Final To-Do Tuesday: Issue 16 | August 18, 2026

Hello [FIRST_NAME],

Happy To-Do Tuesday! With Orientation less than a week away, we cannot wait to welcome you to Columbia Law School! In this final issue, you’ll receive your Orientation schedule and meet your House Navigators.

Please be sure to read all the information below, including a welcome message from your Student Senate President, Onyx Brunner, and complete any outstanding compliance items as soon as possible. We look forward to welcoming you soon!

Orientation Schedules

Wear comfy shoes—the team-building sessions include walking around campus.

Meet Your House Navigators!

As a member of your new House cohort (based on your Legal Methods Professor), these Navigators will serve as your advisors and points of connection throughout law school. In the coming days, they’ll be reaching out with announcements, updates, and news specific to your respective House.

We’re excited to introduce your House Navigators!

Stand up, House of Balganesh!

My name is Luke Christie (he/him), and I serve as the Assistant Director of Student Life here at Columbia Law School. It’s truly an honor to be leading this amazing House.

In my role, I support students and community members with housing resources and information, both on and off campus. I also spearhead wellness and recreational programming throughout the academic year, often collaborating with our many affinity groups and student organizations. Most recently, I’ve expanded my portfolio to include Columbia Law School journals, providing administrative support to all 14 journals.

A bit about me: I love reading, gaming (PlayStation preferred), and taking long walks across NYC. I’ve recently fallen in love with historical fiction — The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is a favorite — and I’m currently reading The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah‑Jones.

I’m a Black nerd at heart, an avid anime fan (Naruto above all else), and a proud Scorpio. Something new I’ve learned about myself is that I’m surprisingly talented at crafting rugs through tufting and making pottery, thanks to several classes with my wife. I’m also a major dad‑hat collector; any low‑profile, unstructured baseball cap is fair game. I’m up to 35 hats now, and my wife gives me the look every time I bring home a new one.

Favorite thing to do in NYC: Go on a coffee date with my amazing wife and our 2‑year‑old son.

Hello House of Bobbitt,

My name is Lauren Levy, and I am the Associate Director of Academic Counseling and Student Support. Most importantly, I'm your house navigator and dedicated academic advisor! I have been with Columbia Law School for 3 years, and before that, I worked both in big law and as a solo practitioner in the fields of ERISA, employee benefits, Trusts and Estates, and K-12 Special Education Law. I clerked for Justice Warren Matthews of the Alaska Supreme Court. My BA is from Wesleyan University, and my JD is from Vanderbilt Law School.

Fun Facts: I am a third-generation Yankee fan. I have three grown children who live in Montana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Favorite thing to do in NYC: Walk and take ferries.

House of Briffault,

I earned a B.A. from Connecticut College and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where I served as an editor of the Law Review. I began my legal career as a law clerk on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and later worked as a litigation associate in New York. I joined Columbia Law School in 2015, where I have served in a variety of roles providing academic counseling, career counseling, and executive coaching to law students for over a decade. I am currently the Associate Director in the Office of Judicial Careers.

I am fluent in Spanish and proficient in French and Italian. My zodiac sign is on the Cancer/Leo cusp. Having lived in New York City for over 20 years, I love growing houseplants—especially Pilea peperomioides—doing the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle with pen and paper, and discovering the best neighborhood coffee (probably Kuro Kuma).

Hi there, esteemed members of the House of Ginsburg,

My name is Jae Bang (he/him), and I will be your House Navigator. I'm also Assistant Director of Career Advising for those interested in private sector careers (say hello on the 7th floor of Big Warren, home of the Office of Private Sector Careers). Since graduating from CLS in ‘12 and trying out a smorgasbord of careers, I’ve been back at my alma mater for ~3 years. Whether you are interested in Big Law or something completely different, I'm excited to discover with you what makes you tick and help you chart fulfilling careers.

I love traveling – domestic and international – and although I’m terrible at picking up languages, I enjoy learning them and unlocking a bit more of my travel that way. Thanks to the retired greyhound I used to have, I have also made 3 cross-country trips in my life. If you see me in the wild in NYC (I discovered SoulCycle during my time at CLS; I enjoy museums and galleries in New York), say hello!

