Serving as an adjunct professor with Cornell Law School’s Tenants Advocacy Practicum since 2020, William J. Niebel will now transition his role to full-time. As the inaugural Tenants Advocacy Attorney, Niebel’s expanded role will enable the practicum to handle more cases and provide extended representation to tenants in Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tioga counties. The position is funded by a new grant from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance through a subcontract with Legal Assistance of Western New York.  

“I am excited to be full-time with the Tenants Advocacy Practicum,” says Niebel. “At a fundamental level, it means that we can assist even more folks in need in Ithaca and beyond. And I feel privileged knowing that I will have even more time and opportunities to work closely with my incredible students and our new fellow, Yusong Jin.” 

Previously, Niebel worked at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York in Albany and Saratoga Springs, defending many evictions in city, town, and village courts. He was then a staff attorney at Legal Services of Central New York, where he practiced housing law from 2015–22. He is the author of “The Process Due When Rent is Due: Residential Nonpayment Evictions After COVID-19,” which was published in the N.Y. Real Property Law Journal in December 2021.