Storm King School junior Lucky N. ’27 recently visited the New York Court of Appeals, capping off a year-long independent research project with a firsthand look at the state’s highest court.

The opportunity grew out of Lucky’s self-initiated research on constitutional law and religious ethics which focused on a small religious enclave in New York State. Under the guidance of a professor from Brooklyn Law School and a lecturer from Harvard’s School of Ethics, Lucky interviewed attorneys and other legal professionals, and connected with officials in the New York court system and individuals affiliated with the District Attorney’s office.

“I was excited to be invited by senior members of the Court to attend and observe oral arguments in person. The goal was to give me exposure to real court proceedings and institutional operations to complement my research,” explained Lucky. “It was a very meaningful for me to see the proceedings close up and gain a deeper understanding of the appellate process, gaining insight into how complex legal questions are debated and decided.”

During the visit, Lucky also had the chance to meet with Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson and attend the court system’s U-CAN program, which focuses on mentorship and support for young people in the justice system.

Lucky says his interest in the law is rooted in understanding legal systems as lived institutions shaped by people and their decisions. “Having grown up between Vietnam and the United States, I have become especially aware of how legal systems are often reduced to simplified narratives. Through my research, I hope to find ways to make complex legal processes more accessible while challenging those oversimplifications.”

The visit, which was the culmination of his year-long project, allowed Lucky to connect his theoretic work with real-world experience, and to see firsthand how the law operates beyond the classroom.

Photo above: Lucky with Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York