Barbara Finkelstein oversees every aspect of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (formerly Westchester/Putnam Legal Services), the largest comprehensive provider of free civil legal services to more than 300,000 poor and low-income individuals in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster Counties. Since Ms. Finkelstein became Executive Director in 1995, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley has quadrupled its staff and budget growing to a 75-person staff with an $8- million-dollar budget and six offices throughout the Hudson Valley.

Ms. Finkelstein’s accomplishments on behalf of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley are many. She has made great strides in securing funding from County governments for collaborations with community-based organizations and law schools to ensure solutions to the problems facing the indigent population. Most recently she started a private bar campaign in order to involve the private bar in funding for civil legal services. In 1996, she started the Domestic Violence Unit, which has provided legal assistance to over 2,000 survivors of domestic violence. In 1999, Ms. Finkelstein started a Children's Advocacy Unit, and in 2002 a Family Law Unit, both supported exclusively by private funds raised through an individual donor and foundation fund raising program. Legal Services of the Hudson Valley also runs a pro bono program with more than 600 volunteers each year providing legal assistance to clients in matrimonial, consumer, housing and disability cases.

Before joining Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, Ms. Finkelstein was the Assistant Project Director at Queens Legal Services where she directed services to clients and assisted with overall program operations.

Ms. Finkelstein is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s President’s Committee on Access to Justice and the former co-Chairperson of the Special Committee to Secure Funding for Civil Legal Services of the New York State Bar Association. In addition she serves on the Board of Directors for the Westchester Women’s Agenda, and is a member of New York State’s Equal Justice Commission.

Ms. Finkelstein received her J.D. from Rutgers School of Law - Newark, and her B.A. from Hunter College of the City University of New York.