On May 28, 2025, Lisa Davis, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Programs and Professor of Law at CUNY School of Law, was honored by the New York State Appellate Division, Second Department, for their international legal advocacy on behalf of LGBTQI+ communities and survivors of gender persecution.
The recognition, presented during the court’s “LGBTQ+ Human Rights and Gender Persecution” program, acknowledged Davis’s decades-long commitment to advancing justice through litigation, legal reform, and global movement lawyering. The plaque presented by the court reads: “In appreciation for your work on LGBTQ+ rights and gender persecution from the NYS Appellate Division Second Department.”
Davis served as the program’s keynote speaker, delivering a powerful address that traced the legal and human rights challenges facing LGBTQ+ communities worldwide, particularly in conflict zones and repressive regimes. Drawing on their extensive experience leading international legal initiatives and shaping policy at the United Nations and beyond, Davis emphasized the critical role of courts, legal advocates, and judges in protecting the dignity and rights of persecuted individuals. Their remarks underscored the growing threats to queer and gender-nonconforming communities globally, and the urgency of legal systems that uphold both accountability and inalienable human rights.
The event, held at the Brooklyn courthouse, opened with remarks from Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle, who reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to equity and inclusion as he held up a Unified Court System (UCS) Bench Card, “Best Practices for Judges,” emphasizing their significance in supporting the judiciary’s understanding of key advocacy areas for LGBTQ rights. Hon. James Hyer, Supreme Court Justice in the Ninth Judicial District, delivered an in-depth presentation on the UCS Bench Card that focused on the importance of using inclusive language and pronouns in court.
In celebrating Professor Davis’s leadership, the court recognized not only a body of work but a vision for what justice can look like when rooted in human rights. At CUNY Law, Davis has long been a catalyst for this vision, mentoring students and leading groundbreaking clinic work that equip the next generation of lawyers to advocate at home and across borders.