Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the appointment of six new assistant district attorneys who were sworn into office on March 31.
The new hires—graduates of top law schools including Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell—have joined the Queens DA’s Office as part of the Spring 2025 incoming class.
“I am happy to welcome this impressive group of talented young lawyers to the Queens District Attorney’s Office,” Katz said. “They chose to start their prosecutorial careers in Queens and join us in our mission to keep our borough safe while also ensuring a fairer and more just criminal justice system for all.”
The newly sworn-in ADAs are Naomi-Beth Carter (Emory University of Law), Laurane Fumex (University of Connecticut School of Law), Emily Jilson (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law), Jessica Laguerre (Cornell Law School), Elizabeth Mullin (Columbia Law School), and Maria Simonova (Harvard Law School).
The new prosecutors are currently participating in an immersive, six-week orientation program designed to prepare them for the multifaceted work of the office. The training includes lectures, workshops and shadowing experienced prosecutors, along with visits to the NYPD’s laboratory, Emergency Services Unit and shooting range. They will also conduct ride-alongs with officers during active shifts.
Following the training, the new ADAs will rotate through various bureaus, including the Intake Bureau, the Domestic Violence Bureau, the Criminal Court Bureau and the Appeals Bureau.
The program is led by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Finnerty, Director of Litigation Training and Legal Hiring, and Assistant District Attorney Courtney Charles, Deputy Director of Litigation Training and Deputy Bureau Chief of Felony Trial Bureau III, under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Pishoy Yacoub.
