Justice Together

On May 17, we spent an evening honoring and celebrating 25 years of the Center alongside our supporters and partners.

Honoring

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

The Honorable Jonathan Lippman, former New York State Chief Judge and Of Counsel, Latham & Watkins

COMMUNITY INNOVATOR

Shaun Leonardo, Artist and Advocate

CORPORATE INNOVATOR

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

PHILANTHROPIC INNOVATOR

The Tow Foundation

Center for Court Innovation People Centered Programming

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Together, we can achieve justice and equity; create safe, healthy, and thriving communities; and transform justice systems.

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Transforming Justice Together: the Center at 25

The Center of Court Innovation works to achieve justice and equity, create safe and thriving communities, and, ultimately, transform justice systems. Hear Center leaders and experts in the field discuss the Center’s origin story and the progress we’ve made in our first 25 years.

Our Honorees

Lifetime Achievement Award: Judge Jonathan Lippman

Judge Jonathan Lippman played an essential role in helping found the Center for Court Innovation in 1996 and supporting it during his tenures as New York State’s chief administrative judge (1996-2007) and chief judge (2009-2015). As a leader, he championed a wide range of reforms. He made New York a leader in the development of problem-solving courts, such as drug treatment and domestic violence courts, to improve outcomes for victims, litigants, and communities. He also strengthened access to justice initiatives by, among other things, providing more funding for civil legal services and resources for self-represented litigants.

This short video spotlights Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Jonathan Lippman's career and impact.

Center Executive Director Courtney Bryan, left, joined by emcee and CNN Anchor Don Lemon and Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Jonathan Lippman. — Center Executive Director Courtney Bryan, left, joined by emcee and CNN anchor Don Lemon and Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Jonathan Lippman.

Community Innovator: Shaun Leonardo

Queens-born and Brooklyn-based artist, performer, and advocate Shaun Leonardo, and our Community Innovator honoree, has played a key role in using art to help communities and those impacted by the justice system thrive, including by working with our Project Reset diversion programming.

Shaun Leonardo discusses his work as artist and advocate with Saadiq Newton-Boyd, community affairs manager with our Brooklyn Justice Initiatives.

Shaun Leonardo and Saadiq Newton-Boyd, Center for Court Innovation — Saadiq Newton-Boyd, right, presents the Community Innovator Award to Shaun Leonardo.

Corporate Innovator: JPMorgan Chase

Our Corporate Innovator honoree, JPMorgan Chase, has been a leader in fostering employment through its Second Chance Agenda, which seeks to remove the barriers to employment and economic opportunity facing the millions of Americans with an arrest or conviction record.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon discusses the impact of the Second Chance Agenda and the company’s work with the Center for Court Innovation.

Parag V. Mehta and Nan Gibson, JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter — Accepting the Corporate Innovator Award on behalf of JPMorgan Chase are Parag V. Mehta and Nan Gibson of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter.

Philanthropic Innovator: The Tow Foundation

The Tow Foundation received the “Philanthropic Innovator” award at our 25th Anniversary benefit for supporting new ideas and initiatives that promote a more equitable, fair, and safe justice system, with the ultimate goal of ending mass criminalization.

The Tow Foundation President Emily Tow sits down with our director of restorative practices, Kellsie Sayers, to discuss transformative justice and the programs that the foundation has helped fund.

Courtney Bryan, Center for Court Innovation, with Leonard Tow and Emily Tow, The Tow Foundation — Courtney Bryan, left, joined by Leonard Tow and Emily Tow of The Tow Foundation.

Help us Transform Justice

How can you engage, impact, and transform? Center staff share what this work means to them. “Transforming justice IS the Center for Court Innovation.”