NY Library, Kellogg and Soros’ Open Society Change Legal Leaders

Four notable nonprofit organizations—the New York Public Library, Selfhelp Community Services Inc., the WK Kellogg Foundation, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations—have ushered in new legal leaders.

The library, a more than century-old institution with longstanding ties to the US legal industry, saw its veteran general counsel and corporate secretary Michele Coleman Mayes retire this week. Bridget Smith, who spent the past four years as senior counsel at the Ford Foundation, has replaced Mayes in the job.

Selfhelp, a New York-based nonprofit that operates the oldest and largest program serving Holocaust survivors in North America, elevated its former deputy general counsel, Astrid Andre, to the organization’s top legal spot.

Kellogg announced this month its hire of Ballard Spahr litigation partner Kahlil Williams as its new general counsel and corporate secretary. And Open Society, which recently closed some offices, named an acting general counsel in Deborah Fine, its deputy general counsel and legal director for strategic philanthropy.

Michele Coleman Mayes

Prominent nonprofits are attractive landing spots for lawyers, as the roles are often high-profile and provide an opportunity to support a cause they care deeply about.

Mayes, a former general counsel at Allstate Corp. and Pitney Bowes Inc., spent nearly dozen years running the New York Public Library law department. Working for the library, the fourth-largest of its kind in the world, was a “true honor,” she said.

During her tenure Mayes burnished her reputation as a legal industry thought leader. She spent three years as chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession while also speaking about the challenges facing Black women lawyers and working with the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.

“When one door closes, another opens if you are willing to be open-minded,” said Mayes about re-imagining her legal path rather than retiring from it permanently. “To quote someone else, sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go, but being willing to embark on a different journey.”

Bridget Smith

Mayes said the library is in “good hands” with Smith, a former associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She had previously been an associate general counsel at the library.

Mayes was paid about $695,400 during 2021-22, according to the library’s most recent federal tax filing. In an interview with Bloomberg Law just prior to that fiscal year, Mayes spoke about the public-private partnership’s search for pro bono legal help to navigate challenges during the pandemic.

The library has a dedicated lawyers’ group whose members are often invited to gatherings that can act as fundraisers for the institution. When it comes to legal services, the library relies upon discounted hourly rates from those in private practice or a listserv of in-house lawyers willing to donate their time.

Selfhelp’s Star Power

Steven Tepper, a retired partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, fully retired at the end of January after six years as Selfhelp’s general counsel. Tepper said Selfhelp’s legal department is “in excellent hands” with Andre replacing him.

Andre, who has more than two decades of nonprofit expertise, officially moved into the role last year with Tepper sticking around in a “limited capacity” to facilitate the transition. He said Selfhelp recently hired former Boies Schiller Flexner litigation partner Ilana Miller to be a deputy general counsel.

Miller is also a former member of the Walt Disney Co.’s Mickey Mouse Club, which over the years has been where future stars like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, and Miller’s “best friend” Keri Russell got their start in show business.

Miller made partner at Boies Schiller in 2016 and that same year became a deputy general counsel for the firm. The niece of Boies Schiller’s longtime CFO Amy Habie, Miller was tapped to become the firm’s co-general counsel in 2021 following the retirement of longtime legal chief Michael Brille. She left Boies Schiller a year later to take some time away from practicing law, the firm said.

While Miller didn’t respond to a comment request about her move to Selfhelp, in a LinkedIn message said she would support the organization in its mission to “maintain the independence and dignity of older and at-risk populations.”

Selfhelp provides home care, housing, and other services to seniors in the tristate area. The nonprofit’s legal arm was once the Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program, which assists victims of Nazi persecution. That program, led by Valerie Bogart, separated from Selfhelp in 2013 and merged with the New York Legal Assistance Group. Bogart retired last year.

Andre received more than $182,000 from Selfhelp during fiscal 2021-22. Tepper received roughly $373,700 between 2019 and 2021, per tax filings.

Kellogg’s Change Agent

Before joining the Kellogg Foundation, the seventh-largest US philanthropic organization, Williams led Ballard Spahr’s environmental, social, and governance working group and Black lawyers’ affinity group, and he co-led the Philadelphia-based firm’s racial justice and equality initiative.

Prior to joining Ballard Spahr in 2018, Williams was an associate at Davis Polk.

Kahlil Williams

“In an environment where so many organizations are retreating from their commitments to racial equity, I’m tremendously excited to join the foundation’s continuing efforts to promote racial equity and racial healing,” Williams said.

The Battle Creek, Mich.-based foundation, which was established in 1930 by breakfast cereal mogul Will Keith Kellogg, predominantly focuses its efforts on children’s welfare.

Williams succeeds the foundation’s ex-top lawyer, Kathryn Krecke, who held the role for a decade until leaving last year. Krecke was paid $556,500 in 2021-22.

Michael Goldstein, another lawyer who spent a dozen years with the foundation, left in November for an assistant general counsel job at GATX Corp.

Open Society’s Switch

Less than two years after billionaire Soros’ Open Society hired former Jones Day tax partner Catherine Livingston as its general counsel, the grant-making network once again has an acting legal chief in Fine.

Fine, who had previously been Open Society’s interim law head in 2022, stepped up after Livingston was named the new legal chief for the American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences as of Feb. 1.

A spokesman for the Arlington, Va.-based AIR said Livingston will expand the social science research group’s “growing need for legal services.” Livingston’s “expertise in nonprofit and tax-exempt law will help our institution navigate legal and regulatory complexities in the US and internationally,” AIR said.

She will work with the nonprofit’s longtime general counsel, Dona Kilpatrick, who will remain part of AIR’s in-house legal team.

Livingston was paid $231,200 after she was hired by Open Society in late 2022, while Fine received $467,300. Kilpatrick was paid $346,500 by AIR that year.