News & Views
The Alumni Award Goes To...
Justice Lucy Adams Billings ’63 Honored for Lifetime of Advocacy and Public Service
The New Canaan Country School Alumni Award is presented each year to honor an alumna or alumnus who has shown the courage and confidence to make a positive contribution to the world. This year, the honor went to Lucy Adams Billings ’63, a retired Justice of the New York County Supreme Court, in recognition of her lifelong commitment to equal justice and advocacy for underrepresented communities.
Justice Billings returned to campus to speak with Middle and Upper School students about her journey from Country School to a career in law and public service. She shared how her early education instilled in her a deep appreciation for fairness, curiosity, and the importance of speaking up for others. Recalling her time as a student, she reflected on the values she carried forward—ones that shaped her commitment to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, are treated with dignity and respect under the law.
Throughout her distinguished career, Justice Billings has championed the rights of tenants, minorities, children, seniors, and families facing difficult legal battles. Before serving on the bench, she held leadership roles at Bronx Legal Services and worked as staff counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Children’s Rights Project, handling cases that ranged from public health and environmental justice to tenants' rights and civil liberties. Her landmark decisions have impacted countless lives, including rulings that forced New York City to address lead paint hazards in public spaces and strengthened protections for tenants facing unjust evictions.
In her conversation with students, Justice Billings spoke about the importance of perseverance, ethical leadership, and the ability to see legal work as a means of creating meaningful change. “The law is a tool for justice,” she told the audience. “But it’s only as strong as the people who use it to make a difference.”
Her visit underscored the lasting impact of a Country School education, inspiring students to think critically about their own potential paths and how they might contribute to their communities in ways both big and small.
After graduating from Country School, Justice Billings earned her B.A. from Smith College, magna cum laude, and her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, John, a professor at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and their daughter, Marion.
Career Highlights
- 1973 – Began career as a staff attorney with Vermont Legal Aid
- 1975-1976 – Representative for the Utah Legal Clinic Foundation
- 1976-1978 – Supervisor of the Public Benefits and Health Unit, Utah Legal Services
- 1978-1982 – Senior Attorney, Utah Legal Services
- 1980-1982 – Chairperson of the Public Benefits and Health Task Forces
- 1982 – Director of Legal Support, Community Action for Legal Services
- 1982-1986 – Director of Litigation, Bronx Legal Services
- 1986 – Staff counsel, American Civil Liberties Union National Headquarters
- 1989-1997 – Director of Special Litigation and Training, Bronx Legal Services
- 1996-1997 – Consultant, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corp.
Justice Billings' visit was a meaningful opportunity for students to hear firsthand how courage, confidence, and a strong sense of justice can lead to a lifetime of impact. Her career stands as an inspiring example of how advocacy, dedication, and a commitment to service can shape a more just and equitable world.
View photos from the event
View photos from the event
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