Fun Fact(s): I attended Parsons for a hot second, and I know a handful of niche suppliers/technical shops pretty well in the Garment District. Though I hate the term, I enjoy boutique fitness in NYC because so many people are working out their inner demons so passionately here. I learned to cook in law school (more or less), and I’m very into my current pizza recipe that I co-make with my husband (whom I met in law school, though he’s a graduate of the School of Arts and Sciences).

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Favorite Thing to do in NYC: Cultivating new hobbies (ikebana atm).

Hello House of Harcourt (alliterations galore!),

My name is Jordan Carr (she/her), and I'm the Director for Academic Counseling and Student Support. Most importantly, I'm your House Navigator and dedicated academic advisor! I've been with Columbia Law School for 8 years and have held a myriad of positions, though most of my time has been with the Student Services team. I received my master's in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and my bachelor's from St. John's University (Go Johnnies!). I'm a dog lover (please send photos), my favorite band is The Killers, and I love sports, particularly women's sports. I also read/listen to audiobooks, watch every movie and TV show possible, and love live theatre, so feel free to give me any recommendations. I am a stepmom to two kids, and I have a five-year-old rescue pup named Bacchus.

Fun fact(s): I share a tattoo with my twin sister; in college, I was part of a top-ten-ranked video game guild for Marvel Puzzle Quest; I've been to 42 of the 50 states and Puerto Rico; I coached a girls' youth soccer team while I was in high school; I co-founded a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at St. John's; and, if you subscribe to order/chaos Muppet theory, I'm a Bert.

Zodiac: Aquarius

Favorite thing to do in NYC: Finding new restaurants.

House of Long,

My name is Murphy Mitchell (he/him), and I am the Associate Director of Public Interest Career Advising in the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (the PIPS Office—not just for the acronym-inclined among you; everyone calls us this). A large portion of my advising here at CLS is focused on 1Ls, so it is likely that a decent number of you will have me as your assigned PIPS adviser. Outside of working with our fantastic 1Ls, I specialize in public defense advising, which is the line of work to which I dedicated my time in practice. I spent the first four-and-a-half years of my career as a state public defender right here in New York City before going on to become an assistant federal public defender for the following three years. I have now been advising law students for two years—and it has been an absolute pleasure.

Outside of work, and in no particular order, my interests include running, traveling, coaching youth sports, craft beer, and college football (I'm really a fan of all sports and will most certainly entertain suggestions for a House Long fantasy football league). Two rescue dogs, one rescue cat, and one wife (I was the rescue in that scenario). I am a Taurus (Cinco de Mayo birthday), and my favorite thing to do in NYC is spend time in Riverside Park/Central Park (whether running, walking the dogs, or just gallivanting).

I'm looking forward to a great year with you all.

Student Org Orientation Events

Columbia Law School has over 85 student organizations. Executive Director of Student Services Jeffrey Bagares supports and manages all of the Law School’s student organizations.

Find a list of student organizations here.
 

[STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS & JOURNALS ORIENTATION EVENTS FOR FALL 2026]

As a Law School student, you have been subscribed to student organizations’ email lists. To add or remove yourself from student organization communications, you can:
 

1. Follow the subscribe/unsubscribe instructions here.

2. Click the “unsubscribe” link in the footer of an email from a student organization to remove yourself from that organization’s list.

New AI Policy for 2026–2027

Columbia Law School has adopted an updated Academic Policy on Student Use of Artificial Intelligence for the 2026–2027 academic year.

• 2026-2027 Academic Policy on Student Use of Artificial Intelligence

Kernochan Center Welcome Event for 1Ls

At this meet and greet, learn about the Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts and its work in the field of intellectual property, get a sneak peek at fall programming, and speak to center faculty and staff.

Tuesday, September 1, 4:30 – 6 PM, Case Lounge
No RSVP necessary.

