QUICK LINKS: 2026 Interest / Bands / Nonprofits / Judges / Sponsors / Photo / Video

Wednesday & Thursday, November 12 & 13, 2025
Bowery Ballroom
A sold-out event with over $409K fundraised!

Overall Winner (Wednesday): The Objections (Davis Polk & Wardwell) for Advocates for Children of New York
Judges’ Choice Award (Wednesday): Willy and the Halestormers (WilmerHale; Goldman Sachs; Kirkland & Ellis) for Sanctuary For Families
Hustle & Heart Award (Wednesday): Amperband (McCarter & English) for Community FoodBank of New Jersey
Music Matters Recipient (Wednesday): Willie Mae Rock Camp

Overall Winner and Hustle & Heart Award (Thursday): The Meltones (Greenberg Traurig) for The Door
Judges’ Choice Award (Thursday): Specific Performance (Pryor Cashman) for PRECEDE (The Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Consortium)
Music Matters Recipient (Thursday): TeachRock

The Cee Gees of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton wowing the crowd at the 10th Annual Law Rocks NYC (2025) | Photo by Leyda Luz

11 bands of legal rock stars took the stage at the acclaimed Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday and Thursday, November 12 and 13, 2025 for the Tenth Annual Law Rocks New York City, presented by Law Rocks Global and Greenberg Traurig. The two-night event celebrated a decade of bringing the NYC legal community together to rock for a good cause, bringing new bands into the lineup alongside veteran bands, some of whom have been playing Law Rocks since our very first NYC show ten years ago. This battle for rock victory highlighted the incredible amount of musical talent within the NYC legal community. More than half of the bands in this year's show were composed entirely of legal professionals!

WILLY AND THE HALESTORMERS kicked the show into high gear straight from the start line, opening with a feisty take on ABBA’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme”. Featuring four different vocalists, the band played a string of diverse hits including an infectious cover of “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips and a fierce rendition of Miley Cyrus’ independence anthem, “Flowers”. The band featured legal talent from WilmerHale; Goldman Sachs; Kirkland & Ellis; and rocked for Sanctuary For Families.

MISTRIAL opened their set with a killer “Sweet Child of Mine” before a throng of fans carrying signs and custom pennant flags! The band, featuring legal talent from White & Case and Gibson Dunn, rocked for New York Center for Children. They tore their way through crowdpleasing hit after hit including The Cranberries “Zombie” and evergreen classic “Don’t Stop Believing”, each song showcasing the lead singer’s killer pipes.

THE OBJECTIONS made a triumphant return to the Law Rocks stage before an adoring audience. Wearing coordinated red and black ensembles, the band featured talent from Davis Polk & Wardwell and rocked for Advocates for Children of New York. Their set featured an eclectic mix - from “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks to a sultry “I Put A Spell On You”. A highlight was a show-stopping “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes.

AMPERBAND took the stage with a winning version of “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon. The band, featuring legal talent from McCarter & English and rocking for Community FoodBank of New Jersey, slayed covers of “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down and “All the Small Things” by Blink 182, while their rendition of “Basketcase” had the audience jumping around with the energy of a 90s house party!

Ending night one was talented Law Rocks newcomer, SOOP! Opening their set with “Begin the Begin” by REM, the band featured legal talent from Proskauer and Ares Management and rocked for Kaufman Music Center. The cohesive ensemble showcased strong instrumentation on stellar covers of “Dire Straits” by Sultans of Swing and “Touch of Grey” by Grateful Dead, but the crowd favorite was perpetual jam “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads.

Wednesday’s Overall Winner The Objections on stage at the 10th Annual Law Rocks NYC (2025) | Photo by Leyda Luz

Night two opened with a Law Rocks Los Angeles favorite, SIDE HUSTLE, making their Law Rocks NYC debut!
Featuring legal talent from Bushell, Sovak, Kane & Sash and Latham & Watkins and rocking for Food Bank For NYC, the band opened with a killer cover of Janis Jopin’s “Piece of My Heart”. The band continued showing off their lead singer’s incredible vocal chops on classic faves, “I Will Survive”, “Gimme Shelter”, and “Proud Mary”.

Featuring legal talent from Cozen O'Connor and rocking for Access Justice Brooklyn,THE DIRTY SCRIVENERS delivered a set full of crowdpleasing rock classics with a cohesive sound and an electric cello! Their cover of No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” hit all the notes of ‘90s nostalgia, and their take on Tom Petty’s iconic “American Girl” was a favorite of the crowd and the judges.

