Image credit: OATH

Kletter currently serves as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Appointments where she oversees and coordinates candidate recruitment, sourcing, and vetting. On March 13, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Joni Kletter as Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).

OATH is the City’s central, independent administrative law court that adjudicates summonses for alleged violations of law or City rules issued by 25 different City enforcement agencies. OATH hears about one hundred times more cases than all the criminal courts in the city combined. In addition, the OATH trial division adjudicates a wide range of issues that can be referred by City agencies, including disciplinary hearings and licensing issues. OATH is also the home for the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, a conflict resolution resource for the City government, its agencies, employees, unions, and the public.

Kletter received a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D., cum laude, from Cardozo School of Law. She was a Federal Law Clerk for the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York. Later, she served as a labor and employment attorney at Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.

Kletter has over fifteen years of legal and government experience. She currently serves as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Appointments where she oversees and coordinates candidate recruitment, sourcing, vetting and interviewing for agency Commissioners and senior-level staff, as well as the Mayor’s appointees to over two hundred Boards and Commissions. She is also the Principal EEO Officer for the Mayor’s Office.

Before serving as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Appointments, she served as First Deputy Director and Counsel in the Mayor’s Office for City Legislative Affairs. There, she played a central role in shaping the Administration’s public policy; advancing the Administration’s local legislative agenda; negotiating City Council legislation; and preparing agencies and Commissioners for City Council hearings.

She has lived in Park Slope since 2006.

Mayor DeBlasio stated, “Joni is a one-of-a-kind public servant who has helped build a team of leaders who are dedicated to our key mission: making this city fairer for all. Now, I am thrilled to welcome her as Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge of OATH, where she will continue her good work by ensuring our administrative courts are just and fair, and all New Yorkers are heard.”

Council Member Mark Levine stated, “From her time at City Legislative Affairs and then as Director of Appointments, I have seen Joni’s work first hand. She is smart and kind. She is a consensus builder who knows how to get things done. I congratulate Mayor de Blasio on a terrific pick and look forward to seeing Joni’s leadership at OATH.”

Joni Kletter stated, “I am honored to be named Commissioner of OATH in the greatest city in the world.  OATH is emblematic of everything that this Administration cares about: access to justice, fairness and equity.  Every day, the work at OATH helps to make this city a safer, cleaner and better place to live.  I want to thank Mayor Bill de Blasio for this incredible opportunity.”

By: Laine Vitkevich (Laine is a CityLaw intern and New York Law School Student, Class of 2020.)