CUNY Law clinical professor, CLEAR founder, and former White House advisor appointed to senior City Hall role
Prof. Ramzi Kassem and Mayor Zohran Mamdani
CUNY School of Law is pleased to announce that Professor Ramzi Kassem has been appointed Chief Counsel to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, effective January 1.
Professor Kassem is a member of the CUNY Law faculty and the founding director of the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) Clinic. His work focuses on constitutional law, civil rights, and the role of lawyers in democratic institutions. He has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and previously served as a senior policy advisor at the White House in the Biden Administration from 2022 to 2024.
“Professor Kassem brings a depth of experience in public service, legal advocacy, and clinical education,” notes Interim Dean Natalie Gomez-Velez. “Through his teaching and leadership at CUNY Law, he has helped students understand the responsibilities of lawyers working in and alongside communities and democratic institutions alike. We wish him well as he takes on this important role in City government.”
In remarks announcing his appointment on Tuesday, December 30, Professor Kassem described the role as both “a privilege and a calling.” He continued, stating, “Service has been the lodestar of my career, of my professional life, whether it’s service at the White House or at CUNY, one of the oldest and largest public institutions in our country, and specifically at a law school whose motto is law and the service of human needs.” He spoke about New York City as his first permanent and stable home after immigrating to the United States, and about his desire to give back to the city that welcomed him. He also underscored his commitment to serving all New Yorkers and supporting the Mayor’s agenda on behalf of the city.
As New York City’s public law school, CUNY School of Law is deeply connected to the civic life of the city and the communities it serves. Our faculty regularly contribute their expertise to public service and government at the local, state, and national levels. Faculty service in public roles is undertaken in an individual capacity and reflects the Law school’s longstanding commitment to experiential legal education, professional responsibility, and engagement with the institutions that shape public life.