Assigned Counsel Plan Staff Directory

Assigned Counsel Plan, Appellate Division, First Department

18B Panel Administrator for the First Department – Position Currently Vacant

Andrea Glenn Loigman – Supervisory Attorney for the First Department
212-748-0321 

Andrea Glenn Loigman is the Supervisory Attorney for the First Department covering Manhattan and the Bronx.  She provides technical assistance to panel attorneys on cases, represents the Assigned Counsel Plan and the panel attorneys at court stakeholder meetings and is a good resource for information about court policies and procedures.

Lorraine Watson – Program Assistant, First Department
212-748-0266 

Lorraine helps attorneys with anything related to Primary Day calendars and assignment of cases.  She also works with the courts to find panel attorneys to pick up cases sent directly to her from the court.  She also enters orders of assignment so that panel attorneys will have their vouchers open and ready for billing.  Lorraine also handles assignments of cases that cannot be processed through 18B Web such as representing witnesses at trial, Parole Hearing and/or VOPs that are transferred into NYC from other counties. Lorraine also handles panel applications for the First Department. 

Elizabeth Taylor-Williams – Program Assistant for the First Department
212-748-0271

Liz helps attorneys with anything related to Primary Day calendars and assignment of cases.  She also works with the courts to find panel attorneys to pick up cases sent directly to her from the court.  She also enters orders of assignment so that attorneys will have their vouchers open and ready for billing.   

Assigned Counsel Plan, Appellate Division, Second Department

Barbara DiFiore – 18B Panel Administrator for the Second Department 
Queens, Brooklyn and Richmond counties
212-748-0274  

Barbara directs operations for the Assigned Counsel Plan for the counties of the Appellate Division, Second Department within the City of New York.  She coordinates the panel application process for attorneys who wish to join one of the criminal defense panels which include Misdemeanor, Felony, Homicide and Criminal Appeals and oversees the annual recertification process for current panel members.  She supervises a staff of Supervisory Attorneys and support staff working on various aspects of panel management.

Kendea Johnson – Supervisory Attorney for the Second Department
212-788-8334 

Kendea Johnson is the Supervisory Attorney for the Second Department and covers Kings, Queens, and Staten Island.  She concentrates her efforts on Kings and Staten Island.  Kendea provides technical assistance on cases, represents the Assigned Counsel Plan and the panel attorneys at court stakeholder meetings and is a good resource for information about court policies and procedures.  She also assists the court to find attorneys for cases in Kings Supreme Court and other courts when necessary.  

Frank Kelly – Supervisory Attorney for the Second Department
212-788-9956

Frank Kelly is the Supervisory Attorney for the Second Department and covers Kings, Queens, and Staten Island.  He concentrates his efforts on Queens.  Frank provides technical assistance on cases, represents the Assigned Counsel Plan and the panel attorneys at court stakeholder meetings and is a good resource for information about court policies and procedures.  He also assists the court to find attorneys for cases in Queens Supreme Court and other courts when necessary.  

Celine Ebert – Program Assistant for the Second Department
212-748-0342 

Celine helps attorneys with anything related to Primary Day calendars and assignment of cases.  She also works with the courts to find panel attorneys to pick up cases sent directly to her from the court.  She also enters orders of assignment so that panel attorneys will have their vouchers open and ready for billing.  Celine also handles assignments of cases that cannot be processed through 18B Web such as representing witnesses at trial or VOPs that are transferred into NYC from other counties. 

Isaiah Ryan – Program Assistant for the Second Department 
212-346-5797 

Isaiah helps attorneys with anything related to Primary Day calendars and assignment of cases.  He also works with the courts on finding panel attorneys to pick up cases sent directly to him from the court.  He also enters orders of assignment so that attorneys will have their vouchers open and ready for billing.  Isaiah also handles assignments of cases that cannot be processed through 18B Web such as representing witnesses at trial or VOPs that are transferred into NYC from other counties. 

Assigned Counsel Plan Staff Shared by First and Second Department Programs

Aisha Alleyne – Supervisory Attorney for Training 
212-748-0335 

Aisha directs ACP training efforts on a variety of topics for all panel members in New York City.  She works with the ACP staff to develop new topics for training and maintains all records in which CLE credit will be granted.  Aisha also distributes updates on the law and procedure that affect the representation of clients in criminal cases and circulates information on trainings and events sponsored by other organizations that may be of interest to panel members.

Rochelle Berliner – Supervisory Attorney for Youth Representation
212-748-0310 

Rochelle coordinates with the Youth Parts around the city and provides technical assistance to panel attorneys on representing Juvenile Offender and Adolescent Offender clients.  She is familiar with several community-based programs for youth and their families and provides technical assistance on the representation of young people including those who are in their early twenties.

Joan Brown – Supervisory Attorney for Parole Representation
212-748-0322 

Joan Brown oversees all parole representation by panel attorneys in New York City and coordinates with other defenders and the Department of Parole on assignment of attorneys who have been trained in representing clients at parole hearings and related proceedings.  Ms. Brown has presented basic and advanced training to panel members who are currently on the Parole Panel and those who wish to join the Parole Panel.

Steven Chavez – Supervisory Attorney for Specialty Courts
212-748-0332 

Steven focuses on specialty courts and parts such as Summons Courts, Gun Initiative Parts, and community courts.  He works with panel attorneys in the Summons Parts and makes regular visits to observe the workings of the parts that are focusing on old gun cases as well as those that are being fast-tracked under relatively new procedures instituted by OCA.
  
Dan Chu – Supervisory Attorney for DNA/Forensics
212-748-0356 

Dan provides in-depth guidance to panel attorneys on cases that involve DNA analysis.  He has coordinated with several experts who have a wide variety of expertise in the field of DNA and has recently been added to the statewide Forensics Workgroup that has been organized by the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services.  He also works with his counterparts at defender offices to stay ahead of the curve on all new and evolving developments in the field of DNA.

Robyn Lear – Supervisory Attorney for Mental Health Representation
212-748-0260

Robyn focuses on supporting panel attorneys in their efforts to effectively represent clients who have mental health issues, including navigating mental health court, issues related to 730 exams, legal support, brainstorming potential dispositions and communication difficulties, and working through ethical dilemmas that may arise.

Maria Asaro – Background Review Manager 
212-748-0281 

Maria enrolls all new vendors including attorneys and provides information to panel attorneys and experts on how to set up their vendor accounts.  She also maintains a substantial list of experts in every category from investigators to DNA analysts to interpreters.  She can provide guidance on which investigators or experts could be a good match for cases.  Maria can also help panel attorneys with the forms that are needed to get an investigator, expert or interpreter assigned to cases.