Justin Deabler

Justin Deabler is the General Counsel and SVP at Queens Public Library. Justin has also served as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York from May 2013 to October 2019. During their time as Assistant Attorney General, Justin was a three-time recipient of the Louis J. Lefkowitz Memorial Award for outstanding performance on behalf of the State of New York. This was in recognition of, inter alia, co-authoring the Office of the Attorney General's 2013 "Report on Arrests Arising from the New York City Police Department’s Stop-and-Frisk Practices," an analysis conducted by the OAG and Columbia Law School faculty.

Some of Justin's notable cases include leading a statewide initiative to remove barriers to school enrollment for refugee/immigrant students; filing a summary proceeding against a multinational fast food franchisor, seeking joint employer liability for wage and hour violations by franchisees in New York; and settling with the Boy Scouts of America, resulting in the group rescinding its longstanding ban on openly gay adult troop leaders nationwide.

Justin Deabler completed their undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College, where they earned a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology. Justin then went on to Bard College at Simon's Rock to earn an A.A. in Political Science and Government. Finally, they attended Harvard Law School, where they earned a Doctor of Law (J.D.) magna cum laude.

They work with Gitte Peng - Chief of Staff, SVP, Nick Buron - Chief Librarian, SVP, and Sung Mo Kim - Chief Operating Officer, SVP. Justin Deabler reports to Dennis M. Walcott, President and CEO.