Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a law school located in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City.
Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law school opened Sept. 30, 1901 with five faculty members (including Richardson as dean and Heffley as president) and two special lecturers.
The year started with five students a...
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Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a law school located in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City.
Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law school opened Sept. 30, 1901 with five faculty members (including Richardson as dean and Heffley as president) and two special lecturers.
The year started with five students and ended with 28. In late 1901, the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York gave the school a limited charter. Although the school could not grant degrees, the Board of Regents could confer law degrees once students passed the bar exam. By 1902, in its second year, Brooklyn Law School’s enrollment had increased to 112.
From its earliest days, Brooklyn Law School opened its door to minorities, women, and immigrants, and it offered night classes for those with full-time jobs. Dean Richardson also allowed students who had...
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