Michael F. Armstrong, speaking at the 106th CityLaw Breakfast in February 2012. Image Credit: CityLand

Michael F. Armstrong, who passed away on Thursday, October 17, 2019, served New York City perhaps most prominently as the Chief Counsel to the 1972 Knapp Commission’s investigation into police corruption. Forty years later on February 10, 2012, Mike Armstrong spoke at a CityLaw Breakfast at New York Law School on the work of the Knapp Commission, its methods and the results that it achieved. Mike’s talk is a remarkable retelling of how the Knapp Commission was able to learn about and reveal the extent and nature of corruption within the New York City Police Department.

As New York Law School’s remembrance of Mike Armstrong, we republish this remarkable video as a living memorial to Mike Armstrong and his work.

Thank you for remembering Mike Armstrong and for viewing the video of his talk.

Signed,

Ross Sandler, Professor of Law, Director of the Center for New York City Law, New York Law School

Ross F. Moskowitz. Image Credit: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, LLP.

At the CityLaw Breakfast on September 5, 2014, Carl Weisbrod laid out the De Blasio Administration’s housing policy. As was widely reported, the City will look to implement mandatory inclusionary housing on all City-sponsored rezonings. One of the first tests of this new policy is the privately sponsored Astoria Cove development in Queens, where an affordable component will likely be required if approved under ULURP. (more…)

Judge Judith S. Kaye delivering her speech at the 111th City Law Breakfast. Photo Credit: Meghan Lalonde.

Judge Judith S. Kaye delivered these remarks at the CityLaw Breakfast on October 18, 2013.

A little more than three years ago—on August 27, 2010, to be precise—I had the privilege of standing before you as part of the CityLaw Breakfast Series. I began by complimenting all of you, as I do today, for arriving at the crack of dawn to chew on the subject of justice for breakfast.

On that beautiful summer day, I was at the time a not-long-retired Chief Judge of the State of New York, a position I call Lawyer Heaven, having moved into a pretty terrific “After-Life” as Of Counsel at Skadden Arps. Skadden not only invited but also encouraged the pursuit of my passion for juvenile justice. (more…)

Image credit: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP

At the CityLaw breakfast on August 28, 2015, Carl Weisbrod provided an update on the de Blasio Administration’s housing plan, which Weisbrod described as now in its “toddler” stage. The de Blasio program is the most ambitious of its kind in the country, and the biggest in New York since the Koch Administration.  Today, the City is managing the problems of success: continued growth and a shortage of housing.  Conversely, in the Koch era, the City was planning for shrinkage, had abundant vacant land, and much abandoned housing.

(more…)

Sam Schwartz

MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast faces a huge challenge as the MTA needs a new round of capital funding starting in 2015. At the CityLaw Breakfast on November 21, 2014 Chairman Prendergast laid out a well-thought out five year plan designed to maintain the system, modernize it, make it more resilient and extend it geographically. The price tag: $32 billion. In the intensive competition for public money, elected leaders find funds in that range only when engineers and managers in charge of infrastructure publicize the actual costs required to maintain these services. Chairman Prendergast has done a great public service by setting out costs realistically even if he cannot now identify where all the money will come from. (more…)