Questions are mounting in New York City after a close ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani was appointed to a powerful role helping shape the city’s judiciary while simultaneously working with a law firm now facing federal fraud allegations.
Ali Najmi, an election attorney with longstanding political ties to Mamdani, was named chairman of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary in January.
The position is responsible for screening nominees for family, civil, and interim criminal court judgeships.
Just months earlier, in October 2025, Najmi joined Manhattan personal-injury firm Liakas Law, PC, as “special counsel.”
Federal Lawsuit Targets Liakas Law
Liakas Law is now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed in Brooklyn by Greater New York Mutual Insurance Company, which alleges the firm participated in a sweeping insurance-fraud operation involving staged accidents and falsified medical claims targeting vulnerable individuals, including illegal aliens.
One example cited in the lawsuit describes a claimant who alleged severe disability following a 2020 accident but was later photographed celebrating at a bar.
The firm is a significant legal player in the city.
Court records show Liakas Law filed roughly 20 lawsuits against New York City last year and currently has more than 50 active cases.
Ethical Concerns Raised
Critics argue Najmi’s simultaneous role in City Hall and association with a plaintiff-side law firm creates serious ethical concerns, drawing comparisons to disgraced former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who earned millions in referral fees from a personal-injury firm while exercising political influence.
Tom Stebbins, executive director of the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York, warned of broader systemic problems.
“We have a massive ‘fraudemic’ that is happening on our streets and in our construction sites,” he said.
Stebbins also questioned Najmi’s ability to remain impartial while receiving income connected to plaintiff litigation.
“How could his affiliation with a plaintiff’s firm, and the money that he’s getting from a plaintiff’s firm, not tilt his perspective towards the plaintiff?”
Political Ties To Mayor Mamdani
Najmi’s relationship with Mamdani spans years, including legal work on the mayor’s Assembly campaigns and involvement in the Queens Democratic political network.
Observers say the depth of that alliance raises concerns about political loyalty influencing judicial screening decisions.
Supporters of Najmi note that his City Hall role is unpaid.
A spokesperson for Liakas Law, Hank Sheinkopf, dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless,” predicting it would not survive judicial scrutiny.
Najmi has also stated that the alleged conduct in the lawsuit predates his involvement with the firm.
Broader Concerns About New York’s Legal Climate
The controversy arises as reform advocates continue to criticize New York’s litigation environment.
One tort-reform estimate cited $96 billion in annual costs tied to lawsuit abuse statewide, while watchdog groups have ranked the city’s court system among the nation’s worst “Judicial Hellholes.”
With Najmi now positioned to influence who sits on New York City benches, including judges who could potentially oversee cases involving firms like Liakas Law, the situation is drawing increasing scrutiny.
As the federal case proceeds, the episode is likely to intensify debate over ethics, political influence, and transparency inside one of the country’s most consequential local court systems.
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