TESTIMONY
Amy Millard, Nominee for the Conflicts of Interest Board, on Her Qualifications and Aspirations
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6 min
Amy Millard, a nominee for the Conflicts of Interest Board, outlines her extensive background in law and public service.
- Millard describes her journey from Nassau County to a distinguished career in law, spanning roles as a government lawyer, federal prosecutor, and partner in a law firm. - She highlights her experience and skills developed in the criminal justice system, including critical analysis, ethical judgment, and advocacy, which she believes make her well-suited for the board. - During her career, Millard has actively contributed to public and professional service through roles in the New York City Bar Association, judiciary committees, and the Women's White Collar Defense Association. - She emphasizes her dedication to upholding ethical standards and guidelines in government, advocating for fair representation and the importance of public trust. - Millard expresses her eagerness to leverage her experience in promoting ethical practices among public servants as a member of the Conflicts of Interest Board.
Amy Millard
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Thanks.
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Good afternoon, Chair Powers, Speaker Adams, and distinguished members of the committee on rules, privileges, and elections.
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It is an honor to be here today, and I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you.
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The conflicts of this board is critically important because it promotes public trust and city government.
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I want to serve because it will give them the opportunity to use my experience and the skills I developed in the criminal justice system, both as a government lawyer and in private practice, to ensure that public servants adhere to ethical standards and guidelines.
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The guidelines established and maintained by the board are critical in ensuring that city government is fair and equally important that it is perceived as fair.
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I grew up in a small town in Nassau County where I attended public school.
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My parents were of the generation who, following World War 2, returned to civilian life, started families, and ventured out of New York City to the nearby suburbs.
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I was the first one of my family to go to college, and I left New York at age seventeen to attend a small liberal arts college just outside of Chicago.
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After 2 years, missing both the diversity of New York and my family, I transferred to Barnard College of Columbia University and I never left New York again.
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I've lived in the city for 52 years.
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After graduating from Barnard and then getting a master's degree in history at NYU.
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I spent some time teaching college students at Bronx Community College to improve their literacy.
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And then worked at a nonprofit United Jewish appeal.
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In 1980, I returned to school getting my law degree from NYU in 1983.
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I was privileged to attain a 2 year clerkship with a federal judge in Manhattan, the honorable Whitman Napp, who, before being appointed to the bench, served as chair of the NAP commission on police corruption.
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My early training as a lawyer came from judge NAP.
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It was from him that I first learned the importance of respectful listening, careful and critical analysis of facts, understanding the law, applying the law to facts, and exercising judgment.
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I observed how our system of justice worked best when both the government and the defense were represented by experienced competent attorneys of integrity.
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It was my experience during the clerkship seeing dozens of lawyers appear before the judge in both civil and criminal matters that led me to choose a career in the criminal justice system.
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Choosing to deal with issues related to life and liberty rather than monetary damages.
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I served as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York for 9 years.
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Although there were guidelines as to which cases must be brought, I was given wide discretion when the circumstances warranted as to both charging decisions and recommendations concerning sentencing to the probation department whose advice judges often took into account.
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I mentored new assistant United States attorneys in learning analytical analytical skills and applying judgment and discretion to the matters they handled.
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And I was on the hiring committee making decisions about who among the extremely talented and qualified applicants had the experience and judgment to join the US attorney's office.
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After serving 9 years, Edison assistant United States attorney, I moved on, starting my own law practice and shortly thereafter, accepted an offer to join a small law firm as a partner My areas of focus were largely financial regulations, tax, and bribery.
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When I became a criminal defense lawyer, I utilized the same skills I had honed as a federal prosecutor.
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Careful listening, careful analysis of facts, presenting those facts to the government, and encouraging them to use their discretion wisely.
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I was proud to continue with a role in the criminal justice system.
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During my time in private practice, I continued to serve the public.
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I served on the New York City Bar Association's Criminal Law Committee, which addresses criminal justice policy issues, and also served on the judiciary committee, which evaluates the fitness of candidates for judicial office.
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I also served in leadership positions in Professional Associations.
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I helped found and chaired the New York chapter of the Women's White Collard Defense Association, and served on its executive board.
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The WWDA is a national and International Association dedicated to mentoring women in the field and encouraging diversity in the practice of white collar criminal defense.
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I've also been involved in charitable work for decades, serving in leadership positions at United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York.
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Throughout my practice, I have talked and spoken on ethics and conflicts of interest rules, both to law students in workshops at Harvard Law School And Cardoza Law School and to attorneys on professional panels at the New York City Bar Association.
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In my own practice, both as a prosecutor and as a defense lawyer, I have always been keenly aware of recognizing and evaluating complex issues.
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Often consulting with complex experts, both when I was at the US attorney's office and in private practice.
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Distinguished council members.
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I believe that my years of experience as an attorney, both in private practice and with the federal government, my civic and charitable work, and my experience speaking on teaching and evaluating conflicts issues qualify me to sit on the complex of interest board.
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I would welcome the opportunity to do so.
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I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.
