Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced the appointment of 45 new Assistant District Attorneys representing 22 different law schools from across the country.

DA Katz said: “I am proud to welcome this diverse group of talented professionals into the Queens District Attorney’s Office.  I look forward to working with them in support of this office’s mission to keep those who live and work in Queens County safe while helping to ensure the criminal justice system is fairer for all.”

The new ADAs are beginning their prosecutorial careers with an intensive six-week training program that includes lectures, courtroom observation and interactive workshops. They will receive practical, hands-on experience by participating in ride-alongs with members of the NYPD. They will also learn about alternative sentencing options from members of the Rehabilitation Programs and Restorative Services Bureau and meet with staff from the Queens Community Justice Center, a community-based youth outreach program. The training will also include visits to the NYPD laboratory, the NYPD range, NYPD Emergency Services Unit, a police precinct and the Rikers Correctional Facility.

These new assistants will be assigned to the Criminal Court Bureau, Intake Bureau, Domestic Violence Bureau and the Appeals Bureau. Thereafter, they will be eligible for assignments in the Investigations or Trials Divisions.

The new prosecutors and the law schools from which they graduated are: Hope Adamson, University of Missouri School of Law; Eli M. Allison, Wake Forest Law; Christopher M. Aranda, Columbia Law School; Nicholas J. Baughman, George Washington University Law School; Liam M. Brozen, Georgetown Law; Jordyn S. Chatoff, Tulane Law School; Olivia R. Chell, New England Law; Daniel W. Chernomaz, New York Law School; Joseph S. Cho, CUNY School of Law; Alexa R. Cirri, Hofstra Law School; Greshawna T. Clement, CUNY School of Law; Joseph A. Diez, Hofstra Law School; Dallas S. Droz, New York Law School; Mikaylah C. Dunbar, Fordham University School of Law; Kaleigh M. Dyer, Syracuse University College of Law; Michael C. Goga, Touro Law; Jessica S. Goldberg, Fordham University School of Law; Ariel B. Gootkin, Penn State Law; Bryan L. Hudson, Syracuse University College of Law; Ana Jangirashvili, St. John’s University School of Law; Kevin K. Jones, Fordham University School of Law; Connor J. Kenna, St. John’s University School of Law;  Albert A. Kiel, Cardozo School of Law; Zachary L. Korowitz, Hofstra Law School; Madison O. Lane, Pace University School of Law; Stephanie A. LaPlante, St. John’s University School of Law; Kyle Z. Levy, Hofstra Law School; Aria G. Lugo, St. John’s University School of Law; Nicholas P. Miner, Seattle University School of Law; Sean C. Muirhead, Rutgers Law School; Grace C. O’Brien, New York University School of Law; Nicole M. O’Connor, New England Law; Mia C. Oginski, New York Law School; Ayobami Omolana, American University College of Law; Lila N. Oursler, New England Law; Dev D. Patel, Hofstra Law School; Alissa N. Popeck, Hofstra Law School; David Qiu, Hofstra Law School; Manuel Rendo, CUNY School of Law; Kailey P. Ritchie, American University College of Law; William H. Russell, Fordham University School of Law; Winston Seurattan, Hofstra Law School; Bianca M. Valenti, Hofstra Law School; Jacob N. Weinstein, Cardozo School of Law; Sonja M. Zbinden, University of Minnesota Law School.

Training for the new ADAs is supervised by Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Supreme Court Trial Division Pishoy B. Yacoub and led by Senior Assistant District Attorney Courtney Finnerty, Director of Litigation Training, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Courtney Charles, Deputy Director of Litigation Training and Deputy Bureau Chief of Felony Trial Bureau III.