After winning Law Rocks San Francisco 2024, THE CEE GEES of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton took the Law Rocks NYC stage for the first time. Rocking for The Retreat, the band brought a massive crowd of fans and electric energy. Their set showed off their powerhouse vocalist with amazing covers of “Purple Rain” and a clever mash up of “Feelin’ Good/I Feel Good/I Got a Feelin’”.

Reigning champs THE MELTONES didn’t coast on their past victories, putting their hearts into a polished and jubilant set! Highlights included an epic mash-up of “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” and “We are the Champions”, as well as a top tier rendition of Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” complete with a sparkly jumpsuit. The band featured talent from Greenberg Traurig and rocked for The Door.

Chicago-based quartet FAUXLY added NYC to their list of Law Rocks tour dates and brought their signature alternative rock favorites. With legal talent from Foley and Lardner and rocking for Boys & Girls Club Hudson County, the band opened with “Dirty Little Secret” by All-American Rejects and didn’t let up! The crowd rocked along to a propulsive take on Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” and sang their hearts out to Nirvana classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

The sixth and final band of night two was SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE of Pryor Cashman, in their second Law Rocks NYC performance. Rocking for PRECEDE (The Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Consortium) and clad in grunge-inspired plaid, the band rocked the Bowery with angsty classics such as REM’s “Losing My Religion” and “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. The talented instrumentalists (Mandolin! Flute!) had the audience vibing along - a favorite was certainly a fiery take on “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett, complete with a DGAF attitude from the lead singer.

Thursday’s Overall Winner and Hustle & Heart Award Winner The Meltones on stage at the 10th Annual Law Rocks NYC (2025) | Photo by Leyda Luz

Law Rocks presented two Music Matters grants, one to returning recipient Willie Mae Rock Camp, and the other to first-time recipient, TeachRock. Wednesday’s grant was accepted by LaFrae Sci, Executive Director/Director of Artistic Programming for Willie Mae Rock Camp, while Thursday’s grant was accepted by Bill Carbone, Executive Director of TeachRock. Read more about the grant and the organizations in our Nonprofit Spotlight on Willie Mae Rock Camp and our Nonprofit Spotlight on TeachRock.

A world of thanks to the Bowery Ballroom team; the Rock Panel of Judges: Bill Carbone, Erich Carey, Amanda Charney, Nick Farrow, Hanna Fox, Maria Milito, Eli Northrup, and LaFrae Sci; our host Valerie Ojeda; and our nonprofit guests. None of this would be possible without our Presenting sponsor Greenberg Traurig; Hall of Fame sponsor Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Rockstar sponsor Proskauer Rose; Tour sponsor Secretariat; top sponsors Cozen O’Connor; Haystack ID; Legora; Pryor Cashman; and White & Case, and additional sponsors Ares Management; Atlas Holdings; Bushell, Sovak, Kane & Sash; Foley & Lardner; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; and McCarter & English. Our events come to life thanks to your support and we’re so glad to have you be part of our event.

Thank you to everyone who came to rock at the show or who donated from afar. Your support is what makes all of this possible. Please consider making a contribution to support the Law Rocks World Tour and ensure we keep rocking the globe for years to come!

ROCK WITH US!

Are you ready for your turn in the spotlight? Join the Interest List for Law Rocks NYC 2026 now, and be first to be notified when applications open!

Featured

Amperband

Featuring legal talent from McCarter & English
Rocking for Community Food Bank of NJ

Amperband is comprised of legal & musical legends from McCarter & English. Why are we called Amperband? It's our tribute to the mighty '&' symbol, the unsung hero that connects words & phrases, like we connect our Amperfans to chart topping hits from the greatest eras of music.

Amperband was formed in 2023 debuting at Johnny Cash Bar & BBQ in Nashville. Besides Tennessee, Amperband has graced stages in NYC, DC & Florida with our distinctive three guitar sound. Now we’ve taken a page out of Lebron James’ playbook & will be taking our talents to South Beach to play both Miami and NYC Law Rocks this year!

Amperband boasts as much expertise in riffs & rhythms as we do in regulations & rulings. The band includes seven members from five McCarter offices & a whole lot of legal wit & even more musical talent. So, if you are Amperfan material (& we know you are!), welcome to the Amperfamily!

