Judge Jonathan Lippman
Of Counsel, Latham & Watkins; Former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of the State of New York
As Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of the State of New York from 2009 through 2015, Jonathan Lippman educated judges throughout New York State about the harm of human trafficking and the needs of victims and survivors. In 2013, he established the Human Trafficking Intervention Courts across New York State, creating the nation’s first statewide system of dedicated court parts designed to intervene in the lives of trafficked human beings and to help them break the cycle of exploitation and arrest. He is now Of Counsel in Latham & Watkins’ New York office and a leader in pro bono and justice reform work, including as Chair of the Independent Rikers Commission and President of the Historical Society of the New York Courts.
“In cases involving human trafficking, New York’s courts see the injustice of human beings—from halfway across the world and from our own backyards—who have been subjected to horrific abuse and victimized in the worst possible way. I am proud to say our courts are taking a leadership role in responding to this terrible scourge on our society.”