(New York, NY, Thursday, October 7, 2021) – The Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) congratulates WBASNY Past President, the Honorable Deborah A. Kaplan, on being appointed as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the New York City Courts.  In her new position, Judge Kaplan will oversee the day-to-day operations and management of the trial courts of the five boroughs of New York City, which are some of the busiest courts in the nation.  The appointment recognizes Judge Kaplan’s distinguished career and extraordinary leadership skills.

Since 2018 Judge Kaplan has served as Administrative Judge of New York County Supreme Court’s Civil Term, a position which has included overseeing these Courts during the Covid-19 epidemic and navigating the many difficulties that have arisen in the court system since the epidemic began. She has also served as the NYS Justice Task Force Tax Force Co-Chair, working on the critical mission of promoting fairness, effectiveness and efficiency in the criminal justice system; eradicating harms caused by wrongful convictions; furthering public safety; and recommending judicial and legislative reforms to advance its mission.  In 2015 Judge Kaplan assumed the role of statewide coordinating Judge for family violence cases.  She also served as interim administrative judge for civil and criminal matters in Richmond County from September, 2017 through January, 2018.

Judge Kaplan was first elected to New York City Civil Court in 2001, was later assigned to Criminal Court in Manhattan, was designated as an acting Supreme Court Justice in 2007, and was elected to the New York County Supreme Court in 2012.

WBASNY President, Dawn Reid Green commented on the announcement: “I am so proud of Judge Kaplan.  It is wonderful to have a Past President of WBASNY and a Past President of the Brooklyn Chapter of WBASNY take on this important role.  We know she is an exemplary leader and will excel in her new role.”

WBASNY salutes and thanks Judge Kaplan for her dedication to the courts she serves.   WBASNY wishes her the very best and looks forward to continuing to work with her in supporting WBASNY’s mission of the fair administration of justice.

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The Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) is the professional membership organization of choice for more than 4,000 attorneys throughout New York State, and the largest statewide women’s bar association in the country.  For over four decades, WBASNY has been a singularly important resource for women lawyers, offering professional networking, continuing legal education programming, leadership training, and advocacy for the rights of women, children, and families.  Through involvement with WBASNY’s 20 regional chapters and its 40-plus substantive law committees, WBASNY’s members collaborate with one another on a variety of issues and perform public and community service, in furtherance of its mission to promote the advancement of the status of women in society and women in the legal profession; to promote the fair and equal administration of justice; and to act as a unified voice for its members with respect to issues of statewide, national and international significance to women generally and women attorneys in particular. WBASNY holds United Nations NGO status with the U.N.’s Department of Public Information, and Special Consultative status in association with the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). WBASNY is also a founding member of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations.