Rebekah Nellis Kennedy, President, received a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University at Albany and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Albany Law School, with an honors concentration in criminal law.
Before law school, Ms. Kennedy worked as a legal secretary and a facilitator for an anger management/batterer’s intervention program, working with domestic violence offenders. While in law school she prosecuted domestic violence and sex offense defendants, worked in the Domestic Violence Part of Albany City Court and represented survivors of domestic violence in Family Court proceedings.
Upon graduation, Ms. Kennedy served as an Appellate Court Attorney for the Third Department. Following her clerkship she joined a small firm, primarily handling motion and appellate practice in the areas of medical malpractice, insurance and municipality defense, while also serving on the assigned appellate panel representing indigent criminal defendants.
Thereafter, Ms. Kennedy worked for a decade for the Town Attorney’s Office of Colonie, where she concentrated in municipal litigation, torts, legislation, land use law and SEQRA. She currently works as the first female Majority Counsel for the Albany County Legislature, supporting the 30 Democratic members of same. Rebekah also continues to serve on the assigned appellate panel, representing indigent criminal defendants and parties in Family Courts.
Ms. Kennedy has long been an active member of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) and the Capital District Women’s Bar Association (CDWBA). She became a CDWBA Board member in 2010 and later served as an officer before being elected the 38th President. She also served as WBASNY Newsletter Chair from 2014 to 2022, working closely with multiple WBASNY Presidents to ensure that the newsletter reflected the scholarly pursuits and accomplishments of WBASNY members. In 2022, she became a WBASNY officer.
Ms. Kennedy is a long-time member of the Third Department’s Committee for Character and Fitness, serves on the Third Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee, and acts as a mentor for Albany Law School students. She also volunteers with multiple civil legal aid organizations, where she primarily handles SIJS and asylum cases, and completes name changes for trans and non-binary people. Ms. Kennedy was previously named Outstanding New Lawyer by the CDWBA.
Ms. Kennedy and her husband, Ed, are long-time foster parents. They live outside of Albany with their two daughters and a variety of cats.