In 2015, after 14 years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Carolyn Pokorny ’94 had just entered the private sector when she learned that her former boss, Loretta E. Lynch, had been nominated as U.S. Attorney General by President Barack Obama.
“I visited her,” said Pokorny, “and said, ‘If you’re taking anyone with you, please keep me in mind.’” Within two weeks, Lynch offered her a spot in her inner circle as deputy chief of staff, assisting with the management of all the agencies under the Department of Justice.
Pokorny is now bringing her dedication and drive to her new role as inspector general of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), where she is charged with investigating misconduct and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the largest public transit system in the country. It’s the latest stop on a career path where she has held leadership roles across the criminal justice system.
Pokorny was drawn to Brooklyn Law School by its robust clinical programs, but it was Professor Stacy Caplow’s Criminal Procedure class that led her to internships at the Legal Aid Society and, later, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. There, she found her passion for criminal law. “I had so much fun, they couldn’t get rid of me,” said Pokorny. “I worked out of this little closet they turned into an office, and I had the best time. I didn’t want to leave.”
After further honing her skills at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and in a clerkship with U.S. District Court Judge Arthur D. Spatt ’49, Pokorny joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. She eventually led its international narcotics and money laundering section, where she devised a national strategy for charging the heads of criminal drug trafficking organizations, including Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. She held other leadership roles in the office, catching the eye of Lynch, who was then the U.S. Attorney.
At the end of the Obama presidency, Pokorny joined the administration of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, overseeing ethics, risk, and compliance, until she was asked to help recruit the next inspector general of the MTA.
“I made a couple of phone calls, but people seemed a little reluctant,” recalled Pokorny. “Many hadn’t heard of the office. As I was trying to persuade people, I thought, what could be more important than transforming transportation in New York City? Everyone knows how important the subways and trains are. We all use them no matter what. Every walk of life, rich, poor, every background. It’s the thing that connects us all. If you really want to be a change agent, this is the place to be.”
Her enthusiastic pitch to candidates led to a realization. “I suddenly started thinking, maybe this is where I can feel useful.”
Pokorny was appointed in May 2019 and quickly began making an impact. She started publicizing the agency’s findings as soon as they were given to the board of the MTA, and she has emphasized community outreach. “Transparency is an essential part of democracy and it is a basic inherent right,” said Pokorny, stressing the importance of taxpayers understanding what her office does.
Pokorny credits the practical skills and sense of community she obtained at Brooklyn Law School for her success. Grateful and eager to give back, she taught as an adjunct professor at the Law School for many years, overseeing the U.S. Attorney’s Office externship.
“Brooklyn Law School always had a philosophy of giving students a well-rounded and practical education with an emphasis on teaching students how to become real lawyers,” she said. Pokorny has brought that practicality to every stage in her career serving the public good.
In 2015, after 14 years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Carolyn Pokorny ’94 had just entered the private sector when she learned that her former boss, Loretta E. Lynch, had been nominated as U.S. Attorney General by President Barack Obama.
“I visited her,” said Pokorny, “and said, ‘If you’re taking anyone with you, please keep me in mind.’” Within two weeks, Lynch offered her a spot in her inner circle as deputy chief of staff, assisting with the management of all the agencies under the Department of Justice.
Pokorny is now bringing her dedication and drive to her new role as inspector general of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), where she is charged with investigating misconduct and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the largest public transit system in the country. It’s the latest stop on a career path where she has held leadership roles across the criminal justice system.
Pokorny was drawn to Brooklyn Law School by its robust clinical programs, but it was Professor Stacy Caplow’s Criminal Procedure class that led her to internships at the Legal Aid Society and, later, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. There, she found her passion for criminal law. “I had so much fun, they couldn’t get rid of me,” said Pokorny. “I worked out of this little closet they turned into an office, and I had the best time. I didn’t want to leave.”
After further honing her skills at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and in a clerkship with U.S. District Court Judge Arthur D. Spatt ’49, Pokorny joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. She eventually led its international narcotics and money laundering section, where she devised a national strategy for charging the heads of criminal drug trafficking organizations, including Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. She held other leadership roles in the office, catching the eye of Lynch, who was then the U.S. Attorney.
At the end of the Obama presidency, Pokorny joined the administration of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, overseeing ethics, risk, and compliance, until she was asked to help recruit the next inspector general of the MTA.
“I made a couple of phone calls, but people seemed a little reluctant,” recalled Pokorny. “Many hadn’t heard of the office. As I was trying to persuade people, I thought, what could be more important than transforming transportation in New York City? Everyone knows how important the subways and trains are. We all use them no matter what. Every walk of life, rich, poor, every background. It’s the thing that connects us all. If you really want to be a change agent, this is the place to be.”
Her enthusiastic pitch to candidates led to a realization. “I suddenly started thinking, maybe this is where I can feel useful.”
Pokorny was appointed in May 2019 and quickly began making an impact. She started publicizing the agency’s findings as soon as they were given to the board of the MTA, and she has emphasized community outreach. “Transparency is an essential part of democracy and it is a basic inherent right,” said Pokorny, stressing the importance of taxpayers understanding what her office does.
Pokorny credits the practical skills and sense of community she obtained at Brooklyn Law School for her success. Grateful and eager to give back, she taught as an adjunct professor at the Law School for many years, overseeing the U.S. Attorney’s Office externship.
“Brooklyn Law School always had a philosophy of giving students a well-rounded and practical education with an emphasis on teaching students how to become real lawyers,” she said. Pokorny has brought that practicality to every stage in her career serving the public good.