Nu Beta Epsilon () was an American professional Jewish law fraternity.
History Nu Beta Epsilon was formed in 1919 at Northwestern University School of Law by Barnet Hodes, with the assistance of Louis Brandeis and Dean Wigmore, as a Greek letter fraternity for Jewish students at accredited law schools. It expanded to other law schools across the United States. It also established an alumni association.
Alpha Kappa Sigma (ΑΚΣ) was a Jewish law fraternity founded by H. Edwin Siff at University of Maryland Law School in 1918. Representatives of the two fraternities met at a convention in Columbus, Ohio in 1939 with Hodes as the keynote speaker. The merger of the two fraternities went into effect in 1940 under the name of the Nu Beta Epsilon group. A. D. G. Cohn of Atlanta was elected as its vice grand chancellor.
Nu Beta Epsilon's quarterly newsletter was The Nu Bete. The fraternity presented three awards each year: Barnet Hodes Awards to an alumnus performing outstanding service to the fraternity on a national level Ben Rubin Endowment to an undergraduate for scholarship, with the trophy going to his chapter National Pledge Essay Award for the best legal essay written by a pledge
Symbols Nu Beta Epsilon adopted the seal and motto of the former Nu Beta Epsilon fraternity. Its motto was , meaning "Law is king". Its seal or crest included symbols associated with the legal professional.
Governance The Ground Council of the fraternity's annual national convention governed Nu Beta Epsilon.
Membership Nu Beta Epsilon was founded as non-sectarian, with no racial membership limitations. Originally male only, its membership became open to women . In 1945, it had 850 members. Its membership had grown to 1,750 in 1968.
Chapter List The chapters of Nu Beta Epsilon were as follows. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.
ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha1918University of Maryland Law SchoolBaltimore City, MarylandInactiveBrandeis1919–Northwestern University Law SchoolChicago, IllinoisInactiveDelta1919–Temple University Law SchoolPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaInactiveEpsilon1919–Newark Law SchoolNewark, New JerseyInactiveCardozo1923DePaul University College of LawChicago, IllinoisInactiveBenjamin1924Chicago-Kent College of LawChicago, IllinoisInactiveMarshall1926Washington University School of LawSt. Louis, MissouriInactiveChicago-Kent Law Review October 1928Chicago1929–University of Chicago Law SchoolChicago, IllinoisInactiveHorner1921University of Illinois Law SchoolChampaign, Illinois.InactiveBeta Gamma1931George Washington University Law School and Georgetown University Law SchoolWashington, D.C.InactiveLoyola1932–Loyola University Chicago School of LawChicago, IllinoisInactiveZeta1933Atlanta Law School, Emory University Law School, Atlanta's John Marshall Law SchoolAtlanta, GeorgiaInactiveColeman1941University of Southern California Law SchoolLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactiveTheta1946University of Miami School of LawCoral Gables, FloridaInactiveCurrie1950UCLA School of LawLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactiveWarrenUniversity of San Fernando College of LawSan Fernando, CaliforniaInactiveGamma Gamma LambdaCalifornia College of LawHollywood, CaliforniaInactiveTraynorWestern State University College of LawOrange County, CaliforniaInactiveHolmesUniversity of West Los Angeles School of LawLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactiveJohn F. Kennedy UniversityPleasant Hill, CaliforniaInactiveBakerHumphrey CollegeStockton, CaliforniaInactiveDooleyGlendale University College of LawGlendale, CaliforniaInactiveSebringStetson University College of LawGulfport, FloridaInactive
Notable members
NameChapter and yearNotabilityEllis ArnallHonorary, 1946Governor of GeorgiaBernard BaruchHonorary, 1946 Financier and statesmanLouis BrandeisBrandeis, 1919Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesRaymond BurractorBenjamin N. CardozoAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesJoseph E. DaviesUnited States Ambassador to the Soviet UnionPaul A. DorfState senator and judgePhillip C. GoldstickMember of Illinois General AssemblyBarnet HodesBrandeis, 1919Counsel of the City of ChicagoSam MassellAlpha, 1936Mayor of AtlantaEurith D. RiversZeta Honorary 1941Governor of GeorgiaJohn M. SlatonZeta Honorary 1941Governor of GeorgiaHarold WashingtonMayor of Chicago and U.S. House of RepresentativesOfficial Congressional Directory, Volume 98 p 52Wendel Wilkielawyer, corporate executive, and nominee for President of the United States.Bernard B. WolfeMember of Illinois General Assembly"New members, General assembly. v.74 (1965-1966)". Paul Powell, Secretary of State, State of Illinois. p. 93. Retrieved 2023-08-03 – via HathiTrust.
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