David Yassky

David S. Yassky
David Yassky is Dean of Pace University's Elisabeth Haub School of Law
Personal details
Born	(1964-03-03) March 3, 1964 (age 53)
Spouse(s)	Diana Fortuna
Children	2
Residence	Brooklyn, New York
Alma mater	Princeton University Yale Law School
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Jewish

David S. Yassky (born March 3, 1964) is the Dean of Pace University School of Law where he has served since 2014. He is also a former member of the New York City Council and was first elected in 2001. As a City Council Member, he represented the 33rd Council District, which includes parts of downtown Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Boerum Hill and Park Slope.

Yassky is a graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School. He was a budget analyst for the New York City Office of Management and Budget. He then served as chief counsel to the House Subcommittee on Crime, a subcommittee chaired by Charles Schumer. Yassky was a member of the faculty of the Brooklyn Law School.

In 2006, Yassky ran for U.S. Congress in Brooklyn, losing to Yvette Clarke. On September 29, 2009 he lost the run-off election for the Democratic nomination for New York City Comptroller. In 2010 Yassky was appointed chairman of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission.

He has been married to Metropolitan Opera CFO Diana Fortuna since 1990, and they live in Brooklyn Heights with their two daughters.

Yassky was elected to the New York City Council in 2001. He is chair of the Council's Small Business Committee. Yassky was one of 29 councilmembers who voted in 2008 to extend term limits for themselves effectively ignoring two previous public votes imposing a limit of two terms. Hours before the final vote on term limits, Yassky proposed an amendment from the floor that would have altered the legislation to require approval by popular vote before term limits could change. The amendment failed by a vote of 28-22, but Yassky voted for the extension anyway