New York State Judicial Institute
New York State Judicial Institute is a statewide center for education, training, analysis, and research for judges, justices, legal staff, and employees of the New York State Unified Court System. It is located in White Plains, NY, about 25 miles north of New York City. The institute was created by statute and was last amended in 2024. The building, finished in 2002, was the nation’s first training and research facility for judges built for a state court system.
Pace University describes the Institute as helping Unified Court System judges stay current on developments in the law and focusing on emerging trends and cutting-edge issues. The institute was created through a unique partnership between the New York State Courts and Pace University School of Law.
Judges and legal professionals from New York and around the world attend its programs and conferences. The institute also hosts forums for events such as a North American environmental law symposium co-sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme, and a Partners in Justice colloquium on collateral consequences of criminal convictions and ways to improve indigent representation and access to the courts.
The building is a three-story, 30,000-square-foot facility with a 160-seat auditorium, a multi-use lecture hall, classrooms, conference rooms, and a business center. It is operated by staff of the New York State Unified Court System and was designed by KD+G Architects.
The New York Legal Education Opportunity Program (NY LEO) prepares students entering law school to succeed. It supports minority, low-income, and educationally disadvantaged college graduates who will attend law school in New York. NY LEO is a six-week intensive summer program held at the Judicial Institute. Law professors teach first-year core courses, as well as legal research, writing, and analysis. Participants also have the chance to visit courts and meet judges and other legal professionals.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:25 (CET).