The Legal Aid Society announced that Alan Levine has been elected President of the Board of Directors, replacing John Carroll who has served in this role since 2019. Levine was previously Chair of the Board of Directors at Legal Aid from 2007 to 2010, having first joined the Board in 2002 and currently serves as a member of Legal Aid’s Board of Directors.

Levine is currently Senior Counsel at Cooley LLP, working on commercial litigation, securities litigation, and white collar and regulatory practice groups in the firm’s litigation department. For over 40 years, he has represented individuals and companies in complex civil, criminal, and regulatory matters as lead trial counsel.

Levine’s established history of leadership at The Legal Aid Society was previously recognized in 2011 when he received Legal Aid’s prestigious Servant of Justice Award for his outstanding contributions and for his lifelong dedication to the quest for equal justice.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to rejoin the Legal Aid Society as President and to build on John’s recent accomplishments,” said Alan Levine. “I look forward to working with the Board, my dear friend Chair of the Board Zachary Carter, and the entire Legal Aid community in fighting to defend my fellow New Yorkers and help dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City.”

“The Legal Aid Society is thrilled to welcome Alan in his new role as our President,” said Janet Sabel, Attorney-In-Chief and Chief Executive Officer of The Legal Aid Society. “Legal Aid’s mission is critical to New Yorkers in need, and Alan’s deep involvement in our work for over 20 years speaks to his lasting commitment to that mission. We look forward to benefiting from the leadership, wisdom and creativity that Alan will bring to our advocacy as we fight for the changes that improve the lives of our clients.”

Levine has successfully tried numerous civil and criminal cases during his distinguished, four decade long legal career based in New York City, and has appeared in federal and state courts across the country. In the fall of 2021, he was trial counsel pro bono for nine plaintiffs injured by white supremacists at the infamous Charlottesville, Virginia “Unite the Right” rally, in a trial that culminated in a $26 million verdict from a federal jury. In 2003, he represented the Legal Services Corporation in a landmark case involving federal legal services funding, which he argued before the United States Supreme Court.

Levine has received numerous awards for his contributions including The Human Relations Award from the Anti-Defamation League for being a tireless champion of combating hate in all forms. In 2014, Levine was recognized by the New York Law Journal as an honoree for “Lawyers Who Lead by Example” for his demonstration of leadership through his devotion to improving the legal system and fighting injustice in New York.

“Alan brings tremendous experience and ability to our leadership that is matched only by his passion for ensuring equal justice on behalf of marginalized people,” said Zachary Carter, Chair of Legal Aid’s Board of Directors. “That experience will be instrumental as we continue to face the challenge of providing life-altering pro bono legal assistance to thousands of clients and their families, while more broadly seeking to affect positive societal change for the New Yorkers we serve.”

Levine replaces John Carroll, a former Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, who helped navigate Legal Aid through the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the organization’s transition to remote work, its switch to virtual court proceedings, and its fundraising and financial needs with government and Legal Aid donors.