Arshad Majid of Farmingdale is the Democratic candidate for Nassau County’s Legislative District 17, which includes the communities of Bethpage, Hicksville, Island Trees, Levittown, North Massapequa, Plainedge, South Farmingdale and Syosset.
Majid received a bachelor of science degree in biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his MBA in economics and finance and his law degree from St. John’s University. He is admitted to practice law in the federal and state courts of New York and in the federal courts of other jurisdictions. Prior to entering politics, Majid worked as an assistant district attorney, obtaining convictions on cases ranging from child abuse, computer and credit card fraud, domestic violence, driving while intoxicated, elder abuse and violent crimes. Following his career as a prosecutor, Majid became a trial lawyer and civil rights attorney with a reputation for protecting the rights of all Americans, particularly working families in need of effective legal representation.
As a pioneer in the area of Mortgage Fraud Litigation, Majid initiated groundbreaking lawsuits, which were instrumental in new legislation being passed in New York State to protect all citizens from financial fraud. As a result of his efforts, new laws were passed to protect victimized families from losing their homes to foreclosure as a result of predatory lending practices and mortgage fraud.
Many of Majid’s other cases have received considerable media and legal attention and have helped to create public awareness of key issues facing Long Islanders. He has represented teenagers who were sexually abused while housed in New York State Foster Care facilities, employees wrongfully terminated from their jobs and families in jeopardy of losing their homes who were scammed by crooked mortgage brokers and attorneys. He has also served as an adviser and liaison between the American minority community and international banking institutions such as HSBC and Citigroup, helping to ease the financial burdens many families feel due to economic conditions and unemployment beyond their control.
In announcing his candidacy, Majid said he has the knowledge, initiative and qualifications to address the difficult issues concerning the citizens of Long Island. He said his diverse education and employment background, have provided him with the skills necessary for success as a legislator.
Majid said that both his personal and professional life have been dedicated to representing the rights of all people, young and old; well-to-do or indigent. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the New York State Defenders Association (NYSDA), an organization composed primarily of attorneys, other professionals, students and others who support the association’s work to uphold the Constitutional guarantees of legal representation to all those accused of crimes and to advocate for an effective system of representation for the poor.
Believing that any type of exclusion leads first to a disparity in economics and then to other forms of discrimination, Majid has spoken tirelessly about integration and access to education. He feels strongly that a solid education and a strong work ethic are the building blocks of our nation’s economic success. Majid said one of his main goals is to foster economic empowerment within individual members of our community so that we may all succeed together.
In a recent speech addressing the current climate of our state and local economies, Majid stated that “civil rights in America are only 40 years old, yet our country elected Barack Obama to be our president, which is an amazing example of what we can achieve as a nation.” However, he also noted that, “there are still movements within our government to repeal the civil rights protections that many Americans died to ensure … our communities need to wake up because as the Founding Fathers warned us, if we don’t exercise and protect our rights, they will be taken away from us.”
Addressing the current economic and employment situation that state and local governments face today, Majid stated, “As a result of the current economic crisis affecting our communities, for many Americans their American dream has turned into a nightmare…but when we think things may be at their worst is when we have the greatest opportunity to enhance our future.”