The Cee Gees

Featuring legal talent from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Rocking for The Retreat

Inspired by the skills on display at an all-partner talent show which raised funds for the Legal Aid Society, partners Bruce Hoffman, Adrian Leipsic and Maurice Gindi had the mad idea to form a Cleary Gottlieb house band. Once Chief of Staff Denelle Veny and Partnership Resources Manager Rob Maitner were roped in, that mad idea became reality. An exhaustive talent search brought aboard partner François-Charles Laprévote from the Brussels office and Alan Levine from the NY office with consultant Mike Veny holding them all together with percussion skills. Since its inception, the Cee Gees have performed in Washington, DC, Scotland and The Cutting Room in New York City. The Cee Gees went on to win Law Rocks San Francisco in 2024. They can’t wait to play Law Rocks New York because they believe there is nothing better than doing good in the world while turning the volume up to 11.

The Dirty Scriveners

Featuring legal talent from Cozen O'Connor
Rocking for Access Justice Brooklyn

The Dirty Scriveners is significantly less than the sum of its parts. The band is comprised of Cozen O'Connor lawyers from multiple disciplines - litigation, intellectual property, real estate, labor & employment, and a badass Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies professional. They have worked on the biggest deals, advised clients on their patent portfolios, worked to make change at City Hall, and have even argued and won cases at the United States Supreme Court! Of course, they still have trouble with those B7 add 13 (no5) chords, but who doesn't? Their musical tastes are so vastly different that they argue and brawl and play hot feet pranks on each other, and they almost didn't make it out of their first rehearsal alive. But they ultimately, reluctantly, and imperfectly meshed, and even if the world is not a significantly better place for it (and it most certainly is not), the Dirty Scriveners will attempt to bring the joy and may just surprise you (and the world).

Fauxly

Featuring legal talent from Foley & Lardner
Rocking for Boys & Girls Club Hudson County

With roots across the nation, and a home base in Chicago, Fauxly is a no compromise rock band playing the songs we grew up with and now all our kids love too. After already rocking Hollywood and Chicago this year, Fauxly are excited to bring another high energy set to NYC that will come out swinging and never slow down. Individually, Fauxly’s members have honed their talents on a variety of stages across the world; from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, to the House of Blues and Lincoln Hall in Chicago, the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, to the German variety show “Wetten Das,” Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and countless bars, basements, and backyards in between.

Fauxly features:
Chris Ward – Lead Vocals and Guitar
Zack Sikora – Guitar
Mike Noonan – Bass
Chris Rasmussen – Drums

The Meltones

Featuring legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Rocking for The Door

Get ready to turn up the volume—The Meltones are back at the legendary Bowery Ballroom for the 10th Annual Law Rocks NYC! As Greenberg Traurig’s powerhouse house band, The Meltones have been igniting crowds and raising the bar since the mid-1980s, all in the name of rocking out for a cause.

Named after founding partner Mel Greenberg, The Meltones have become a Law Rocks NYC legend as nine-time defending champions, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities. This year, as Law Rocks celebrates its milestone 10th anniversary, The Meltones are ready to make it a show to remember!

This all-star, nine-member lineup brings together legal talent from coast to coast:

Guitar: Stephen Rabinowitz (Co-Chair of Global Real Estate Practice) and Burt Bruton (Miami Real Estate Shareholder)

Keyboards: Christopher A. Cernik (Albany Government Law & Policy Shareholder)

Vocals: Michael Hogue (Las Vegas Litigation Shareholder), Tracy Newirth (Chief Shareholder Recruiting and Integration Officer), and Ashley LeBlanc (New York Litigation Of Counsel), and Jennifer Hall (New York Real Estate Associate—also shredding on guitar)

Bass: Daniel Blumberg (Former GT Attorney, current VP of Business & Legal Affairs, Global Digital Business at Sony Music Entertainment)

Drums: Tom Helf (GT friend and Bethesda Maryland’s own from Shaner & Helf)

Mistrial

Featuring legal talent from White & Case; Gibson Dunn
Rocking for New York Center for Children

Winning cases by day and jamming out at night, Mistrial is a hard-rocking ensemble revisiting the best of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s power and pop rock, featuring John Sheibeler (White & Case IP Partner) on guitar, Raj Gandesha (White & Case IP Partner) on bass, Joshua Weedman (White & Case Litigation Partner) on drums, Suzanne Stone (Guggenheim Partners Managing Director) on vocals, Kate Swisher (White & Case alum, Antitrust Of Counsel at Gibson Dunn) on keys, and Grayson Weeks (White & Case alum, Tax Counsel at Innovative Brokers) on guitar. Justice may be blind, but she definitely hears Mistrial coming!

