
| Demetri Martin | Non-degreed | Comedian known for Important Things with Demetri Martin and The Daily Show | |
| Gerald Schoenfeld | LL.B. 1949 | Chairman of The Shubert Organization from 1972 to 2008 | |
| Matthew Ahn | J.D. 2014 | Holds the Guinness World Record for fastest time to travel to all New York City Subway stations |
Judiciary
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Atlas | J.D. 1974 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas | |
| Richard M. Berman | J.D. 1967 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York | |
| J. Sidney Bernstein | LL.B. 1900 | Judge, New York Supreme Court | |
| Thomas Buergenthal | J.D. 1960 | Judge, International Court of Justice | |
| Raymond T. Chen | J.D. 1994 | Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit | |
| Albert Diaz | J.D. 1988 | Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit | |
| Nabil Elaraby | LL.M. 1969;
J.S.D. 1971 |
Judge, International Court of Justice | |
| Katherine B. Forrest | J.D. 1990 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York | |
| Janet C. Hall | J.D. 1973 | Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut | |
| David Hittner | J.D. 1964 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas | |
| Dennis G. Jacobs | J.D. 1973 | Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit | |
| Judith Kaye | LL.B. 1958 | Chief Judge, New York Court of Appeals | |
| Samuel D. Levy | LL. B., 1880 | Judge, New York Domestic Relations Court | |
| Sheryl Lipman | J.D. 1987 | United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee | |
| Raymond Lohier | J.D. 1991 | Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit | |
| Wauhope Lynn | 1882 | Justice, New York Municipal Court J | |
| Bridget McCormack | J.D. 1991 | Associate Justice, Michigan Supreme Court | |
| Roy W. McLeese III | J.D. 1985 | Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
| Kevin McNulty | J.D. 1983 | Judge, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey | |
| Lynn Nakamoto | J.D. 1985 | Associate Justice, Oregon Supreme Court | |
| Solomon Oliver Jr. | J.D. 1972 | Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio | |
| M. Warley Platzek | LL.B. 1876 | Judge, New York Supreme Court | |
| Leo F. Rayfiel | LL.B. 1908 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York | |
| Jenny Rivera | J.D. 1985 | Associate Judge, New York Court of Appeals | |
| Burton B. Roberts | 1949 | Judge who inspired the character of Myron Kovitsky in Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities | |
| Berle M. Schiller | J.D. 1968 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania | |
| Lorna G. Schofield | J.D. 1981 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York | |
| Theodore Trautwein | 1953 | New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division judge known for the"Dr. X" trial of Mario Jascalevich | |
| Eric N. Vitaliano | J.D. 1971 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York |
Law
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Boies | LL.M. 1967 | Lawyer known for United States v. Microsoft, Bush v. Gore | |
| Emilie Bullowa | 1900 | Lawyer and president of the National Association of Women Lawyers | |
| Evan Chesler | J.D. 1975 | Lawyer and chairman of Cravath, Swaine & Moore law firm | |
| Amal Clooney | LL.M. 2001 | Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, UK | |
| Bob Ferguson | J.D. | Washington State Attorney General | |
| Martin Lipton | J.D. 1955 | Founding partner of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz who invented the "poison pill" | |
| Mimi Rocah | J.D. 1997 | District Attorney of Westchester County | |
| Joseph Russoniello | J.D. 1966 | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California | |
| M. Patricia Smith | J.D. | Solicitor for the United States Department of Labor | |
| Joel Steinberg | Non-degreed | Attorney convicted of manslaughter | |
| Charles Tetzlaff | LLM, 1964 | United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, 1993–2001 | |
| Benjamin B. Wagner | J.D. | United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California |
Literature and journalism
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deborah Coonts | LL.M. 2006 | Romantic mystery novelist | |
| Crystal Eastman | J.D. 1907 | Co-founder and co-editor of The Liberator and co-founder of the
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the American Civil Liberties Union. |
|
| Philip Friedman | J.D. 1969 | Author of bestselling nonfiction books | |
| Michael Gartner | J.D. 1972 | Journalist who won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing | |
| John F. Kennedy Jr. | J.D. 1989 | Publisher and founder of George magazine, son of President John F. Kennedy | |
| Shana Knizhnik | J.D. 2015 | Bestselling nonfiction author | |
| Francis M. Nevins | J.D. 1967 | Edgar Award-winning mystery writer, biographer, film historian | |
| Charles Reznikoff | LL.B. 1916 | Objectivist poet |
Politics and government
Sports
| Name | Degree | Notability | References |
| Norman C. Armitage | LL.M. 1937,
J.D. 1939 |
Olympic bronze medalist for fencing | |
| Gary Bettman | J.D. 1977 | National Hockey League commissioner | |
| Robert Blum | Olympic fencer | ||
| Howard Cosell | J.D. 1941 | Sportscaster | |
| Bill Daly | J.D. 1990 | National Hockey League chief legal officer and executive vice president | |
| Lou Silver | LL.M. | Professional basketball player | |
| Paul Tagliabue | J.D. 1969 | National Hockey League Commissioner | |
| Jamila Wideman | J.D. | Professional basketball player |
Fictional alumni
| Name | Media | References |
|---|---|---|
| Will Truman | Fictional lawyer (Will & Grace, 1998–2006) |
References
- "J.J. Reynolds Dies; City Educator 50 Years". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. May 27, 1945. p. 27. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- "Dr. J.J. Reynolds, educator, 71, Dead – Ex-Assistant Superintendent in Kings – Warned U.S. of Nazi Program of Hate in '33". The New York Times. May 27, 1945. p. 25. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- "Law student breaks New York City subway all-stations speed record". Guinness World Records. May 20, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
- McFadden, Robert D. (October 24, 2010). "Tom Wolfe's Model Justice Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- Corcoran, David (September 2, 2000). "Theodore Trautwein, Judge in Landmark Press Case, Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2009.
- "Francis M. Nevins". St. Louis University School of Law. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- "Edward T. O'Connor, Jr". New Jersey Legislature. Archived from the original on February 25, 1998. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
- "Nevada Governor Tasker Lowndes Oddie". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
| Graduates of New York University | |
|---|---|