New York City’s Law Department Struggles with Staff Shortages as Case Load Surges

New York City’s Law Department faces significant challenges as it continues to function with a drastically reduced staff, leading to concerns about its ability to effectively manage an increasing volume of cases. During a recent public meeting focused on the department’s preliminary budget for fiscal year 2026, officials revealed that the Law Department operates with approximately 400 fewer employees than pre-pandemic levels, which severely impacts its case management capabilities.

Testimony indicated that the department’s current staffing of 1,373, which includes 770 attorneys and 685 legal support professionals, represents a sharp decline from the 1,774 staff members it had before the pandemic. While the department budgeted for 1,510 full-time positions for FY26, projected vacancy rates stand at about 24% after factoring in recent cuts made by Mayor Adams (Source: https://youtu.be/O3LoPHsJkyo&t=9470). This shortage has hindered the department’s ability to address ongoing legal challenges effectively.

The impact of these staff reductions has been felt acutely in the department’s tort division, where the case load has expanded significantly. As of the hearing, over 31,000 pending cases remain in this division, a backload exacerbated by a growing influx of cases related to the Child Victims Act and other legal pressures (Source: https://youtu.be/O3LoPHsJkyo&t=9164). City officials pointed out that the average time to close cases has increased by 23%, indicating a disconnect between the rising number of cases and the capacity to resolve them (Source: https://youtu.be/O3LoPHsJkyo&t=7256).

Moreover, officials acknowledged that inefficiencies spill over into other city agencies. When the Law Department operates below capacity, it delays processes for various agencies that rely on timely legal guidance to fulfill their roles (Source: https://youtu.be/O3LoPHsJkyo&t=9665). This bottleneck can affect everything from labor policy advisement to compliance with city regulations.

Despite the challenges, the Law Department continues to explore ways to enhance its operational efficiency. Strategies include tight internal management of case assignments and utilizing advanced tools to manage discovery motions more efficiently. However, the approval to hire additional hearing officers indicates a recognition of the pressing need for more personnel resources to handle the increased workload (Source: https://youtu.be/O3LoPHsJkyo&t=9650).

As the department navigates these hurdles, it remains engaged with the Office of Management and Budget to secure the funding necessary to meet its growing needs, especially in light of expected legal challenges from higher levels of government (Source: https://youtu.be/O3LoPHsJkyo&t=10015). With public safety and legal compliance on the line, advocates emphasize the necessity of restoring full staffing levels to ensure effective representation for the city moving forward.