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Catherine A. Christian

Ms. Christian is a past President of the New York County Lawyers' Association, one of the largest metropolitan bar associations in the nation.  During her presidency the Association established pro bono programs to assist former prisoners with successful re-entry and low-income persons plagued by consumer debt.

Ms. Christian, an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office, is a member of the Executive Staff of the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York.  Her responsibilities include supervising projects involving office policies, legislative issues, community affairs and police practices.  She is a member of the New York County District Attorney's Office Brady Committee and Special Advisor to the new York County District Attorney's Office Diversity Committee.  She was originally appointed as Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office in 1988.  She served in the Trial Division until she entered private practice in 1995 as Of Counsel to Yi Tuan and Brunstein.  She investigated public corruption as an Assistant Counsel at the New York State Commission of Investigation.  She was Supervising Court Attorney for Bronx Criminal Court and Principal Court Attorney to the Honorable Rosalyn Richter.  In 1998, she was re-appointed an Assistant District Attorney and was assigned to the Office of the Speical Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York as Senior Trial Counsel.  As a member of the Special Investigations Bureau she  conducted complex investigations of international drug trafficking organizations.  She was promoted to Director of Legal Staff Training in 2001 and Counsel for Special Projects in 2007.

In 2010, the New York State Chief Judge appointed her to the Chief Judge's Attorney Emeritus Advisory Council.  In 2008, the Justices of the Appellate Division First Department appointed her to the Committee on Character and Fitness, New York State Appellate Division, First Department.

She is a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association; a member of the House of Delegates and Committee on Attorneys in Public Service of the New York State Bar Association.  She served for 6 years on the New York State Bar Association's Nominating Committee (2004 - 2010).  She is Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Nominating Committee, Diversity Award Committee and Public Service Awards Committee of the New York County Lawyer's Association.  She is a member of the Criminal Courts Committee and an Adjunct Member of the Judiciary Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

She served on the Board of Directors of Legal Services NYC for 8 years (2002 - 2010).

In 2008 she received the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section's Inaugural Liberty Achievement Award.  The award honors lawyers and judges who actively promote diversity within the legal community.

She is a graduate of the Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University.  She received a Bachelor of Arts with High Honors in Political Science from Hofstra University.