Meet Town Council candidate Lina Lee
Lina Lee is a New Canaan resident who brings extensive legal and leadership experience to her candidacy for Town Council. Since moving to town in 2023, she has developed a deep appreciation for New Canaan’s character, civic values, and strong sense of community. She is committed to preserving what makes the town unique while helping it plan responsibly for the years ahead—balancing long-term investment, principled management, and thoughtful growth that reflects the town’s priorities.
Lina currently serves as Executive Director of the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA), where she leads a statewide organization of more than 8,000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals. In this role, she oversees the Association’s strategic priorities, including continuing legal education, legislative advocacy, policy development, and organizational governance. Lina is guiding the CBA through a milestone year—its 150th anniversary—by revitalizing operations, modernizing internal systems, and expanding programs that strengthen the legal profession and enhance its public impact. She led the CBA’s largest Connecticut Legal Conference since the pandemic and has launched new initiatives focused on leadership development, mentorship, and civic engagement.
She also serves as Secretary of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, which administers over $371 million in legal aid funding across the state. In addition, she has held appointed and elected leadership roles in several organizations, including serving as an appointed advisor to the Housing Court Advisory Council in New York City.
Prior to her current role, Lina was the Founder and Executive Director of a legal services organization in New York City focused on civil rights. She also spent 13 years as a practicing attorney and litigator, representing clients in complex matters and leading teams through high-stakes legal and policy challenges. Her work has spanned legal strategy, institutional partnerships, and systems reform—consistently grounded in sound judgment, depth of experience, and public service.
Lina has been widely recognized for her leadership and contributions to the legal field. She was named to the Nonprofit 40 Under 40 (2021), the Nonprofit Power 100 (2022 and 2023) by City & State New York, and AAPI Power Players (2024) by PoliticsNY and amNY Metro.
A graduate of Cornell University and Boston University School of Law, Lina brings a thoughtful, informed, and collaborative approach to public service—grounded in legal experience, institutional knowledge, and a commitment t