Cassandra Celestin has been the City Bar Justice Center’s Director of Pro Bono Initiatives since May 2021, where she serves as the primary liaison to law firms, corporate legal departments, individual attorneys, and other legal institutions to support and staff pro bono cases and clinics originating from CBJC’s dozen projects serving New York.

Prior to joining CBJC, Cassandra worked at The Children’s Law Center for 12 years where she represented children in custody, visitation, family offenses, paternity, and neglect and abuse cases. As an attorney for children, Cassandra gave her clients a voice during every stage of their legal proceeding. However, she was always mindful of the many pro se litigants who could not afford attorneys, but who desperately sought to have their voices heard in court. Cassandra has seen first-hand the consequences of parties appearing in court without representation, and she shares her skills and experience in client-centered advocacy with those engaged in pro bono work to promote access to justice and to ensure that the clients and communities served by the City Bar Justice Center are given a voice in their representation.

Cassandra is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law (2008). She has received basic mediation training and currently sits on the Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee at the NYC Bar Association.