Nic Rangel ’12 to become new Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY) Executive Director
Nic Rangel ’12 is set to become the next Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY) this December.
LASNNY and Albany Law School have deep and extensive connections with dozens of students working with the organization annually and law school alumni serving as LASNNY staff and board members.
“Nic is the person we need to take LASNNY into our next century,” said James E. Hacker ’84, LASNNY Board Chair in a statement. Hacker is also a member of the law school’s Board of Trustees. “We have grown in size and capacity to serve our low-income clients, and with Nic at the helm we are confident in our future.”
“It is a tremendous honor to be entrusted with leading the largest nonprofit law firm in the capital region,” said Rangel in a statement. “The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York provides critical legal services across sixteen counties on issues ranging from tenant protections to education rights, and more. Access to civil legal services saves lives and helps stabilize families. I look forward to further empowering the organization and its staff to continue doing this outstanding and meaningful work into our next chapter as it prepares to celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2023.”
Rangel will be a critical part of a long-standing relationship between Albany Law and LASNNY that features many projects including:
- A $1 million grant to support HIV/AIDS victims with the Health Law Clinic with the Justice Center at Albany Law School
- Students serving in Rural Summer Legal Corps Fellowships
- Creation of the COVID Response Corps
- Providing Legal Services for St. Peter’s Patients
Rangel moves into the directorship after serving as the Second Deputy Counsel to the New York State Senate Majority, Office of Counsel and Program. She was also on the Conference Ethics Counsel.
In addition to LASNNY, Rangel is a Regional Deputy for the Hispanic National Bar Association, leads the Capital Region National Lawyers Guild Chapter, and is a member of other local bar associations.
Rangel is a current member of the law school’s Government Law Center advisory board, the advisory board for Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the University of Albany, and the Board of Directors for the University at Albany Alumni Association.
She is a volunteer with the LASNNY Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) program and serves on the New York State Attorney Admissions Committee on Character and Fitness for the Third Judicial District Appellate Division.
During her active time as an Albany Law School student she was:
- President of the Amnesty International Student Chapter for 3 years.
- Creator and Project Director for LGBT Rights Pro Bono Program.
- Member of:
- National Lawyers Guild & Legal Observer
- NYCLU Student Chapter
- Latin American Law Students Association
- Black Law Students Association
- Muslim Law Students Association
- Women’s Law Caucus
- WBASNY, NYSBA, ABA.
Rangel will succeed Lillian Moy, who served as LASNNY’s Executive Director for the past 27 years. Moy received the Humanitarian Achievement Award at the law school’s 2021 Grand Honors Awards.
“She is a rising star in our state, and she’ll be a great leader for LASNNY. I’m happy to be handing leadership to Nic, and I know the program will continue to expand its success under her leadership,” Moy said of Rangel in a statement.
Beyond her J.D. from Albany Law School, Rangel has a B.A. and a Master’s in Public Administration from State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany.