Zohran Mamdani Appoints Steve Banks as New York City's Top Lawyer

Appointment of Corporation Counsel

• 🎯 Incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has named Steve Banks as his pick for the city's top lawyer, the Corporation Counsel.
• 💡 Steve Banks previously led the city's homeless services department under former Mayor Bill De Blasio.

Banks's Resignation and Trump Deal

• ⚖️ Banks resigned from the law firm Paul Weiss in April after the firm made a controversial deal with President Donald Trump.
• 🤝 The deal involved the firm pledging $40 million in free legal services to causes aligned with the White House, in exchange for Trump withdrawing an executive order that punished the firm for ties to his perceived political enemies.

Role in Mamdani's Administration

• 🚀 Given Mamdani's ambitious agenda and promises to challenge Trump's policies, Banks's role is expected to be significant.
• 🔑 Banks expressed his honor at being the first legal aid lawyer nominated for Corporation Counsel and readiness for the leadership role, emphasizing the law department's role in supporting the mayor-elect's vision for transformative change.