CUNY Law alum to lead the body responsible for recommending judicial appointments across New York City’s courts
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Ali Najmi ’09, image via The New York Times
CUNY School of Law congratulates alumnus Ali Najmi ’09 on his appointment as Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, the body responsible for recommending judicial appointments across New York City’s trial courts.
As Chair, Najmi will oversee the committee’s work evaluating candidates for appointment to New York City’s Family Court and Civil Court, as well as interim appointments to the Criminal Courts. These recommendations shape who serves on the bench, and, in turn, how New Yorkers encounter the legal system in moments that are often urgent, high-stakes, and deeply personal.
The committee conducts its work through a multi-stage review process that includes written applications, interviews, and consultation with members of the bench and bar. Its charge is both exacting and consequential: to assess candidates not only for legal competence, but for judgment, temperament, and a demonstrated commitment to fairness. The decisions that emerge from this process affect courtrooms across the city every day.
Announcing the appointment earlier this month, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized the importance of the committee’s role at a moment when public confidence in institutions—and access to them—remains a pressing concern. He noted that under Najmi’s leadership, the committee will take on a more transparent and publicly engaged posture, reaching beyond City Hall to engage the broader legal community and the public it serves.
“Under Ali’s leadership, this committee will take on a more public and engaged role,” the Mayor said, pointing to the need to demystify the judicial selection process and expand who participates in shaping the courts. He emphasized a renewed commitment to ensuring that New York City’s judicial system applies the rule of law universally and without favor.
Mamdani also underscored how Najmi’s appointment reflects a broader effort to move away from insular or relationship-driven pathways to the bench. “Too often, the ability for a New Yorker to become a Judge has been determined by who they know, as opposed to the work that they do,” he said. Najmi, the Mayor added, brings a focus on merit, equity, and professional excellence, ensuring that the judiciary reflects both the city it serves and the principles it is meant to uphold.
As a CUNY Law graduate, Najmi joins a distinguished group of alumni who have gone on to shape courts, policy, and legal systems at the local, state, and national levels, often in roles that directly affect working-class New Yorkers and communities historically excluded from power.
The Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary serves as a critical gatekeeper in the judicial appointment process. Its work is largely out of public view, but its impact is enduring. Through careful evaluation and recommendation, the committee helps ensure that judges are selected through a process grounded in integrity, accountability, and public trust.
CUNY School of Law is proud to see its alumni entrusted with leadership roles that shape the administration of justice in New York City. Najmi’s appointment reflects not only his professional accomplishments, but also the lasting impact of a legal education rooted in public service.