Top City Hall Lawyer Lisa Zornberg Resigns Amid Federal Investigations

Mayor Eric Adams‘ chief counsel, Lisa Zornberg, abruptly resigned without advance notice, as confirmed by Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. The news of Zornberg’s departure was announced late on Saturday night, September 14th, after 13 months in office following an intensifying series of federal investigations into several officials within the Adams administration. Zornberg, in her resignation letter, said “It has been a great honor to serve the City. I am tendering my resignation, effective today, as I have concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position.”

She concluded, “I wish you nothing but the best.

Mayor Adams expressed appreciation for Zornberg’s contributions, stating, “We appreciate all the work Lisa has done for our administration and, more importantly, the city over the past 13 months. These are hard jobs, and we don’t expect anyone to stay in them forever. We wish Lisa all the best in her future endeavors.” The mayor assured the public that the remaining senior members of the counsel’s team would continue their duties to ensure the office operates seamlessly until an acting chief counsel is named in the coming days.

Zornberg’s resignation draws further attention to the legal troubles currently facing Mayor Adams’ inner circle. Recently, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban also stepped down, with federal agents seizing his phone as part of an ongoing investigation. Other top officials, including First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, had their phones seized in connection with the probe. 

Before her role as chief counsel, Zornberg was a federal prosecutor at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and worked in white-collar defense. In her parting statement, Zornberg expressed gratitude to Mayor Adams, saying, “I am deeply grateful to Mayor Adams for giving me the opportunity to serve the city, and I strongly support the work he has done and continues to do for New Yorkers.”

Mayor Adams, currently recovering from COVID-19, has not appeared in person for public events since testing positive. Zornberg’s sudden departure adds to the string of resignations and investigations plaguing his administration, intensifying scrutiny over City Hall’s ongoing controversies.

Neither Mayor Adams or current administration officials have been charged with any wrongdoing.