If you have any questions, contact the Kernochan Center Program Coordinator, Samara Weiss. We look forward to seeing you there!

PAST DUE: Pre-Orientation Office of University Life Tutorial—Due Friday, August 14

Every student who is new to a degree program at Columbia must complete this required tutorial, which conveys values that are foundational to being a member of the Columbia University community and introduces important University policies and valuable student resources that will help you excel during your time here. You must complete this training before arriving on campus.

This training is an important foundation to your membership in the University community; it reviews the many resources available at Columbia, important policies that shape your daily life on campus, and guidance for living in New York City.

Access the training at preorientation.universitylife.columbia.edu. Log in with your Columbia UNI and password.

If you have any questions about the tutorials or require any assistance, please reach out to preorientation@columbia.edu.

IT Configuration

The IT Helpdesk is available Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to assist with technical needs including connecting to Wi-Fi, printing, installing antivirus and antimalware software, and more. Visit either Helpdesk location in Jerome L. Greene Hall 131 or William and June Warren Hall 203, or contact the Helpdesk at helpdesk@law.columbia.edu or 212-854-1370. Virtual support is also available during regular Helpdesk hours including additional after hours.

For additional resources, see the laptop configuration guides for Mac and Windows and student computing and printing resources.

• A map to various printing locations around the Law School can be found here.

What You Need To Know About Your Financial Aid Bill

The first bill will be posted on August 17 for the fall semester. You can find the billing schedule here. Questions about your financial aid bill? You can find helpful information on the Student Financial Services web page. To learn more about the full extent of financial aid options, please contact the Law School’s Office of Financial Aid.

Student Printing

Did you know that each Columbia Law student is allowed to print 4,000 pages per year for free? The Law School is equipped with a network of high-speed printers, and you can find more information on printing here.

University Life Video Library

Do you have any questions about joining the Columbia Law community as you are gearing up for orientation? The University Life Video Library for orientation is still accessible as a resource.

Software Available for Download

Select software is available to the Columbia University community for free or at Columbia’s negotiated rate. See options.

Office of Student Services—August Hours of Operation

Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. EDT

Super Student Senate Spotlight

Welcome to Columbia Law School!

My name is Onyx Ngaya Brunner and I am proud to serve as Student Body President and leader of the Student Senate. I know it takes a tremendous effort to transfer schools and Columbia has a history of welcoming a distinguished group of transfer and visiting students. You all have worked incredibly hard to get here and I can’t wait to welcome you to our community soon!

In advance of the new semester, I wanted to write with a few key dates.

Sept 10 - Welcome Back Bash

I hope you will join the CLS Community for our annual Welcome Back Bash at Lucky Strike Times Square during the evening of Thursday, September 10, Time TBD. More information to come, but this will be a great opportunity to connect with your new classmates. Join us for bowling, arcade games, food and drinks!

Week of Sept 8 - Run for the Student Senate

Transfer students are a critical part of student life at CLS and take on leadership roles in the classroom and beyond. I am a proud member of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review—the premier human rights law journal led by an Editor-in-Chief who transferred to Columbia last year, just as you are now.

I look forward to welcoming you to the Student Senate soon, too. Each year, the Senate reserves a seat for a Transfer student, so I hope that you all will consider running. You all will elect one (1) representative to the Senate later this year.

The Senate is Columbia’s equivalent to a student bar association. We guide the community life of the law school and advocate for students before Law School and University administration. Senate membership is a great way to get acclimated to CLS and leave your mark on how this place is run.

As a Senator, you will serve on two internal committees of your choosing, have the opportunity to serve on student-faculty committees, and can help plan school-wide events such as Barristers’ Ball, our Halloween and Spring parties, and more.

Additional information on how to run will be shared in the coming weeks, but if you have any questions, feel free to email me at ob2392@columbia.edu. We anticipate holding elections during the week of September 8, in advance of our first meeting the following week. I will also have drop-in hours specifically for your cohort, so you can come and ask questions.
 

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Congratulations on your admission to Columbia and welcome again!

Warmly,

Onyx