The Objections

Featuring legal talent from Davis Polk
Rocking for Advocates for Children of New York

“A band whose appeal can never be denied.” Davis Polk’s homegrown firm band, The Objections, is excited to return to Law Rocks this year! Competing in support of Advocates for Children of New York, The Objections are prior Law Rocks NYC Champions and several time winners of the Judge’s Choice award, and have been playing in Law Rocks since its inception. The band comprised of 12 Davis Polk professionals: On vocals, Executive Compensation Partner Veronica Wissel and Litigation Associate Marc Koeck; On vocals and keyboard, White Collar Defense & Investigations Counsel Jordan Leigh Smith; On drums, Restructuring Partner and Head of Interdisciplinary Liability Management & Special Opportunities Practice, Brian Resnick; On bass guitar, Administrative Assistant Sharon Benerofe; On guitar, Executive Compensation Counsel Joseph Brown and Computer Support Specialist Patrick Toohey; On guitar, banjo, percussion, and vocals, M&A Associate Dylan Major; On saxophone, Tax Partner Ethan Goldman and retired Director of Financial Systems David Krenkel; On violin, Structured Products Analyst Kelly Shin; and guest artist on guitar, Professional Responsibility Counsel Jerry Snider.

Side Hustle

Featuring legal talent from Bushell, Sovak, Kane & Sash; Latham & Watkins
Rocking for Food Bank For NYC

Side Hustle brings high energy covers across a variety of genres — rock, pop, disco, country, 80’s, and more. You name it - we play it!

We cover everything from the Rolling Stones to Lizzo; Chris Stapleton to Dua Lipa; Tina Turner to Blondie. Songs that you love. Songs that will get everyone up and moving on the dance floor.

Come check us out at our upcoming shows and follow us on Instagram at @SIDEHUSTLEBANDSOCAL or at www.sidehustlebandsocal.com.

Soop

Featuring legal talent from Proskauer
Rocking for Kaufman Music Center

Soop was formed in 2023 by Mike Suppappola, Matt Jill, Brian Gale and Alex Cunnane. Soop is a rock band that blends alternative and classic rock, performing both covers and original songs. Their shows mix well-known favorites with their own material, giving audiences a balance of familiarity and fresh sound.

Specific Performance

Featuring legal talent from Pryor Cashman
Rocking for The Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection (PRECEDE) Consortium

Willy and the Halestormers

Featuring legal talent from WilmerHale
Rocking for Sanctuary For Families

Willy C. Picker cut his teeth playing country and blues in small clubs along the banks of the Potomac. He had a loyal following, but was never able to break into the big time until he joined up with a brash band of Boston rockers—the Hale Stormers. Together, Willy & the Hale Stormers are back once again to deliver an energetic and eclectic mix of rock and R&B. They are excited to return to the Law Rocks stage, and equally excited to raise money for the Sanctuary for Families—New York’s leading service provider and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and related forms of gender violence.

https://www.wilmerhale.com/
https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/

For the third year, Law Rocks is awarding a Music Matters grant in each city to benefit a local organization that supports music education, particularly for underserved youth. Law Rocks' Music Matters grant is an extension of our mission to promote music education for underserved youth - and support the next generation of rock stars! We were excited to present two Music Matters grants in NYC this year, one to returning recipient, Willie Mae Rock Camp, and one to first-time recipient, TeachRock.

Read our most recent Nonprofit Spotlight on Willie Mae Rock Camp (2025) and our Nonprofit Spotlight on TeachRock (2025).

One of two 2025 NYC Music Matters Grant Recipients: Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls | Photo by Lawrence Sumulong | Courtesy of WMRC

One of two 2025 NYC Music Matters Grant Recipients: TeachRock | Photo by Robert DeMartin | Courtesy of TeachRock

We are proud the Tenth Annual Law Rocks NYC 2025 bands raised funds for the following organizations:

Featured

Featured

Host - Valerie Ojeda

This proud Chicago native is best known for her vocal versatility, boundless energy and magnetic charisma on stage.

During the week, Valerie Ojeda travels the country, working as an Event Emcee, Trade Show Presenter and Automotive Product Specialist, representing top companies like Panasonic, HPE, Microsoft, 3M and Honda, just to name a few.

