Zachary Carter

Zachary W. Carter (LAW ’75) served as the 78th Corporation Counsel of the City of New York from January 2014–August 2019. As the chief legal officer of the city, he led the Law Department, which employs over 1,000 lawyers across sixteen operating divisions. Carter advised the mayor and city commissioners on all legal issues affecting city policies and operations.

Prior to his appointment, Carter was a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP. He served as head of the Trial Group at the firm’s New York City office and co-chair of the firm’s White Collar Crime and Civil Fraud practice.

Appointed by President Bill Clinton, Carter served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York from 1993 to 1999. During his tenure, he oversaw the high-profile civil rights prosecutions against the police officers who tortured a Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima, and the individuals charged with the bias motivated killing of a rabbinical student, Yankel Rosenbaum, during the Crown Heights riots.

He began his legal career as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, ultimately serving as a deputy chief of the criminal division. Thereafter, he joined Patterson Belknap as a senior litigation associate. Carter next accepted appointment as an Executive Assistant District Attorney in the office of the Kings Country District Attorney.

Carter has served on the board of directors of Marsh & McClellan Companies, where he was chair of the compliance committee and a member of the audit and special litigation committees. He has also served on the board of Cablevision, where he co-chaired its special litigation committee.

Non-profit board service has included the boards of the Brennan Center, the Vera Institute of Justice, and the New York University School of Law. He was elected Chairman of the Board of the Legal Society in October 2021.

Carter is a graduate of Cornell University and the New York University School of Law.