Barbados-born jurist, Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix, has been confirmed as New York City’s new Corporation Counsel, following a historic 51-0 vote by the New York City Council.
Hinds-Radix is the first-ever Caribbean-born woman to serve in that capacity.
As Corporation Counsel, Hinds-Radix will lead the City’s Law Department, primarily responsible for providing legal representation to the City, the Mayor, other elected officials, and City agencies in all affirmative and defensive civil litigation. Her last position was an associate justice of the New York State Appellate Division, Second Department, where she served as an associate justice since 2021.
In early January, newly elected New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Justice Hinds-Radix as the City’s Corporation Counsel. She conducted the mayor’s swearing-in ceremony on January 2 at the Times Square New Year’s Celebration in midtown Manhattan.
Mayor Adams applauded the City Council for confirming Justice Hinds-Radix and Jocelyn Strauber as the Department of Investigation (DOI) commissioner.
“I thank the Council for recognizing the tremendous talent and experience Justice Hinds-Radix and Ms. Strauber will bring to their respective roles by voting to confirm them to lead the Law Department and the Department of Investigation today,” said Adams in a statement.
“I made a commitment that our administration will be guided by the values of accountability, transparency, and fidelity to the highest ethical standards. I look forward to working with these two individuals to ensure we live up to that commitment and ‘Get Stuff Done’ on behalf of all New Yorkers.”
In appointing Justice Hinds-Radix in January, Adams, the second Black man to become Mayor of New York City after the late David N. Dinkins, said the jurist “has not only the brilliant legal mind but also the emotional intelligence needed to lead the department as our next Corporation Counsel. I congratulate her on her history-making appointment.”
Hinds-Radix – an eminent jurist who, in 2020, was designated a member of the New York State Constitutional Bench – was elated with her confirmation.
“I’m very excited, and I’m thankful that I was nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council,” Justice Hinds-Radix told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).”
“I look forward to serving as Corporation Counsel and serving the City of New York with integrity and fairness to ensure that this City is a fair and just city for all New Yorkers.”
“I have been on the bench for 20 years. I had the opportunity to serve as a judge, but I’m looking forward to this new role and to deal with issues of policy and law. I’ve also done public service, and I look forward to continue serving in that role.”
Before her appointment to the Appellate Division, Justice Hinds-Radix served as Administrative Judge for Civil Matters in the Second Judicial District for three and a half years.
Hinds-Radix, the first and current president of the Brooklyn-based Caribbean American Lawyers Association (CALA), was elected to the Supreme Court, Kings County (Brooklyn) in November 2004. She served as a New York City Civil Court Judge from 2002 through 2004, spending her first year in the Criminal Court of Kings County.
She began her legal career at District Council (DC) 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services, a supervising attorney. DC 37 is the largest union representing municipal workers in New York City.
In February 2021, New York’s Unified Court System’s Committee to Celebrate Black History Month, The Tribune Society, Inc., and the Judicial Friends Association bestowed the Hon. Theodore “Ted” Jones Lifetime Achievement Award on Justice Hinds-Radix. CMC
