Letitia James. Photo Credit: David Handschuh/ALM

New York Attorney General-Elect Letitia James is borrowing some of her top staff from her current office of New York City Public Advocate to head her transition team to statewide office, she announced on Tuesday.

James, a Democrat, named two co-executive directors of her transition committee and announced her pick for counsel to the committee, two of which are attorneys who currently work in the public advocate's office.

Larry Schimmel and Kimberly Peeler-Allen will both serve as co-executive directors of the transition committee. Schimmel, an attorney, is currently general counsel for investments and operations in the public advocate's office. Peeler-Allen is a co-founder of Higher Heights, a nonprofit group created to encourage black women to become involved in politics. She is not an attorney.

Jarret Hova, the current director of policy and counsel at the public advocate's office, will serve as counsel to the transition committee. He is an attorney.

“These three individuals will play integral roles in ensuring a seamless and thorough transition to the Attorney General's office and I have full confidence in their leadership,” James said in a statement. “With decades of experience in government and law, their insight and management will be invaluable assets to help create an Attorney General's Office that protects all New Yorkers.”

Schimmel, Peeler-Allen and Hova will be tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the transition committee. James also announced that the committee will operate its main office at Brooklyn Law School and will also use space at New York Law School.

Schimmel currently works in several different roles in his capacity as a general counsel in the public advocate's office. Among other roles, he's the representative trustee on the New York City Employees' Retirement System and occasionally represents the public advocate's office on the city's audit committee, which, among other functions, reviews an annual audit of the city and chooses the independent firm that conducts that audit.

Before his current role, Schimmel worked as deputy counsel and the director of pension policy in the public advocate's office. He's also held positions in the state comptroller's office and the State Assembly. He's a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.

“Under Attorney General James, the office will continue to lead the state and the nation in protecting the rights of individuals and I am eager to get to work to use the powers of the office to move us forward,” Schimmel said in a statement.

Peeler-Allen's background is more grounded in consulting than government. Since it was co-founded by Peeler-Allen in 2014, Higher Heights has created a network of more than 70,000 members, donors, and activists to support its efforts toward electing black women to office, according to a biography provided by James' transition team.

Before founding Higher Heights, Peeler-Allen was principal of her own consulting firm, which was the only African-American full-time fundraising consulting firm in New York State. The firm was based in New York City and operated for more than a decade.

“Letitia James has long fought for justice for all New Yorkers and as our next Attorney General, I know that she will continue to prioritize equal rights for residents in every corner of our state. I could not be more proud to help lead her transition team and to help her carry out her vision for the people of New York,” Peeler-Allen said in a statement.

Hova currently oversees the policy work, legislative portfolio, litigation and other legal action at the public advocate's office. He was previously counsel for strategic initiatives, legislative director and counsel to James.

He also worked as policy director for Tech:NYC, a nonprofit that represents the legislative and policy goals of technology companies in New York City. He lead legislative efforts for several tech companies in New York state government, including Google, Facebook and Bloomberg.

Hova has also held positions as committee counsel for the New York City Council and as legal counsel to the committee chair. He is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law.

“The New York Attorney General's Office has been a consistent and formidable force for protecting and advancing the rights of New Yorkers and now, more than ever, we need an Attorney General with the experience and passion to continue this legacy,” Hova said in a statement. “Attorney General-Elect Letitia James will be the force New Yorkers need on the frontlines protecting our interests and I am proud to play a role in crafting the office that will continue defending the rights of our communities.”

The executive staff has separate duties from the co-chairs of the transition committee, which James announced earlier this month. They include a few high-profile names, like former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, and former New York Attorney General Robert Abrams.

Julissa Reynoso, a partner at Winston & Strawn, and Craig Boise, dean of Syracuse University College of Law, were also named as co-chairs of the transition committee.

They are tasked with recruiting top attorneys for positions within the attorney general's office as well as helping develop initiatives for James to focus on after she's sworn in next year. James has already started to roll out her team for the office, announcing last week her choice for chief of staff and the attorneys who will head the divisions of criminal and social justice.

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