ILS Parent Representation Advisory Council (“PRAC”)

In furtherance of its statutory mission to “monitor, study and make efforts to improve the quality” of public defense in New York, ILS established the Parent Representation Advisory Council to support community-building among providers and parents from around the state and to provide a direct forum for consultation, empowerment, and collaboration with ILS to influence local and statewide policy and practice relevant to the quality of publicly funded parent legal representation pursuant to the Family Court Act. The PRAC had its first meeting on August 30, 2018. 

 

Members of the ILS Parent Representation Advisory Council

Zainab Akbar, Managing Attorney, Family Defense Practice, Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem

Raymond Bara, Oneida Public Defender, Civil Division

Kim Bode, Family Court Staff Attorney, New York State Defenders Association

Christine Bruno, Training Supervisor, Center for Family Representation

Ari Chiarella, Social Work Supervisor and Co-Director, Center for Family Representation

Tornishia Destin, Social Work Supervisor, Legal Services of Hudson Valley (White Plains Office)

Tammy Feman, Appeals Bureau Chief, Legal Aid Society of Nassau County

Adele Fine, Managing Attorney, Family Court Bureau, Monroe County Public Defender Office

Linda Gehron, President and CEO, Hiscock Legal Aid Society

Suzanne Graulich, Administrator, Assigned Counsel Plan, Schoharie County

Stephanie Hale, Assistant Public Defender, Cattaraugus County

Emma Ketteringham, Managing Director, Family Defense Practice, The Bronx Defenders

David Lansner, Partner, Lansner & Kubitschek, NYC

Linda McCarthy, Supervising Attorney, Legal Services of Hudson Valley (White Plains Office)

James McGahan, Public Defender, St. Lawrence County

Joyce McMillan, Founder, JMAC for Families and Parent Legislative Action Network (PLAN) Coalition

Amy Mulzer, Senior Staff Attorney for Law and Appeals, Family Defense Practice, Brooklyn Defender Services

Beth Ratchford, Family Court Attorney, Public Defender’s Office Ontario County

Lauren Shapiro, Managing Director, Family Defense Practice, Brooklyn Defender Services

Joanne Sirotkin, Attorney-In-Charge, Legal Services of Hudson Valley (White Plains Office)

Rhonda Weir, Attorney, Family Court Assigned Counsel Panel, Kings County, New York City

Dawn W. Westfall, Staff Social Worker, Cattaraugus County Public Defender’s Office

Imani Worthy, Family Advocate, Center for Family Representation

Thank You to Past Members of PRAC

Erin Browne, Attorney, Assigned Counsel Panel, Dutchess County

Michelle Burrell, Managing Attorney, Family Defense Team, Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem

Chelsea Carter, Assistant Public Defender, Ontario County

James Farrell, Assistant Public Defender, Saint Lawrence County

Susan Jacobs, Of Counsel, Center for Family Representation

Andrea Loigman, Senior Associate Counsel, Family Law Division, The Legal Aid Society of Westchester County

Larissa Obolensky, Attorney, Assigned Counsel Panel, Delaware County

Sarah Schellinger, Assistant Public Defender, Saratoga County

Zachary Wentworth, Assistant Public Defender, Chenango County

Kate Woods, Deputy Director, Co-Director of Operations, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.(LawNY)

PRAC In Memoriam

Linda Lovell, Assistant Public Defender, Cattaraugus Public Defender Office

Last updated on .

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