Nora Christenson

Nora Christenson is the Chief Hurrell-Harring Implementation Attorney. Since joining ILS in 2015, Nora has worked to implement the terms of the Hurrell-Harring v. State of New York Settlement; first, as the team’s Caseload Relief Implementation Attorney and now, in her current role as its leader. Nora also serves as ILS’s Raise the Age Liaison and works with stakeholders on implementation of New York’s 2017 legislation raising the age of criminal responsibility for some crimes from 16 to 18 years old. She has given numerous trainings on this issue throughout the state. Nora is also a member of the National Association of Public Defenders Workloads Committee.

Prior to joining ILS, Nora was an attorney at The Legal Aid Society in New York City. There, Nora worked as a criminal trial attorney in Brooklyn, NY and helped start the Community Justice Unit (formerly Anti-Gun Violence Unit), a New York City-wide community outreach team that partnered with community-based organizations to bring criminal and civil legal services, early intervention in criminal cases, and Know Your Rights education to community members.

While in law school Nora worked at The Innocence Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Redhook Community Justice Center. Nora received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School where she was an Edward V. Sparer Public Interest Fellow, a Prince Scholar, a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, Appellate Division (Constitutional Law team), and received various awards for scholarship in writing and coursework as well as dedication to public service. She received her B.A., magna cum laude, in Journalism from New York University.