Kingston, NY - Ulster County Executive Michael Hein is pleased to announce that Ulster County Public Defender Andrew Kossover has been selected by the New York State Bar Association as recipient of the 2015 Michele S. Maxian Award for Outstanding Public Defense Practitioner. 

The Award is named for the late Michele Maxian, a Legal Aid Society lawyer who successfully battled to require New York State courts to arraign a suspect within 24 hours of being arrested, helping to spur reform in the New York City criminal justice system.  The Award was presented to Mr. Kossover at the Annual Spring Meeting of the Criminal Justice Section of the New York State Bar Association held in Saratoga Springs on May 16, 2015. 

Like Ms. Maxian, Mr. Kossover fights zealously to defend the constitutional rights of every client.  He was recognized for establishing one of the premier public defense offices in the State and for his efforts to improve the quality of constitutionally mandated representation throughout New York.  This includes his past work on Rockefeller Drug Law reform and his current work on wrongful convictions, improving criminal law discovery (pre-trial exchange of information between the prosecution and defense), and evaluating current legislative proposals on sexual assault on college campuses and raising the age of criminal responsibility.

“I congratulate Mr. Kossover for being honored with this prestigious award and the leadership he exemplifies as the Public Defender in Ulster County,” said County Executive Hein.   “We are fortunate to have such a high caliber of individual serving the residents of this County.  I know his continuing participation in the State Bar Association will continue to be a benefit to the people of Ulster County.”

Mr. Kossover is Chair of the State Bar Association's Committee to Ensure Quality Mandated Representation and is the President-Elect and Legislative Chair of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Defenders Association.  Mr. Kossover serves on the Advisory Group to the New York State Justice Task Force on Wrongful Convictions pursuant to an appointment by New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman.