MESSAGE FROM DEAN REVESZ
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S M A N Y O F YO U K N O W, I R E C E N T LY B E C A M E T H E 14 T H
Dean of NYU Law. It has been a year of challenge and change— both for NYU and for the city we call our campus—and it is an
honor for me to serve the Law School during these times of transformation. One year ago this month, the tragic events of September 11 left an indelible mark on the collective soul of our nation. From those first awful moments after the planes hit, the nation has struggled to understand the forces leading to the attack and to find new ways to meet the challenges of a world that is forever changed. Here at NYU Law, faculty and students responded immediately to the crisis by opening dialogues on the complex legal issues arising from the attacks. Throughout the academic year, conversations in the classroom, conferences, colloquia, and symposia designed to shed new light on difficult issues, and new directions in scholarship all played a role in helping us to begin to understand the global forces that enabled September 11 to occur, and to recognize the worldwide repercussions of the tragedy. In this issue of NYU: The Law School Magazine, we look at the many ways our community took action in the aftermath of the attacks—with innovative academic programs and through countless acts of human kindness and compassion. We also remember those who were lost on that fateful day. In addition, we examine the NYU Law tradition of excellence and leadership in the study of international law. One of NYU Law’s major strengths has long been our commitment to providing new perspectives on the legal issues critical to an increasingly global world. Our Hauser Global Law School Program is now widely imitated by law schools around the world, and our faculty and alumni are recognized as prominent players in the international arena. This year, with the creation of the Institute for International Law and Justice and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, NYU Law solidifies its standing as the leader in international legal education. The Institute complements a wealth of programs designed to introduce our students and faculty to leading scholars from around the world. Its dedicated faculty pursues research interests that expose students to cutting-edge thinking on complex international legal issues. The Center will bring intellectual rigor to the debate over the problems of our post-September 11 world. As I embark upon my first year as your Dean, I wish to express my gratitude to those who have created the foundation of excellence upon which we build. It is a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Dean John Sexton—now President of NYU—who I believe was the finest law school dean ever. As a result of his vision, NYU Law is now poised to become the nation’s leading law school. With your help, I hope to guide NYU Law through that next step.
Richard Revesz
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