New Faces, New Opportunities: NYSBA Looks Ahead to the 2027 Legislative Session
11.9.2026
The results of the 2026 General Election will bring significant changes to the State Legislature when lawmakers return to Albany in January. For the New York State Bar Association, those changes present both opportunities and challenges as the association prepares to advance its legislative priorities and advocate for policies affecting the legal profession, the administration of justice, and access to legal services.
Gov. Kathy Hochul resoundingly secured reelection to a second full term, while Attorney General Letitia James and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli won reelection by solid margins. In the Legislature, Democrats expanded their majorities in both chambers, regaining a two-thirds supermajority in the State Senate and strengthening their supermajority in the Assembly.
According to preliminary election results, Senate Democrats are expected to hold 47 of the chamber’s 63 seats, while Assembly Democrats are projected to hold 112 of 150 seats. These results remain unofficial pending completion of the canvass and certification process.
Changing Legislative Landscape
Beyond the election results, the Legislature is preparing for substantial turnover. Dozens of new lawmakers will take office in January, while the departures of several longtime legislators, including Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris of Queens and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes of Buffalo will create changes not only in legislative leadership and committee assignments but also regional leadership.
These developments are particularly significant for NYSBA, which regularly engages with lawmakers and legislative committees on matters affecting New York’s courts, attorneys, and the public they serve, creating opportunities for the association to introduce newly elected legislators to longstanding NYSBA policies and provide legal expertise on emerging issues.
Advancing NYSBA’s Legislative Priorities
Throughout the 2026 legislative session, NYSBA advocated for policies aimed at strengthening access to justice, supporting the independence of the judiciary, maintaining the effective operation of the courts, and ensuring adequate funding for legal services. These remain core to the association’s 2027 Legislative Priorities.
As the 2027 legislative session approaches, the association will continue working with its sections, committees, and leadership to advance positions established through its policy development process.
The new session also marks the beginning of a two-year legislative cycle. Legislation that did not become law during the 2025- 2026 cycle will generally need to be reintroduced, offering opportunities for NYSBA to renew its advocacy on longstanding issues while responding to new proposals.
Attorneys Among the New Faces in Albany
Among those joining the Legislature in January are several attorneys whose professional backgrounds span public defense, immigration law, civil rights, and private practice.
Their experience in the legal profession brings additional perspectives to legislative deliberations on issues affecting New York’s courts, the administration of justice, and access to legal representation.
For NYSBA, the arrival of lawmakers with firsthand experience in legal practice presents opportunities for substantive engagement as the association advances its legislative priorities and provides policymakers with the expertise of its members, sections, and committees.
Sarah Rogerson (D) State Senate District 44 (Saratoga and Schenectady counties) is an immigration and public interest attorney, distinguished professor of law at Albany Law School, and director of its Edward P. Swyer Justice Center. She founded the school’s Immigration Law Clinic. Rogerson defeated longtime state Senator James Tedisco in the 44th Senate District, according to unofficial election results. Rogerson, a NYSBA member, has contributed to the association’s work on immigration representation and access to justice.
Christopher Murray (D) State Senate District 1 (Suffolk County) is a partner at Rivkin Radler with more than 30 years of experience in environmental, civil rights and commercial litigation. He has also provided volunteer legal assistance through NYCLU and founded the Autism Legal Foundation.
Joseph Rand (D) State Senate District 38 (Rockland County) is a Georgetown Law graduate and former litigation attorney, federal judicial law clerk, and law instructor at Brooklyn and Fordham law schools. He subsequently worked in real estate and served as mayor of Nyack.
David Siffert (D) State Assembly, District 66 (Manhattan) is a civil rights attorney and NYU law professor whose work includes technology regulation, immigration, government transparency and civil liberties.
Eli Northrup (D), State Assembly District 69 (Manhattan) is a public defender and policy director for the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders, with experience in criminal justice reform, due process, cannabis law and access to justice.
Looking Ahead to 2027
The expanded legislative majorities and anticipated leadership changes could influence the pace and direction of policymaking in Albany. However, the association’s advocacy remains guided by its adopted policies and its longstanding commitment to the legal profession and the public interest.
Among the association’s continuing priorities are improved funding for assigned counsel and attorneys for children, expanded access to civil legal services, immigration representation, court modernization, and reforms that promote the fair and effective administration of justice.
Member engagement will remain essential to those efforts. The expertise of NYSBA’s sections and committees provides an important foundation for legislative memoranda, testimony, policy recommendations, and direct engagement with elected officials.
As Albany prepares for a new legislative session, NYSBA will continue serving as a resource to lawmakers on issues affecting New York’s legal system and advocating for policies that strengthen the administration of justice.
Members can learn more about NYSBA’s legislative advocacy and priorities by visiting the Government Relations Department.
