The American Bar Association has announced Tina Luongo, chief attorney of the criminal defense practice at The Legal Aid Society, as chair of the ABA Section Officers Conference (SOC). Luongo assumed the leadership role following the term held by Kim R. Jessum at the close of the 2025 ABA Annual Meeting in Toronto.
The SOC is a vital leadership body within the ABA, composed of officers from each section, division and forum. It serves as a central resource for sharing best practices, fostering collaboration and advancing the interests of ABA entities that serve the members through engagement with the practice area focused groups.
Luongo, a longstanding member of the ABA Criminal Justice Section, will guide the SOC in its mission to promote effective communication, advocacy and innovation across the ABA’s diverse leadership landscape at a vital time in the organization’s history as the leading professional association for lawyers.
Luongo has over two decades of experience in leading the largest and oldest public defense practice in the U.S. Since 2014, they have led the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society, overseeing a team of more than 1,100 staff and managing over 200,000 client matters annually.
In addition to their work at Legal Aid, Luongo has held numerous leadership roles within the ABA, including chair of the Task Force on Comprehensive Representation and co-chair of the Women in Criminal Justice Task Force. They are also president of the Chief Defender Association of New York and serve on the boards of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association and the ABA Criminal Justice Council.
Luongo is widely recognized for their advocacy on equity, access to justice and systemic reform. As the first gender non-conforming chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section, they have championed inclusive leadership and challenged entrenched disparities in the legal system.
“I am honored to serve as chair of the Section Officers Conference,” said Luongo. “The SOC plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the ABA and centers membership in engagement and benefit in all they do. I look forward to working with ABA leaders to strengthen the ABA, bring critical services to members and uphold the rule of law in our profession.”
The SOC is a vital leadership body within the ABA, composed of officers from each section, division and forum. It serves as a central resource for sharing best practices, fostering collaboration and advancing the interests of ABA entities that serve the members through engagement with the practice area focused groups.
Luongo, a longstanding member of the ABA Criminal Justice Section, will guide the SOC in its mission to promote effective communication, advocacy and innovation across the ABA’s diverse leadership landscape at a vital time in the organization’s history as the leading professional association for lawyers.
Luongo has over two decades of experience in leading the largest and oldest public defense practice in the U.S. Since 2014, they have led the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society, overseeing a team of more than 1,100 staff and managing over 200,000 client matters annually.
In addition to their work at Legal Aid, Luongo has held numerous leadership roles within the ABA, including chair of the Task Force on Comprehensive Representation and co-chair of the Women in Criminal Justice Task Force. They are also president of the Chief Defender Association of New York and serve on the boards of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association and the ABA Criminal Justice Council.
Luongo is widely recognized for their advocacy on equity, access to justice and systemic reform. As the first gender non-conforming chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section, they have championed inclusive leadership and challenged entrenched disparities in the legal system.
“I am honored to serve as chair of the Section Officers Conference,” said Luongo. “The SOC plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the ABA and centers membership in engagement and benefit in all they do. I look forward to working with ABA leaders to strengthen the ABA, bring critical services to members and uphold the rule of law in our profession.”
