Not only is Patricia L. Gatling the former deputy secretary for Civil Rights for New York State, and the former commissioner and chair of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, but she is also a lawyer from the Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP firm. Gatling is running for district attorney in Brooklyn. At Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, Gatling represented public and private clients in a wide-range of cases such as employment law and benefits, government relations, general litigation, and much more. She also counsels her clients about administrative law, public policy and regulatory compliance.
“I believe that I am the perfect candidate for this year’s election,” Gatling told the AmNews. “I am already a part of many programs like ComAlert, the board of trustees for the New York Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, and the Transportation Group. They are all very successful and beneficial to the community. And when I am elected, I plan to create more community and clergy councils and working groups to help develop protocols and programs.” Gatling continued, “When I am elected as district attorney, I plan to work with law enforcement, elected officials, community and neighborhood advocates and stakeholders to devise a plan for the retroactive decriminalization and the immediate release of people convicted of marijuana misdemeanors, sex worker-related offenses, and youth offenses. I plan on holding town hall meetings and to routinely visit community meetings and houses of worship. I will use social media and local TV to communicate with a broad group of Brooklynites.”
She believes that she has a strong reputation when it comes to solving crimes because of her reputation as a prosecutor in the Kings Country District Attorney Office, and as special assistant attorney general.
She added, “The central theme of my campaign is to focus on restoring legitimacy to the criminal justice system. I want to create a new model of justice based on fairness, integrity, transparency and equity. I will focus on the areas in the criminal justice system where there has historically been systemic discrimination.”
Gatling holds a bachelor’s degree in International/Global Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate of law from University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She also was the first African-American woman to be the chief of the narcotics bureau in the 90s.
“Along with being a gun, drug and corruption prosecutor, I created a money-laundering unit, and many task forces targeting large-scale narcotics dealers and the businesses that supported them,” Gatling explained. “I worked with many brave community members, religious leaders and business owners to eradicate the drug organizations that were ravaging Brooklyn. I believe an empowered community can prevent and reduce crime.”