On weekends, she manages and sings lead vocals for the wildly successful cover band, “Anthem Road,” playing in casinos, resorts, conventions, wineries, private parties and outdoor festivals, throughout the country. Anthem Road has shared the stage with such iconic 80’s bands as Berlin and Warrant, as well as some of the top tribute bands in the world. Valerie’s favorite musical moments to date were meeting rock legends Pat Benatar, Kip Winger, Jerry Dixon and Billy Ocean, as well as singing with Terri Nunn at The Canyon Club and singing the National Anthem before a Slaughter concert. But nothing compares to her experience performing for our U.S. Troops in Kuwait this summer!

For Valerie, being of service is the highest form of consciousness, so being able to give back to local communities, by being a part of Law Rocks, is an absolute dream come true!

aTradeShowPresenter.com

AnthemRoadBand.com

Featured

Judge - Bill Carbone

Bill Carbone champions the transformative power of music to build vibrant communities in education. Decades spent as a researcher, teacher, journalist, and musician, led him to TeachRock.org, where he now helms a team of brilliant minds dedicated to reshaping school culture.

Upon joining TeachRock in 2016, Bill created the PBS Soundbreaking and Beatles curriculum collections in his first year. Since, Bill has helped TeachRock reach 10,000 teachers face-to-face on Stevie Van Zandt’s 2018-19 "Teacher Solidarity Tour," navigate a 400% surge in usership during the pandemic, and build a school partnership team that brings TeachRock’s open educational resources to life in classrooms nationwide. Bill and the TeachRock team are on a mission to help every student find joy, meaning, and a sense of purpose by bringing core curriculum to life through music and culture.

Bill holds degrees in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University, and when not standing behind his desk at TeachRock can be found sitting behind drums and percussion with Max Creek, The Z3, She Sings Dylan, and 10ft. Bill also taught music history, ethnomusicology, and percussion at Central Connecticut State and Wesleyan Universities.

Looking back, Bill can see the kind of student he might have been if his algebra class had featured the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart or his social studies course had included Muddy Waters. However, since a time machine isn't an option, Bill’s mission is simple: make sure today’s students have that opportunity through TeachRock.

Judge - Amanda Charney

As the Founder and CEO of Black Panda PR, Amanda brings over a decade of experience and an undeniable passion to the world of music publicity. While attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she became known as "Amanda Panda," a radio personality on Z104's popular morning show, Connie & Fish in the Mornings (Top 40 Radio). It was here that her infectious personality first resonated with listeners and where her passion for the music industry truly took root. Since then, Amanda has dedicated herself to promoting indie bands and collaborating with a diverse range of artists—from iconic acts like Frankie Valli, Bob Seger, Vanessa Carlton, Shontelle, The Neighbourhood, Eddie Money, and Sugar Ray, to emerging talents like Isabel LaRosa, Lyrah, Zoe Ko, Adanna Duru, and many more.

Judge - Erich Carey

Copyright lawyer by day, musician by night, Erich Collins Carey is a modern day troubadour bringing live rock'n'roll and americana music to the East Coast of the United States and beyond. ECC regularly performs as a solo artist and backed by his band The Constituency in and around NYC in both original music and cover formats. With The Constituency, ECC's music is a throwback to the heyday of Dylan, the Dead and the Band, channeling the sound of his influences but with an emphasis on bringing together a spirit of unity and community... and the occasional good party!

ECC was also a cornerstone member of Washington, DC outfit and Law Rocks DC 2019 Judges' Choice Award winner the Rock Creek Kings with whom he toured extensively from 2015 until relocating back to NYC in 2019. Erich's music has been featured on WFUV 90.7 FM in NYC and his album "Could've Gone Either Way" is available on all major streaming services.

As an attorney, Erich is an experienced music publishing lawyer currently working as senior counsel on the Legal Licensing team at Spotify. Well traveled in the music industry, Erich's prior roles include advising on music licensing and catalog acquisitions at Round Hill Music, serving as counsel to the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) during Copyright Royalty Board and legislative proceedings and cutting his teeth as an associate at preeminent digital media law firm Pryor Cashman. This is Erich's third time serving as a judge for Law Rocks NYC.

Judge - Nick Farrow

Hailing from Stratford Upon Avon, England, Nick Farrow is an English born, English American artist who lives and creates in Brooklyn, New York. His company is FARROW STUDIOS and he has worked for many years in the music and fashion industries creating hand drawn original artwork.

For the last decade he has worked as The Mavericks' Brand Artist, Graphic Designer and Art Director. Nick is the artist behind many of the beautiful Mavericks illustrations & logos, including The Mavericks Sugar Skull logo and merchandise - shirts, tour posters, and other unique items.

