A Message from Dean Diller:
Graduation
I hope you are all well during this challenging time and that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy.
I am writing to update you on this year’s diploma ceremony. By now, you will have received a communication from Fr. McShane informing you that the in-person University Commencement scheduled for Saturday, May 16, and our School of Law diploma ceremony scheduled for Monday, May 18, will be postponed. In lieu of an in-person ceremony on that date, the University will host a virtual event to celebrate the graduating class.
I know this is very disappointing news. Class of 2020, I have been looking forward to shaking each of your hands as you crossed the stage–something that is now clearly impossible. However, because it is important to mark your completion of law school, we will hold a virtual event on May 18. You will receive an invitation to the virtual event as well as an invitation to the University’s virtual celebration.
We will also hold a celebration of your achievements at an in-person event later in the year when Covid-19 is behind us. Class of 2020, we invite you to join us in determining what form this celebration should take. I welcome your input since the event will be for you and to celebrate your hard work at Fordham Law. We will be working closely with the SBA as we make our plans. Next week, we will send you a link to a form on which you can share your thoughts about the in-person celebration. We will incorporate your suggestions and recommendations in planning the celebration, and we hope to come together as a community at a time and place that is convenient to as many of you as possible.
Bar Exam
The New York Court of Appeals just announced that the New York State Bar Examination will not be administered on July 28-29, 2020 as previously scheduled. You can read the press release from the Court of Appeals here.
The Board of Law Examiners has also suspended the April application period and will announce the new date for the exam and the dates for the application filing period as soon as it becomes available.
Although we anticipated this as a possibility, we did not expect the decision this soon, and I realize that this news might add to some of the stress you are already feeling. However, receiving this information now puts you in a better position to make adjustments to what the coming months will look like.
As always, we remain committed to getting you through the semester and through the bar exam and will identify resources that will support you through these changes. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.