History

A Legacy of Opportunity

For over four decades, Pace University’s Law School has carved a unique and valuable place in legal education, stressing the importance of learning not just in the classroom, but outside of it as well. The initial driver behind the creation of the Law School was then Pace University President Dr. Edward Mortola. An educational visionary, Dr. Mortola elevated Pace from a college to a university and from a school based in lower Manhattan to one that extended to Westchester County. His keen eye saw both a dearth of opportunities for talented local candidates to attend law school as well as a growing business community in need of skilled lawyers.

Originally planned to be located on Pace University’s recently acquired Pleasantville campus, the School’s trustees had the foresight to search for space in White Plains, closer to the federal and state courthouses, and the hub of the Westchester legal community. In 1975, Pace consolidated with the College of White Plains (formerly known as Good Counsel College) and the campus became the new home of Pace Law School.

Shortly thereafter, a generous donor, Mrs. Bessie Glass, pledged $1 million dollars to construct what is now the Gerber Glass Law Center and purchase books to stock the shelves. When Pace Law School officially opened its doors, it did so as the first New York school outside of the city to offer a part-time program of legal education and remains the only law school in Westchester county.

…to make unique and significant contributions to the University at large and to the Westchester community.

—The vision of Pace Law School, as described by Pace University President Edward J. Mortola in a 1974 letter to the U.S. District Court

1974

• Edward J. Mortola, President of Pace University, writes to Judge Morris E. Lasker of the United States District Court: “A small, quality law school is being planned...to make unique and significant contributions to the University at large and to the Westchester community. Its graduates should be welcomed into the profession and into allied fields.”

1976

• The Pace University School of Law officially opens its doors on the White Plains campus, welcoming 250 day and evening students
• Robert B. Fleming is appointed the first official Dean of the Law School

1978

• The Environmental Law Program at Pace Law School is founded by Professor Nicholas Robinson

1979

• Construction is completed on the Joseph and Bessie Gerber Glass Law Center
• Pace Law School graduates its first class of law students

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1981

• The Alumni association is established with representatives in 13 states

1982

• Dean Fleming retires and interim dean Justice James D. Hopkins assumes leadership

1983

• The Honorable Janet Johnson is named dean of the School of Law. Serving for six years, she established Pace’s first direct client representation legal clinic, John Jay Legal Services. During this time, the LL.M. program in environmental law launched as well.

1987

• The Law School establishes two new clinics, the Environmental Litigation Clinic and the Barbara C. Salken Criminal Justice Clinic
• Pace Energy Project (now known as the Pace Energy and Climate Center) is launched by Pace Law professor and former United States Congressman, Richard L. Ottinger

1989

• The annual student-run National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition is launched
• Dean Janet Johnson resigns to return to teaching and Steven H. Goldberg succeeds her as Dean

1991

• The Institute of International Commercial Law is founded
• The Pace Women’s Justice Center (originally founded as the Battered Women’s Justice Center) is established by Governor Mario Cuomo in a joint partnership with the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) and Pace University School of Law, under the leadership and guidance of Law School Dean Steven H. Goldberg

1993

• The Land Use Law Center is established under the direction of Professor John Nolon
• Professor Barbara Black is named interim dean and serves until June of 1994

1994

• Professor Richard Ottinger is appointed acting dean in July and dean in December
• The Law School establishes an International Program, led by Professor Gayl Westerman
• The LLM Program in Comparative Legal Studies is created

1995

• Pace becomes one of only 22 law schools nationwide at the time authorized to confer a research doctorate degree, the Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) in Environmental Law
• The Law School holds its Inaugural Law Leadership Awards Dinner

1997

• Professor Barbara Black creates the Securities Arbitration Clinic
• The Investor Rights Clinic is established

1998

• The Federal Judicial Honors Program is created
• The UN Environmental Diplomacy Practicum is established

1999

• Dean Ottinger retires and is succeeded by David S. Cohen
• The Law School establishes the Equal Justice America Disability Rights Clinic

2000

• A state-of-the-art, 27,000-square-foot classroom building opens

2003

• The New York State Judicial Institute opens on the Pace Law School campus

2004

• Stephen J. Friedman is appointed Dean of the Law School

2005

• The Immigration Justice Clinic opens
• The Law School receives the ABA Award for Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy
• The annual International Criminal Court Moot Competition is founded

2007

• Michelle S. Simon is appointed interim dean, succeeding Stephen J. Friedman who becomes president of Pace University

2008

• Michelle S. Simon, a faculty member since 1985, is appointed Dean
• The Public Interest Law Center is created
• Theodore W. Kheel Center on the Resolution of Environmental Interest Disputes is established

2010

• The Brazil-American Institute for Law and Environment (BAILE) is founded

2012

• The Pace Community Law Practice is established

2013

• The new modern classroom building constructed while Richard Ottinger served as Dean is dedicated as Richard Ottinger Hall in his honor

2014

• David Yassky is appointed dean
• The Neighborhood Justice Clinic is established

2015

• The Food Law Center (originally founded as the Pace-NRDC Food Law Initiative) is created, a partnership between the Law School and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

2016

• Pace Law School receives a historic gift from the family of environmental advocate Elisabeth Haub and is renamed the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

2017

• The Food and Farm Business Law Clinic is created

2018

• Horace E. Anderson Jr. is named interim dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

2019

• The Law School’s Environmental Law Program is recognized as number 1 in the country for the first time by U.S. News and World Report
• Horace E. Anderson Jr.is appointed the ninth dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
• The Law School expands its part-time JD program with evening/weekend options for working professionals.

2020

• The Law School adapts to remote learning during the COVID-19 global pandemic, implementing innovative teaching methods
• The Elisabeth Haub School of Law Environmental Law & Policy Hack Competition is established
• The Law School renames its new Representation in Mediation Clinic in honor of Amelia A. Gould after a generous donation from her estate

2021

• The Law School launches its Access to Justice Project under the leadership of Dean Horace Anderson
• The Law School’s fully virtual program in Health Law and Policy is created to meet the increasing demand for legal education in the health care sector
• The Sustainable Business Law Hub is launched to address global sustainability challenges through policy and research projects, relationships with the business community, and capacity building in private environmental governance.
• The Investor Rights Clinic is renamed the Fairbridge Investor Rights Clinic with a generous gift of alumnus John Lettera ‘99

2022

• The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s Trial Advocacy Team receives an invitation to compete in the prestigious Tournament of Champions Competition for the first time
• The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is ranked #1 in the top 50 Environmental Policy Centers of Excellence across the globe by the journal of Environmental Policy and Law

2023

• The Law School opens Westchester County’s first Legal Hand Call-in Center, in partnership with Legal Hand, Inc., an innovative community-based service
• The Law School expands its wellness program with a dedicated Wellness Center space as part of its long-term commitment to addressing law students’ physical, mental and social-emotional needs

2024

• The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University dedicates the Nicholas A. Robinson Seminar Space, a tribute to renowned Environmental Law Professor Nicholas A. Robinson. The space houses a collection of his published work and showcases his achievements and accolades spanning over his distinguished career of almost 50 years at the Law School.