Recently nominated for 2 Grammy awards for album design ‘Artwork & Packaging’, Nick has produced some memorable album covers for many major label bands from different musical genres.

FARROW STUDIOS, is a design based business creating hand drawn original art by Nick Farrow, giclee prints and screened printed posters and apparel.

Instagram: instagram.com/farrowstudios
Facebook: facebook.com/farrowstudios
Website: farrowstudios.com
Email: nick@farrowstudios.com

Judge - Hanna Fox

Hanna Fox believes in the joy and transformational power of music! She is a co-founder and former board president of Willie Mae Rock Camp (Williemaerockcamp.org), a STEAM-based, year-round empowerment through music program that includes social justice, Afro Diasporic futurism, critical thinking, and leadership, through the lens of the blues tradition for girls and gender non-conforming youth in New York.

Hanna is a drummer and composer. Her band, Babe the Blue Ox, is a critically-acclaimed art-rock quartet that has released a bunch of records (on Homestead Records, RCA, and independently) and toured a lot (in scruffy vans). Here’s Babe’s latest: https://babetheblueox.bandcamp.com/album/what-about-today.

Hanna is also deputy general counsel at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. She was a staff attorney at South Brooklyn Legal Services, an associate at Arnold & Porter, a partner at Epstein Becker & Green, and general counsel for Rendr. She went to Brown University and Yale Law School.

Judge - Maria Milito

Maria Milito has been heard on the New York radio and television airwaves for 40 years. Whether you’re in the Tri-State area listening to Q104.3, New York’s Classic Rock Station or traveling nationwide, one might find it difficult to escape her signature voice as a host on iHeartMedia’s Classic Rock network—from Spokane WA to Allentown PA. Maria also adds author to her list of credits with the publishing of “Clarice and Friends...How They Helped Mend the Hole in My Heart,” a collection of emails from her listeners sent to her when her beloved dog Clarice passed away. A huge animal advocate, Maria can often be found at animal functions and charity events and has an animal/nature/environment podcast on the iHeartRadio app called “Maria’s Mutts & Stuff”; download the app and listen today!

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Judge - Eli Northrup

Eli Northrup has been working at the Bronx Defenders since 2015 where he handles both felony and misdemeanor cases and is a member of the Policy Team. In 2022, after working on the campaign for marijuana justice in New York State for a number of years, he helped to launch The Bronx Cannabis Hub, a resource for New Yorkers interested in applying for licenses with legal support and education to enable them to build generational wealth long denied by the failed War on Drugs. Prior to joining the Bronx Defenders, Eli served as an E. Barrett Prettyman Fellow in the Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic at Georgetown Law School and clerked for federal judges in the SDNY and Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He attended Cornell University and graduated from New York University School of Law. In 2024, Eli for New York State Assembly in the 69th District, which includes the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights and Manhattan Valley. Eli finished second place in a field of five candidates, collecting 34% of the vote. Eli was a member of the NYC-based band “Pants Velour” (Tommy Boy Records) for over a decade. The group performed all over the east coast, was featured on the X-Factor, and are perhaps best known for their appearance in the Dial 7 Car Service commercials.

Judge - LaFrae Sci

LaFrae Sci is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, and electro-acoustic adventurer. Bedrock to her artistry is the roots and the fruits of the blues from spirituals to afro-diasporic futuristic soundscapes that explore time travel, prayer, meditation, and the African American ecstatic tradition. As a composer, she writes for film, theater, and large and extended jazz and classical orchestras. She writes for all instruments and her creative range spans immersive and ambisonic music, blues, various ethnomusicological traditions, rock, pop, hip-hop, and her own brand of subaquatic deconstructed techno soul. To date, LaFrae has shared her intentional creativity in 40 countries. LaFrae has played drums for The Burnt Sugar Arkestra, The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra, Valerie June, Keziah Jones, Sandra Bernhard, Kelis, Nancy Sinatra (w/ Morrissey), blues greats Jr. Mack and Pinetop Perkins, Irene Cara, Bumblefoot, Cyndi Lauper, Reuben Wilson, Rachel Z, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. LaFrae is also the Executive Director/Dir of Artistic Programming at Willie Mae Future Sounds named after Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. W.M.F.S. is a STEAM-based, year-round empowerment through music program that includes social justice, Afro Diasporic futurism, critical thinking, and leadership, through the lens of the blues tradition for girls and gender non-conforming youth in New York City.