Access Justice Brooklyn is incredibly proud to celebrate Peter S. White II as he steps into his new role as Director of New York City’s first-ever Office of Deed Theft Prevention.
We are deeply grateful to Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani for establishing this critical office and bringing long-overdue attention to deed theft—an issue that has devastated too many communities, particularly communities of color and older homeowners. As the Mayor said, “The theft of a home is the theft of a family’s future,” and this new office marks a meaningful step toward protecting generational wealth and preventing displacement across our city.
During his time with us, Peter has been a tireless advocate for homeowners, working on the front lines to combat foreclosure and deed theft while safeguarding the stability of Brooklyn families. Reflecting on his new role, Peter shared that he is “deeply humbled” and looks forward to “protecting working-class homeowners across the city.
AJB’s President and CEO Lilia Toson also expressed the following: “Peter White is a brilliant lawyer and advocate whose combined skill, expertise, and deeply rooted respect for and dedication to his community uniquely defines him as a leader. We take great pride in knowing that Peter will now have the opportunity to bring his talents beyond Brooklyn, serving communities across all five boroughs of New York City.”
While we will greatly miss him, we are excited to see Peter bring his passion and experience to this important citywide effort. Join us in congratulating Peter on this well-deserved next chapter.
On Thursday, March 19, 2026 Access Justice Brooklyn President & CEO Lilia Toson testified before the New York City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection Preliminary Budget Hearing to call the Council’s attention to the need for additional resources to effectively operate limited-scope programs for pro se consumer defendants in Brooklyn Civil Court.
New York City’s Civil Courts have jurisdiction over monetary claims of up to $50,000, such as credit card debt, auto loans, medical debt, student loans, and rental arrears. To assist defendants in these matters, two limited-scope legal services programs operate across the New York City Civil Court system: the Consumer Legal Advice and Resource Office (CLARO) programs, and the Volunteer Lawyer for the Day (VLFD) programs. Not-for-profit legal services organizations staff these programs in each borough, largely in partnership with law schools to increase the programs’ capacity. In Brooklyn, Access Justice Brooklyn operates both the CLARO and VLFD programs.
During her testimony, Lilia shared the following: “As many as seventy to eighty people seek assistance at Brooklyn CLARO on any given day, which is a number that has increased substantially since the pandemic. Compared to 2019, in 2025 we have handled an increase of nearly forty percent in matters for consumer defendants, relying on the same level of staff. The increase demand far exceeds the capacity of the CLARO program.”
As most consumer defendants are people with low incomes, access to private counsel represents a prohibitive expense, making the Civil Court’s pro se programs their only source of legal assistance. The CLARO and VLFD programs therefore represent crucial resources for consumers without representation, and the status of these programs in Brooklyn Civil Court illustrates that the need for assistance has outpaced the level of capacity that funding currently supports. These programs have largely maintained their level of impact through the generous support of volunteers and through the efforts of Access Justice Brooklyn’s staff to meet with as many people as possible despite time and resource constraints.
Killian A. Lewis Founder and Principal Consultant Aurora Way Consulting, LLC
Brooklyn, New York –– Access Justice Brooklyn announces a change in leadership of the organization’s Board of Directors, with the elections of Caroline Conway and Lynn Judell, Of Counsel, Rukab Brash PLLC as Co-Chairs following the organization’s meeting held on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, along with the election of two new members, Temidayo Aganga-Williams, Partner at Selendy Gay PLLC and Killian A. Lewis, Founder and Principal Consultant at Aurora Way Consulting, LLC.
As Access Justice Brooklyn’s longstanding Chair of the Board, having served in the role since 2019, Lynn Judell reflected on the new configuration of the organization’s executive committee, saying the following:
“I am delighted to serve as Co-Chair of the Board of Access Justice Brooklyn along with Caroline Conway, who has distinguished herself as a dynamic and extremely effective co-head of AJB’s development committee. While I have been in this role many years, I remain energized and constantly inspired by AJB’s work and mission to provide high-quality, pro bono legal services and community education to our neighbors. Caroline and I, along with our Vice Chair Daniel Angel, Treasurer Lisa Braun and Secretary Michael Watson, and our dedicated staff, volunteers, and board will continue to strive to remove barriers to the legal system and close the justice gap.”
In elevating her leadership role with Access Justice Brooklyn and deepening her commitment to the advancement of the organization, Caroline Conway shared the following:
“Access Justice Brooklyn changes lives. When individuals gain access to legal support and financial knowledge, they’re empowered to advocate for themselves, safeguard their families, and take control of their futures. I’m proud to step into this role alongside Lynn Judell and excited for everything that lies ahead.”
As the result of intentional and essential recruitment efforts, joining Access Justice Brooklyn’s Board of Directors are Temidayo Aganga-Williams, Partner at Selendy Gay PLLC and Killian A. Lewis, Founder and Principal Consultant at Aurora Way Consulting, LLC. The new members offered the following upon their elections:
“I’m honored to join the Board of Access Justice Brooklyn and contribute to an organization deeply committed to expanding access to legal services and strengthening communities across Brooklyn. This important work helps ensure that individuals and families can navigate legal challenges with the guidance and support they deserve. I look forward to supporting that mission,” said Temidayo.
