Menapace Fellowship
The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) established the Ralph C. Menapace Fellowship in Urban Land Use Law in 1984 to honor the legacy of Ralph C. Menapace, Jr., a civic leader and attorney whose legal advocacy helped define New York City’s landmark preservation laws. This two-year fellowship provides recent law school graduates with hands-on experience in the intersection of law, policy, and urban planning. The Fellow works closely with MAS leadership and the MAS Law Committee to analyze and advance legal and policy reforms shaping New York City’s built environment.
Apply for the 2026-28 Fellowship
The Menapace Fellow engages in policy research, legal analysis, and strategic advocacy on current land use issues confronting New York City. Areas of focus include historic preservation, climate adaptation and resilience, environmental review, zoning and land use regulation, and public realm governance. While MAS has a long history of impactful litigation that helped shape New York’s land use laws, the organization’s current work is focused on policy development, education, and reform. Candidates should not expect to engage in litigation as part of this role, though they may have opportunities to advise on or draft amicus briefs.
Responsibilities include:
- Researching and drafting legal memoranda, policy briefs, public testimony, and regulatory comments.
- Monitoring legislative and rulemaking developments at the city and state level.
- Advising MAS leadership on land use, zoning, preservation, and environmental law issues.
- Coordinating and facilitating regular and ad hoc meetings of the MAS Law Committee to advance the organization’s legal and policy agenda.
- Representing MAS in coalition meetings and engagements with external organizations and agencies.
- Providing limited in-house counsel support on legal questions that arise in the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization.
The Fellow’s term, to commence in September 2026, will run for a mandatory two-year period. The Fellowship is a salaried position (range: $85,000-$95,000) and offers standard MAS benefits. MAS operates on a hybrid schedule, requiring employees to work in-person at our Trinity Centre office (111 Broadway) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Recent law school graduate (by September 2026).
- Strong research, writing, and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex legal and policy issues into accessible language.
- Initiative and intellectual curiosity, with the capacity to conduct self-directed and independent research on emerging land use and environmental law topics.
- An interest in New York City’s governance, planning, and preservation frameworks.
- Comfort working across disciplines and collaborating with lawyers, planners, designers, and advocates.
- A commitment to public service, civic integrity, and equitable urban policy.
Interested candidates must submit a cover letter indicating the basis of their interest, résumé, writing sample (no longer than ten pages), and transcript by February 1, 2026 to jobs@mas.org with the subject line ‘2026-28 Menapace Fellowship Application’. Interviews will be conducted in March 2026.
Current Fellow
Alex joined MAS as the 18th Ralph C. Menapace Fellow in September 2024. Alex is a May 2024 graduate of Fordham University School of Law, where she served as Notes & Articles Editor for the Urban Law Journal and filed a federal civil rights action on behalf of the Housing and Environmental Litigation Clinic. While in law school, she interned with the New York City Council, New York State Office of the Attorney General, New York Civil Liberties Union, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Before pursuing her legal career, Alex received her undergraduate degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in 2014, and worked as a marketing strategist and freelance journalist reporting on local politics in her neighborhood on the Upper West Side.
Past Fellows
MAS named the first Menapace Fellow in 1986. Since then, Menapace Fellows have worked on cases that set precedents for upholding New York City urban land use laws and have played a fundamental role in shaping those laws that benefit all New Yorkers. Fellows have gone on to careers in a broad range of fields including law, real estate, and nonprofit advocacy.
- Jahmel Martin
- Alia Soomro
- Rachel Mazur
- Kimberly Ong
- David Schnakenberg
- Katie Kendall
- Amanda Hiller
- Christopher Rizzo
- Jane Rudofsky Johnstone
- Holly Leicht
- Beth Goldstein
- David Nissenbaum
- Douglas Cogen
- Elizabeth Lusskin
- Timothy Bradley
- Marc Silver
- John Low-Beer
Historic Cases
New York City has been both the laboratory and battleground for innovations in land use regulation, including urban environmental controls, zoning, open space, and historic preservation. Legislation drafted or refined through litigation in New York has provided the model for land use laws throughout the country.
- St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church v. City of New York (1990), defending the Landmarks Law against First and Fifth Amendment claims
- New Jersey v. New York (1998), defending New York’s ownership of Ellis Island
- Brooklyn Inst. of Arts and Sciences v. City of New York (1999) regarding the Mayor’s efforts to strip the Brooklyn Museum of funding over its exhibition Sensations
- Infinity Outdoor v. City of New York (2001) upholding New York City’s law limiting billboards along highways
- Stahl York Avenue Company LLC v. City of New York (2007)
- Protect the Village Historic District v. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (2009)
- Committee for Environmentally Sound Development and Municipal Art Society of New York v. Amsterdam Avenue Redevelopment Assoc. LLC and ACP Amsterdam III LLC (2017), regarding the construction of a super-tall tower at 200 Amsterdam Avenue
- Carnegie Hill Neighbors, Municipal Art Society, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, Civitas Citizens v. City of New York, New York City Council, New York City Planning Commission, New York City Educational Construction Fund, AvalonBay Communities (2018), challenging the City of New York’s actions alienating a public park on behalf of a private developer
- Council of New York v. Department of City Planning of New York (2020), which overruled the approval of the mega high-rise project known as Two Bridges in the Lower East Side
Law Committee Members
The Law Committee advises MAS staff and the Board of Directors. Its members include distinguished attorneys with expertise in land use and zoning, real estate, non-profit, environmental, and municipal law fields.
- Susan Hinkson-Carling, Chair, MAS Board Member, Managing Member of Capalino Ventures, LLC, Executive Vice President of Land Use, Housing & Real Estate at Capalino + Company
- Hilary Atzrott Hamburg, Partner, Venable, LLP
- Christine Billy, Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy & Land Use Law, and Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at NYU School of Law
- Rebecca M. Bratspies, Professor of Law, City University of New York School of Law, and founding Director of the Center for Urban Environmental Reform (CUER) at CUNY School of Law
- David Schnakenberg, Special Counsel, Fried Frank LLP, and former Menapace Fellow
About Ralph C. Menapace, Jr.
The Ralph C. Menapace Fellowship in Urban Land Use Law is named in honor of Ralph C. Menapace, Jr. (1932–1984), a distinguished lawyer and civic leader who served both as President of MAS and MAS Board Chair. Mr. Menapace graduated from Yale Law School in 1956 and joined Cahill Gordon & Reindel that same year. He was named a partner in 1966. As a member of the Committee to Save Grand Central Terminal, Mr. Menapace was a key figure in the legal action that saved the Terminal and eventually led to the United States Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the Landmarks Law of the City of New York. On behalf of MAS, he played a major role in the efforts to preserve St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Radio City Music Hall, and Lever House. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Upper East Side Historic District.
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