Incoming NYSBA President Taa Grays Prioritizes AI Readiness, Access to Justice, and Members’ Success
6.1.2026
“The mission of the New York State Bar Association is to be the leading voice for the legal profession,” said Taa Grays, the 129th president of the New York State Bar Association. “And we are the leading voice in three ways: We are advancing the success of our members; we are advancing equal access to justice … and advancing the rule of law.”
As the new president, Grays is focused on advancing the mission of the New York State Bar Association, as well as its growth and continued success.
Grays also spoke about making history as the New York State Bar Association’s first Black woman president.
“It took time for us to get here, but we are here,” she said. “And then Michelle Wildgrube, as the first Asian woman, is coming after me. It just shows how our commitment to diversity is continuing to bring more inclusive leadership into the organization.”
Grays emphasized that the association is committed to reflecting the legal community and those that it serves.
“Being in an organization that values and supports diversity – and creates an environment that fosters it – is important to me,” she said. “I want others to see our commitment and how it makes us a stronger organization.”
Equipping Members To Use AI Responsibly and Ethically
Grays plans on tackling several important issues impacting attorneys during her presidency. Chief among them is the rise of artificial intelligence in the legal profession.
“We can’t ignore it,” said Grays. “We must equip our members with resources on how to use the tool in a responsible way, in an ethical way – and in a way that supports their practice.”
In addition to the Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, almost all sections are already addressing AI with their members, and Grays plans to amplify their work. She also wants to create an easily accessible set of resources for members to understand AI.
Recognizing that many NYSBA members, especially solo practitioners, may not have resources or time to evaluate and understand AI tools, Grays wants the association to expand membership benefits with preferred AI tools and vendors.
“Although you’d have to do your own assessment to make sure that they suit your practice and what your needs are,” said Grays. “The association can give you a place where you can find tools you need.”
Grays envisions having AI vendors as sponsors and speakers at section meetings and destination meetings, as well as incorporating a technology expo into Annual Meeting. “We can help to allay the fears of some of our members about AI,” said Grays. “The tool is not going to replace us. It’s going to replace work that we do.”
Initiatives on Consumer Protection, Renewable Energy, Family Court, and More
Grays will be partnering with the sections on many of her initiatives as well. “I am going to work through the sections to put my initiatives in place,” she said. “Past President Domenick Napoletano did that, and I think it’s a great way of harnessing the expertise, the energy and the leadership of the organization.”
One of the initiatives is consumer protection issues regarding terms and conditions agreements, which the Business Law Section will address.
“People want services, they want apps,” Grays said. “They want these things, and to get those things, they usually have to review a very long and not very easy to understand document. Are people really knowingly consenting? … The majority of people don’t [read it]. They know they’re not going to understand it.”
Grays said that while she understands that corporations must protect themselves and comply with regulations, it is also important to make the agreements understandable for consumers. The Business Law Section will determine the best ways of balancing these concerns and propose recommendations to make terms and conditions agreements more accessible to the average person.
Grays also wants to tackle the issue of renewable and sustainable energy, especially as governments examine these industries and people struggle with gas prices.
“It’s an issue of the now,” Grays said. “I’m working with the Environmental and Energy Law Section to refresh some of the reports that we’ve done as they relate to renewable and sustainable energy. Also, I asked the section to identify any new issues that we should be examining so we can provide good thought leadership to those that are making decisions in this area.”
Another initiative will be to make recommendations for the challenges facing people in Family Court, including helping them navigate the legal process.
“In Family Court, a number of the litigants are pro se,” Grays said. “As they try to resolve very emotionally fraught issues, they have to struggle to navigate a system they don’t understand.”
Grays will partner with the Family Law Section, the President’s Committee on Access to Justice, and the Committees on Families and Law, Children and the Law and Mandated Representation, among others, on this initiative. Chief Judge Rowan Wilson has also identified this as one of his own priorities.
“There are a lot of people that are now focusing on this because we know that it’s in crisis,” Grays said. “I think the bar has a role in being able to use our expertise and our talents to see how we can help make that situation less stressful for the parties.”
Grays also plans on continuing the work of Rural Ready, addressing New York’s legal deserts and the justice gap, and creating a Committee on Education within the association.
Making History, Looking to the Future
She said that she will continue to follow the New York State Bar Association’s strategic plan regarding membership sustainability, making the organization easier to operate and more financially viable.
“We’re a member-driven organization – membership sustainability is being strategic about how we recruit and retain our members,” Grays said. “It isn’t enough to just bring them through the door; we must do things to ensure they know the association is an organization for you – our members. They have to continue to feel that they are getting value from the organization.”
Grays is a seasoned in-house corporate professional who worked for a Fortune 50 company. She has been a member of the New York State Bar Association since 1998 and has served in numerous leadership roles, including as secretary from 2021 to 2025.
Grays earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and received her bachelor’s from Harvard University.
Looking forward to the New York State Bar Association’s continued 150th anniversary celebration, Grays plans on creating a dynamic archive to store and preserve the association’s long history, including member stories and memorabilia.
“We’ve done a lot of great stuff that a lot of people don’t know about,” Grays said. “We have been a significant part of history internationally, nationally and in our state. This project is designed to gather all that history and create an archive for it. But the archive wouldn’t be static; it would be a dynamic archive, because I do expect that we will be around for the next 150 years and the next 150 years after that. Today I’m in the present, but in another 30 or 40 years, this moment – me being the first Black woman president – is a moment that will be in history.”