“I’m honored to join the Board of Access Justice Brooklyn and support the organization’s critical work expanding access to legal resources across Brooklyn. I’m especially excited to help elevate the visibility of its mission and connect more members of the community to the resources and advocacy that can make a meaningful difference in their lives,” said Killian.
Access Justice Brooklyn President & CEO, Lilia Toson then shared the following:
“We’re thrilled to welcome Temidayo Aganga-Williams and Killian A. Lewis to Access Justice Brooklyn’s Board of Directors at such a pivotal moment, as Caroline joins Lynn in leadership. Both are Brooklynites deeply invested in our mission and vision for a more equitable Brooklyn. Each also brings a wealth of skills and talents that will further strengthen our organization and Board. We look forward to working with Temidayo and Killian.”
In her inaugural year as Access Justice Brooklyn’s President & CEO, Lilia Toson will continue the organization’s Board recruitment efforts, seeking diverse candidates – lawyers and cross industry professionals – who possess the combined values, dedication, expertise, networks, and skills needed to fulfill the organization’s mission, surpass its programmatic and fundraising goals, secure new stakeholders, and strategically guide Access Justice Brooklyn to new levels of impact within the economic justice space. With the integration of financial literacy education and coaching, candidates within the finance industry are particularly critical to the organization and expansion of the Board. Learn more here.
Brooklyn, New York –– Access Justice Brooklyn announces the appointment of two new members to its Young Professionals Board (YPB) following the organization’s Board meeting held on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Joining Access Justice Brooklyn’s YPB are Martese Johnson, Associate at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, and Caleb Mims, Legal Marketing Specialist at Rubenstein. “We are very happy to have Martese Johnson and Caleb Mims join Access Justice Brooklyn’s Young Professionals Board. Martese and Caleb are both excited to utilize their talents in support of services that contribute to economic justice, helping ensure that income does not represent a barrier to legal help and financial stability. We’re eager to integrate Martese and Caleb into our work and community,” said Lilia Toson, Access Justice Brooklyn President & CEO.
Upon their appointment, the new members shared the following:
“As a Southside Chicago native and a resident of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, I have both observed and experienced first-hand the injustices that persist as a result of citizens’ lack of access to sufficient legal knowledge and representation. Access Justice Brooklyn’s organizational mission to bridge the justice gap is synonymous with one of the major reasons I climb out of bed each morning. I am elated to join the YPB, and to serve as a resource to AJB and the larger Brooklyn community,” said Martese.
“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the growing impact that Access Justice Brooklyn has had in building a more equitable Brooklyn; it’s a huge honor and responsibility to help remove systemic barriers,” said Caleb.
Access Justice Brooklyn’s YPB supports the organization’s Board of Directors and its goal of closing the justice gap for individuals facing foreclosure, insurmountable debt, and other threats to their economic security – strengthening Brooklyn families and communities. The YPB unites rising professionals across the legal and non-legal sectors who are motivated to utilize their time, experience, and unique skill sets in service of Access Justice Brooklyn’s mission and vision for an equitable Brooklyn.
Access Justice Brooklyn is in an exciting phase of the organization’s lifecycle, with Lilia Toson driving operational advancement and strategic growth. Therefore, with a wave of momentum and new engagement opportunities, Access Justice Brooklyn seeks to add several new YPB members including dedicated and socially conscious young professionals with a deep commitment to access to justice and economic security, and who bring innovative ideas and a passion for helping underserved communities in Brooklyn. Strong leadership abilities, a collaborative spirit, and a network of connections within the legal, financial, nonprofit, or corporate sectors are highly valued. Learn more here.
The Access Justice Brooklyn 2026 Winter Newsletter is here! Follow this link to read the latest edition covering the following:
An inaugural message from Lilia Toson, President & Chief Executive Officer: Read about Lilia’s vision for AJB and her connection and commitment to our Brooklyn community.
AJB – A Year in Review: Learn about our responsive approach to evolving legal needs in 2025 and view our program video for an overview of our impact and programmatic priorities: Invest in our AJB Community – Invest in Justice
Celebrating Innovative Leaders: A highlight of our 2025 Annual Gala, honorees, and generous sponsors.
Upcoming Events and Engagement Opportunities: Discover the range of events, CLEs, and pathways to support our critical work.
We are excited to introduce Aaron Scheinwald, an experienced public interest attorney, who we welcomed to the Access Justice Brooklyn team in April 2022 as a Staff Attorney for our Homeowner Assistance program. Aaron joins us following years with NYLAG, serving most recently as the Acting Director in their Storm Response Unit.
Aaron Scheinwald, Staff Attorney “I’m excited to join an organization that is unafraid to take hard cases, and that focuses its mission as much on community education and maximizing access to justice as its does core legal services. Access Justice Brooklyn is that place: we work to help the more vulnerable members of the community achieve justice in a frequently unfriendly system by meeting clients and their legal problems where they are, by sharing critical information and tools throughout the borough, and by taking the time to form community and pro bono relationships to expand our impact. I am proud to join Access Justice Brooklyn, to serve Brooklyn and to achieve a more just society.”
As Staff Attorney for Access Justice Brooklyn, Aaron will help lead our foreclosure prevention work which delivers critical advice and representation to hundreds of Brooklyn homeowners facing foreclosure every year. To learn more about the services we provide through our Homeowner Assistance program, click here.
