The first members of Cardozo’s Class of 2026, the “May class,” began their law school journey last week.  

Orientation lasted four days, during which the class met with faculty and administrators, attended social events, took their oath and had their first class, Elements of Law with Professor Leslie Newman. During the summer, they will study Contracts and Criminal Law before joining the rest of the class of 2026 when they arrive in the fall. 

There are 41 students in this year’s May class, with most hailing from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut. The class also features students from Arizona, California, Washington D.C., Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. In addition to domestic students, Cardozo welcomed international students born in China, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, India and Iran.  

Dan Thompson, who arrives from Middlebury College in Vermont, is excited to be in New York and study sports law in the center of the sports world. 

“I’m really looking forward to getting to learn all different aspects of the law,” Thompson said. “I think Cardozo specifically gives a lot of opportunity to learn about different areas and experience the real world and practical experience.” 

Students in the May class come from a variety of different professional backgrounds, with some working as consultants, analysts in the business sector and even in a firm that lobbied the government for funding toward the victims of 9/11. 

Some students have also previously worked in the legal world as judicial interns, legal assistants and researchers, and they are now looking to expand their skills at Cardozo. 

“The main reason I chose Cardozo is because I worked at a firm that had incredible alumni from Cardozo,” said Kirsten Ebenezer. “The head of our pro bono department was a Cardozo [graduate], and the Cardozo alumni that I worked with were genuinely the kindest, most wonderful people and so supportive. Another reason is I really wanted to stay in the city. I live in Brooklyn, I love New York; this is the perfect place to be. When I came to the open house and admitted students' day, I just felt such comfort and good educational support from the deans who spoke.” 

During day one of the four-day-long orientation, Dean Leslie spoke to Cardozo’s newest students, offering background on the school’s namesake, Supreme Court Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo. She also shared the experiences she had when she was a Cardozo student and how she made connections and friendships that lasted her a lifetime. 

“Make this your journey; embrace it,” Dean Leslie said. “Take every opportunity, do your best. Give yourself this privilege; it is a privilege to be here. And remember to have fun, because you will begin to have fun. The more you study, the more you realize how empowering it is to understand how society works, the more you see yourself start to develop skills that you didn't even know you had, there will be joy.”