Irish immigrants have been part of the American landscape since before the American Revolution… And some early & notable members of The NY Law Institute were Irish American Lawyers. There’s Thomas Addis Emmet…. Thomas Addis Emmet , older brother of famed Robert, was an early legal adviser to the Society of the United Irishmen . Emigrating to America after…
Thanks to Lin-Manuel’s musical, Alexander Hamilton is again known for so much more than the face of the ten-dollar bill…. But did you know that Alexander Hamilton Jr. was Madame Jumel‘s attorney in her divorce suit against aging husband Aaron Burr? Yes, that Burr of the famous duel! And Burr’s attorney was none other than…
The classic love triangle of Beecher, his best friend Tilton and Tilton’s wife Elizabeth pushed post-Civil War issues of reconstruction off the front pages for almost three years. A storied New England family of authors, preachers and social reformers would be divided. And some legal eagles of the Mid-19th Century, including NYLI stalwart William M….
Still in the shadow of the Civil War, the 1876 election remains one of the most contentious ever.. Democrat Samuel J. Tilden won the popular vote over Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, but 20 electoral votes ( Florida, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina) were in dispute…. Democrats were accused of refusing to count African American votes as…
When Americans think of famous defense attorneys, they often think of those with celebrity defendants . The more historically minded think of Clarence Darrow. And is there a better known fictional defense attorney than T.V.’s Perry Mason? Former NYLI President James T. Brady had celebrity clients, set a historical legal precedent, and was one of…
Like librarians of the present, NYLI‘s William H. Winters made use of the latest technologies while preserving the treasures of the past…. Winters, a Harvard graduate, became New York Law Institute’s Librarian in 1872 and immediately began securing complete sets of Statutes and Session laws of every state as well as obtaining official copies of…
Like many New York Law Institute members, John W. Edmonds had both a distinguished legal career and a highly developed sense of civic duty. His public service career included serving as Recorder of the City of Hudson, as a member of the NY State Legislature and finally as a respected judge. In private practice, JWE…
The New York Law Institute celebrates its 105th anniversary of residence at 120 Broadway this month! Proudly one of the original tenants in what is better known as the landmark Equitable Building, it is our sixth home in downtown NYC… & our longest stay…. And NYLI has often resided in a building that was a…
Creator of the model Field Codes of civil procedure that were adopted by Montana and California. “Field Codes” also went international; they became a foundation for civil procedure in England, Ireland and India. Nearly disbarred for his activities on behalf of financiers Gould & Fiske in their litigation with Vanderbilt over control of the Erie…
Upon entering The New York Law Institute’s offices at 120 Broadway, visitors may notice the foyer area medallions depicting two men in profile…… Who are these dudes, anyway? Before the advent of the “Cravath system” , as described in John Oller‘s history White Shoe: How a New Breed of Wall Street Lawyers Changed Big Business—and…