The institute also serves as a forum where judges, lawyers, and scholars from the state, the nation and the international community can convene for events as varied as a North American symposium on environmental law, whose cosponsors included the United Nations Environment Programme, and a "Partners in Justice" colloquium, where the judiciary, law school clinical programs, and the bar explored collateral consequences of criminal convictions and ways to improve indigent representation and access to the courts.
The building, operated by New York State Unified Court System personnel, is a three-story state-of-the-art facility of 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) and features a 160-seat auditorium, a multi-use lecture hall, classrooms, conference rooms, and a business center.
The NY LEO Program assists minority, low-income and educationally disadvantaged college graduates in acquiring the fundamental and practical skills necessary to succeed in law school.
Honorable Kathie E. Davidson, the Dean of the Judicial Institute, and Salihah R. Denman, JD, LLM, the Director of NY LEO, administer the program.
As part of the program, students will have the opportunity to visit courts in session and meet with members of the judiciary and other legal professionals.