Audra Soloway Interviews Steve Banks, a Pioneering Advocate For New York City’s Poor, on His Move to Paul, Weiss

Litigation partner Audra Soloway interviewed pro bono special counsel Steve Banks about his decision to join Paul, Weiss and his work at the NYC Department of Social Services and the Legal Aid Society. They also discussed his previous accomplishments, including establishing the right to counsel for tenants in housing court, and his plans for the future of the Paul, Weiss pro bono department.

“Paul, Weiss has a rich, storied history of public service; it’s in the DNA of the law firm,” says Steve. “I wanted to be part of that. I’ve always believed as a lawyer that you can serve the public in a number of different ways.”

“The staff that does the pro bono work, the partners, the associates, the counsel that are providing the services directly, just do extraordinary work,” Steve adds. “I really want to be part of a team, to help move the work forward, to help write the next chapter. There’s so much work going on at the firm now in terms of racial justice, reproductive justice, pandemic relief still, voting rights, immigration work; there’s so much to do here and the firm has demonstrated that you can be a private law firm in public service.”