New Chair of New York City’s Commission on Human Rigts Carmelyn P. Malalis. CHR WEBSITE PHOTO
NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Carmelyn P. Malalis, a Filipino-American lawyer and activist, chair and Commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights (the commission), which had faced criticism for lethargy.
Malalis vowed to revitalize the commission, which is responsible for New York City’s efforts to enforce the New York City Human Rights Law, educate the public about the law, and work with governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations with similar functions.
Malalis’ appointment follows more than a decade of her career in private practice as an advocate for employees’ rights in the workplace. As Chair and Commissioner of the Commission, Malalis leads an agency with the dual roles of investigating complaints of discrimination and retaliation in employment, housing and public accommodations; and providing outreach, education and training to the public to prevent discrimination before it occurs and avert intergroup tension.
Prior to her appointment, Malalis was a partner at Outten & Golden LLP. She joined the firm in 2004 and represented individuals and classes of employees in New York City and across the country in civil rights and employment actions.
At the firm, she co-founded and co-chaired its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Workplace Rights Practice Group; co-chaired its Disability and Family Responsibilities Discrimination Practice Group; and successfully represented employees in negotiations, agency proceedings, and litigations involving claims of sexual harassment, retaliation, and discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, disability, and religious discrimination.
Previously, Malalis worked as a litigation associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and for the Honorable
Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
In recognition of her professionalism, commitment to civil rights and human rights, and her contributions to different marginalized communitiesMalalis has been awarded numerous honors throughout her career, including the Arthur S. Leonard Award (The New York City Bar Association), a Community Vision Award (The Lesbian & Gay Law Association of Greater New York), a Women on the Move Award (The Arthritis Foundation), a Pro Bono Publico Award (The Legal Aid Society), an inaugural Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award (The National LGBT Bar Association), and a Visionary and Policymaker Award as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the US (Filipina Women’s Network).
Malalis, a daughter of Filipino immigrants, earned her law degree from the Northeastern University School of Law and received a B.A. in women’s studies from Yale University. She and her spouse live in Brooklyn with their two children.