Mayor Mamdani Appoints Ali Najmi as Chair of Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary

NEW YORK, NY — TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of renowned civil rights and election attorney Ali Najmi as the Chair of the newly revitalized Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. The Mayor also signed an executive order to ensure that the Committee makes the judicial selection process more transparent and accessible to New Yorkers.

“While the judicial branch plays a crucial role in our democracy, it is often inaccessible and shrouded in secrecy. My Administration will promote transparency in how we select New York City’s judges and ensure our city’s judicial system reflects the city it serves, applies the rule of law universally, and does so without favor,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “There is no one better to lead this effort than Ali Najmi, who will bring the same determination and commitment he’s brought to the courtroom for decades to his new role chairing the Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.”

“It is an honor to lead the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. A fair and equitable legal system is determined by our judges. I am committed to making our judicial selection process more transparent and inclusive to ensure that all 8.5 million New Yorkers see themselves reflected on the bench,” said Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary Ali Najmi.

Under the Mamdani Administration, the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary will be charged with increasing transparency around the judicial selection process and promoting engagement. The new executive order requires the Committee to engage the wider legal community in the judicial selection process, including public defenders, attorneys who represent parents and children in family court, and those working in indigent legal services. The executive order instructs the Committee to regularly publish demographic data on the judicial applicant pool, as well as create a searchable database for New Yorkers to monitor upcoming appointments. The executive order also extends the term of members of the Committee from two years to four years.

The judicial committee appoints judges for family and criminal and interim appointees for civil courts.

“We applaud the Mamdani administration for recognizing that public defenders bring an essential, frontline perspective to issues affecting the legal system, and that this perspective must inform who sits on the bench," said Juval O. Scott, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. “In the Bronx, we see every day how a single arrest or court appearance can upend a person’s life, their family, and their future, which is why judicial appointments must be grounded in a clear understanding of the real human stakes of every decision. A judiciary shaped with this knowledge is critical to ensuring fairness, dignity, and justice for the thousands of people entangled in our courts each year who are the least prepared or resourced to defend their freedom.”

“I congratulate Ali Najmi on his appointment as Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. As a seasoned defense and civil rights attorney, Ali brings a critical perspective to the judicial selection process — one grounded in due process, fairness, and access to justice,” said Twyla Carter, Attorney-in-Charge and Chief Executive Officer of The Legal Aid Society. “His experience as a member of the defense bar representing justice-involved New Yorkers will help ensure that the bench reflects a deep understanding of the rights of all New Yorkers, particularly those who rely on robust criminal defense. His leadership will serve the committee, our court system, and New York City writ large.”

***Signed executive orders will be available shortly***

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Ali Najmi is a civil rights and election attorney in private practice. He is the founder and former President of the South Asian and Indo-Carribean Bar Association of Queens (SAICBAQ), and presently serves on their advisory board. As a leader of SAICBAQ, Najmi has helped diversify the judiciary in his home borough of Queens by helping elect diverse and qualified candidates to the bench.

Najmi is a member of the New York City Bar Association, the Queens County Bar Association, the Muslim Bar Association of New York,  and the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean Bar Association of Queens. Najmi is a graduate of Oberlin College and the City University of New York School of Law.

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