Department Of Social Services Head Steven Banks To Resign
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A longtime Bill de Blasio appointee is resigning.
Steve Banks, who originally joined the de Blasio administration as commissioner of the Human Resources Administration in 2014 and went on to lead the Department of Homeless Services as part of the joint management structure called the Department of Social Services, is resigning.
Banks, who worked with the Legal Aid Society prior to his appointment, is going to join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as special counsel for the firm's pro bono practice.
Banks will step down as commissioner at the end of the de Blasio administration on Dec. 31.
"For the past eight years, Commissioner Steve Banks has been a fearless advocate for the most vulnerable New Yorkers," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "From implementing the first-in-the-nation Right to Counsel Program, to ensuring services are readily available to those in need, Steve has delivered transformative change, moving mountains to make life better for millions of New Yorkers. His unwavering commitment to serving the most disadvantaged and building a fairer city makes him the perfect choice to join Paul, Weiss to provide pro bono legal aid."
"Steve Banks is a skilled and accomplished public servant, who has navigated complex government problems to find essential solutions on behalf of New Yorkers," said Mayor-elect Eric Adams. "I wish him well in his new endeavor."
"This is an extraordinary opportunity to serve as Special Counsel at Paul, Weiss, a firm with a storied history of public service and pro bono leadership," Banks said.