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Lawyers

Diane O. Lucas

Lawyers

Diane O. Lucas

Pro Bono Counsel for Racial Justice Initiatives
Litigation
New York

Pro Bono Counsel for Racial Justice Initiatives. Leads our efforts to create systemic change to address racial and social injustice and inequality.

Diane is our Pro Bono Counsel for Racial Justice Initiatives. She works with lawyers across the firm and with our nonprofit and community partners to develop, supervise and promote pro bono matters that reflect our commitment to creating systemic change to address racial and social injustice and inequality.

Diane has co-led our collaboration with the Louisiana-based Promise of Justice Initiative to obtain relief for people serving prison sentences based upon convictions by non-unanimous juries under a Jim Crow-era law. She also led our efforts on behalf of Eric Garner’s family in the judicial inquiry pursuing transparency regarding Garner’s death.

A frequent speaker on racial justice and civil rights issues, Diane serves on the board of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance and as co-chair of its Criminal Legal Working Group. Prior to joining Davis Polk, she held positions at the Justice Collaborative, the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State AG’s office, and the Legal Aid Society.

Education
J.D., Harvard Law School
  • General Editor, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review
B.A., Economics, New York University
  • cum laude
Clerkships
Law Clerk, Hon. Bernice B. Donald, U.S. District Court, W.D. Tennessee, 2007-2008
Professional history
  • Pro Bono Counsel for Racial Justice Initiatives, Davis Polk, 2020-present
  • Director of Community Engagement and Senior Legal Counsel, Justice Collaborative, 2018-2020
  • Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Bureau, Office of the New York State Attorney General, 2014-2018
  • Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Division, Legal Aid Society, 2011-2014
  • Associate, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, 2008-2011
Qualifications and admissions
  • State of New York
  • U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
  • U.S. District Court, N.D. New York
  • U.S. District Court, S.D. New York
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