Commitment to Diversity

Our Commitment to Diversity
The District Attorney’s Office is committed to the recruiting, hiring, retention, and promotion of a diverse staff.  We believe that our staff should reflect the community we serve which in turn results in a stronger office and one that pursues and projects fair-mindedness to all those coming in contact with the criminal justice system.  New York City is enriched by its diverse population, and by embracing this diversity we strengthen our ability to carry out the mission of our Office.

Our Legal Staff
We are fortunate to have a diverse staff.  Our talented attorneys come from all walks of life.  More than half of our attorneys are women.  There are approximately thirty female supervisors.  Minorities hold positions on the Executive Staff, as well as supervisory positions throughout the Office.  There are openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual attorneys on staff.  We also have several attorneys with disabilities.  We are proud to have staff members from different cultural, educational, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. See the Office's profile in the NALP directory (external link).         

Recruitment and Hiring
Hiring a diverse staff is a priority for our Office.  As such, we have long aggressively recruited applicants of all backgrounds, from throughout the country. We participate in on-campus panel discussions, attend minority job fairs and conferences, and conduct outreach to law student groups in an effort to build a diverse applicant pool from which we hire the best, most qualified attorneys.  

Diversity Outreach Committee
Our Diversity Outreach Committee, made up of experienced hiring attorneys from all divisions in the office, focuses on diversity-related issues of recruiting, hiring, and retention of Assistant District Attorneys.  It is empowered to develop creative approaches to enhance our applicant pool and overall diversity efforts.  The Committee provides guidance and feedback to the District Attorney and his executive staff.  Committee members also engage in informal mentoring to enhance the professional development of our junior attorneys.

Mentoring Program
The Office is committed to the recruitment and hiring of the most qualified legal staff, as well as providing a supportive environment in which our new assistants can develop professionally. To that end, the Office established a Mentoring Program for all new incoming assistants. Our goal is to provide junior ADAs with an additional resource to discuss and address matters ranging from substantive legal questions to professional development and support. Although many experienced ADAs in our office currently fill the mentoring role on an informal basis, this formal program is a significant addition to our commitment to maintaining a fulfilling work environment for all newly appointed ADAs. Diversity Outreach Committee members and volunteers from around the Office serve as mentors.

The District Attorney’s Diversity Committee
This long-standing committee is composed of legal and non-legal supervisors and staff.  Committee members work to foster open dialogue on diversity issues within the Office.  The Diversity Committee hosts a variety of events, including guest speakers for office-wide presentations. They further provide invaluable guidance to District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau and his executive staff on a variety of workplace issues confronting all staff. 

Community Affairs Unit
In 1985, District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau established the Community Affairs Unit.  It serves as a vital link between the District Attorney and the residents of New York County.  The staff of Community Affairs participates in over 1,400 meetings a year with community groups, educators, schoolchildren, and other organizations.  Further, we feel an obligation to reach out to young people and provide information and guidance that might enhance their chances of entering the legal profession. We hope to increase the number of minority students in the pipeline to a promising legal career.  We are especially proud of our Legal Bound Summer Internship Program for high school students.  Each summer, our Office is enriched by a large number of high school students from Manhattan serving as high school summer interns working in units throughout the office.  Some of them have actually gone on to become Assistant District Attorneys.

Summer Internship Program for Law Students
Our summer law interns are first and second year law students, recruited with the same level of commitment to employing a diverse staff.  Many of our full-time attorneys are ultimately chosen from this group.  During the course of the summer, we meet with each of the minority intern groups to assess their experiences with an eye towards improving our recruitment and retention of a diverse staff.

Quality of Life at DANY
Our commitment to diversity is part of what makes this Office such a rewarding place to work.  Our attorneys enjoy positive relationships with staff of all levels throughout the Office.  We offer our attorneys an outstanding level of training and responsibility.  We provide all of our attorneys with the resources and support necessary to succeed.

We also offer a generous benefits package.  Attorneys receive five weeks of paid vacation and twelve sick days.  After two years of service, all attorneys are eligible for up to six months of childcare leave which, depending on the circumstances, some or all of which will be with full pay.

Loan forgiveness programs are available from New York State and many law schools.  Our Legal Hiring Unit has this information on file.  Please contact us for further information.