The Center for New York City Law rejoiced when, on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, New York Law School’s board chair Arthur Abbey and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced in coordinated press releases that Counselor to the Mayor Anthony W. Crowell would become the next Dean and President of New York Law School. Crowell had been an integral member of the Bloomberg administration since 2002. He has also has been an integral part of New York Law School and the Center for New York City Law.

Crowell has taught as an adjunct professor at New York Law School since 2003, teaching the New York City Seminar and Workshop, a four-credit course with a weekly seminar and an extern job placement in City government. The course originally was co-taught by me and Eric Lane, who had been the counsel to the 1988 and 1989 Charter Revision Commissions. In 2003 Anthony Crowell took over the course and it has since been one of the most popular courses in the local government curriculum. Students rave about the course in their evaluations. Many students associated with the Center for New York City Law have taken the course and have worked directly with Crowell. Some of the students have followed Crowell into City government. 

Mayor Michael Bloomberg lauded Crowell, calling him “an integral part of our City Hall team, shaping and implementing almost all of our Administration’s key initiatives.” He continued that “New York Law School has been a valuable part of the city’s legal and academic landscape for more than 120 years, and they have made an outstanding decision in selecting Anthony Crowell to lead the school into the future.”

Crowell told the faculty that, as an adjunct professor teaching a writing-intensive seminar and workshop course, he knew the power and value of diverse learning opportunities. Matching a student’s abilities and interests to create the right externship, along with teaching them the substantive law and skills in the classroom, will put students on their best footing in the workplace.

Crowell said that he loves New York Law School: its mission, its people and its promise, and declared that he will be the most effective advocate to fulfill the Law School’s vision and potential. The Law School agreed with that assessment and is looking forward to Crowell’s arrival in May.