Belson Moot courtroom dedicated. (Transcripts).

St. John's University proudly unveiled and dedicated the recently renovated Belson Moot courtroom at its School of Law on the Queens campus.

A $2.5 million dollar project, the courtroom is a state-of-the-art facility, including stadium-style seating, ceiling-mounted projectors, document cameras, videotaping and playback capabilities, and a closed-circuit camera system. Along with an expanding wireless LAN computer network, St. John's School of Law has become one of the most technologically advanced law schools in New York.

"The Belson Moot courtroom provides St. John's University School of Law with an outstanding teaching tool," said Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., president of St. John's University.

"Using this new technology, the curriculum of the School of Law can expand within the 21st century, training our students to serve well and to live well in our global community. Once again, we are deeply thankful to Maxine and Jerry for their continuing generosity to our students."

"Maxine and Jerry have generously launched St. John's University School of Law into a new era with their magnificent state-of-the-art Moot Court," said Joseph W. Bellacosa, dean of St. John's School of Law. "It will serve as a learning laboratory that will produce better lawyers for the future, which has arrived here and now. We pledge to live up to their challenge and to use this exceptional facility to the best and highest purposes."

As part of the dedication, Judith Kaye, chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, delivered a keynote address. Judge Kaye was present two years ago, as one of the panel of judges at a moot court competition, when the gift was announced.

Belson has been a member of the St. John's University board of trustees since 1986. Both he and his wife, Maxine, hold honorary doctorate degrees from the University. Belson has a long career of real estate development in New York State, creating 50,000 units of non-profit cooperative housing since 1950, as well as low- and moderate-income multifamily developments. Belson is also chairman of WE Media Inc., which is a multi media corporation dedicated to the advancement of people with disabilities. For decades, Belson has been active in founding major programs and organizations to aid the disabled, securing millions of dollars in funding for these efforts. Belson has also served on the boards of directors for the New York State Special Olympics Committee and the New York State Epilepsy Association.

Over the years, the Belsons contributed so generously to the Law School that the University named the Jerome and Maxine Belson Hall, which houses the School of Law, in their honor in 1995. In addition, Belson established the Law School's annual Joseph Belsky Lecture, named for his father, which enables a distinguished jurist to share perspectives with the St. John's community. Most recently, the Belsons donated $6 million to St. John's for the construction of Belson Soccer Stadium, currently under construction on the Queens campus.