Emmett Gienapp
Brooklyn,NY
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Staff Attorney, Bronx Neighborhood Office Housing Practice
The Legal Aid Society
New York, NY
09.2022 - Current
- Provide full representation to low-income tenants in Bronx Housing Court as part of the city's Right to Counsel program, successfully preserving the housing of over 120 families and individuals to date
- Manage a high-volume caseload of non-payment and holdover eviction proceedings, handling matters from intake through resolution, including negotiation, motion practice, and trial
- Counsel clients on rights, rent stabilization protections, and legal options while coordinating benefits
- Litigate cases involving illegal lockouts, rent overcharges, public housing, and habitability conditions
Legislative Director for NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky
New York State Senate
Albany, NY
12.2021 - 09.2022
- Managed Sen. Kaminsky's legislative portfolio, tracking legislation, advancing the Senator's priorities, and keeping him apprised of significant legal and policy developments
- Drafted bill language and prepared recommendations on bill introduction, co-sponsorship, and floor votes
- Researched a wide range of legal issues and prepared memoranda to inform decisions and committee work
- Served as primary point of contact for advocates, lobbyists, legislative staff, and other stakeholders on pending legislation and policy matters
Legislative Fellow for NYS Senator Jamaal Bailey
New York State Senate
Albany, NY
09.2021 - 12.2021
Legislative and Policy Advocacy Clinic
Fordham University School of Law
New York, NY
01.2020 - 12.2020
- Successfully drafted and advocated for a statutory amendment to adjust New York's interest rate for consumer debt judgments
- Presented regular progress updates to clinic supervisors and worked closely with community partners including the Legal Aid Society, Mobilization for Justice, and Fordham's Feerick Center for Social Justice
Legal Intern — Decarceration Project
The Legal Aid Society
New York, NY
06.2020 - 08.2020
- Prepared writs of habeas corpus challenging the legality of pre-trial detentions during COVID-19
- Updated internal Legal Aid guidance and training materials to reflect changes to New York's new bail law
Legal Intern
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
New York City Metropolitan Area
05.2019 - 08.2019
- Supported Employment Law Unit attorneys by drafting charges and related documents for the agency's internal disciplinary proceedings involving city employees charged with misconduct
- Conducted legal research across a range of subjects for the Deputy General Counsel for Health
Police Reporter
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Chattanooga, TN
12.2015 - 08.2018
- Covered law enforcement, courts, and public safety for one of Tennessee's largest daily newspapers
- Reported across the full spectrum of the criminal legal system, from breaking news to long-form investigations, with work picked up by the Associated Press
Education
Doctor of Law (J.D.) - Focus in Public Interest And Service Law
Fordham University School of Law
New York, NY05-2021
Bachelor of Arts - English
Covenant College
Lookout Mountain, GA05-2016
Skills
- Legal: Housing Court Litigation, Tenant Rights & Eviction Defense, Right to Counsel, Motion Practice, Rent Stabilization Law
- Policy & Legislative: Legislative Drafting, Policy Analysis & Memoranda, Stakeholder & Coalition Engagement
- Other: Investigative Journalism, Public Records / FOIA, Public Safety Policy, Criminal Legal System
Timeline
Staff Attorney, Bronx Neighborhood Office Housing Practice
The Legal Aid Society
09.2022 - Current
Legislative Director for NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky
New York State Senate
12.2021 - 09.2022
Legislative Fellow for NYS Senator Jamaal Bailey
New York State Senate
09.2021 - 12.2021
Legal Intern — Decarceration Project
The Legal Aid Society
06.2020 - 08.2020
Legislative and Policy Advocacy Clinic
Fordham University School of Law
01.2020 - 12.2020
Legal Intern
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
05.2019 - 08.2019
Police Reporter
Chattanooga Times Free Press
12.2015 - 08.2018
Bachelor of Arts - English
Covenant College
Doctor of Law (J.D.) - Focus in Public Interest And Service Law
Fordham University School of Law