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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 028-04
February 3, 2004

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG SWEARS IN NINETEEN JUDGES

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today swore in nineteen judges to serve in the City’s Criminal, Civil and Family Courts.  The swearing-in ceremony included three new Criminal Court judges, three new Interim Civil Court Judges and thirteen reappointments.  Mayor Bloomberg swore in the judges at the New York County Surrogate’s Court.

“Judges perform the critical task of interpreting the law to resolve real world conflicts,” Mayor Bloomberg said.  “Their decisions have an impact not only on those before them but on the City as a whole, as we all have a stake in the fair administration of justice.  These new judges possess the knowledge, experience, and integrity to fulfill the challenging demands of their new positions and it is an honor to appoint such an esteemed group of judges.”

The Mayor swore in the following judges:

New Appointments

Criminal Court

Judge Miriam Cyrulnik served for more than twenty years as Law Clerk to the Honorable Michael Pesce, who is the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Term.  She was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in June 2003.  Judge Cyrulnik has served in numerous bar association leadership capacities, including as President of the Brooklyn Bar Association, and she was a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary from 1994 until 2000.  She earned her JD from Brooklyn Law School.

Judge Lenora Gerald was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in 2001 after serving as Principal Law Clerk to Justice Alfred Lerner of the Appellate Division, First Department.  Judge Gerald, who presides in Queens County Criminal Court, received a JD from St. John’s University School of Law.

Judge William L. McGuire, Jr. served for over twenty-five years at the New York County District Attorney’s Office, including ten years as a Deputy Bureau Chief in the Trial Division. An active member of his community, Judge McGuire serves as a board member of the St. Agnes Catholic Youth Organization.  He earned his JD from St. John’s University School of Law.

Civil Court

Judge Abraham Clott most recently worked at The Legal Aid Society in the Federal Defender Division for the Eastern District of New York.  He also served as a Law Clerk for United States District Judge M. Joseph Blumenfeld, Sr. Judge Clott earned his JD from New York University School of Law.

Judge Anthony J. Ferrara was most recently in private practice concentrating in civil litigation, criminal defense, family law and securities arbitration.  Judge Ferrara also served as Assistant District Attorney, New York County for five years.  He has served as Chair of The Criminal Courts Committee of The Association of the Bar of the City of New York.  Judge Ferrara earned his JD from Columbia Law School.

Judge Alex J. Zigman was a Supervising Inspector General in 1987 at the New York City Department of Investigation, where he rose to become First Assistant Commissioner.  He held Inspector General positions at three other City agencies prior to that and first began his career as a prosecutor for the Queens County District Attorney’s Office.   Most recently, he worked as Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney’s office.  Judge Zigman, who is a member of the New York State Bar Association, earned his JD from Brooklyn Law School.

Reappointments

Criminal Courts

Judge Ellen Maxine Coin had been an Interim Civil Court Judge since 1998. She was appointed to the Criminal Court in December 2002.  Judge Coin has been a state and federal prosecutor and a partner at a private law firm.  She is a member of The Association of the Bar of the City of New York and received a JD from New York University School of Law.

Judge Michael Alan Gross, who has been an Acting Supreme Court Justice since 1998, was first appointed to the Criminal Court in 1988.  Judge Gross worked at the New York City Legal Aid Society, Criminal Appeals Bureau as a Senior Supervising Attorney, as well as the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services as a Director.  He earned his JD from Columbia University School of Law.

Judge Joseph Kevin McKay became an Acting Supreme Court Justice in June 1992.     He was first appointed to the bench as an Interim Civil Court Judge in 1983. Prior to his appointment he served in the New York County District Attorney’s Office, as a former Inspector General for the New York City Department of Sanitation and as a partner for a private law firm.  Judge McKay earned his JD from New York University School of Law.
 
Judge Robert George Seewald, who is an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was first appointed to the Criminal Court bench in 1981.  He previously served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Office of the District Attorney in New York County for 13 years.  In 1984, Judge Seewald became Acting Supreme Court Justice assigned first to the Supreme Court, Criminal Term in Bronx County and then in 1999 to the Special Election Part.  He is a member of the Bronx County Bar Association and he is a graduate of New York University School of Law.


Judge Laura Ward was appointed to the Criminal Court in New York County in 1997, where she served for three years before becoming an Acting Supreme Court Justice in January of 2000.  Judge Ward formerly worked for the United States Attorney’s Office, New York State Attorney General’s Office, the Organized Crime Strike Force and a private law firm.  She is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Manhattan Plaza AIDS Foundation and the Associates Committee of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of New York.  Judge Ward earned her   JD from Fordham Law School.

Family Court

Judge Barbara Salinitro has served in the New York City Law Department, Family Court Division since 1987 where she rose to the position of Borough Chief.  She was appointed to the Family Court in 1996.  Judge Salinitro is a member of the American Bar Association and earned her JD from Boston University School of Law.

Judge Jeffrey Sanders Sunshine, currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was first appointed to the Family Court in 1998.  Before becoming a judge, Judge Sunshine was a Principal Law Clerk to the late Honorable Barry Hurowitz, Acting Justice of the Supreme Court in Kings and Richmond Counties.  He was also a founding partner at his private practice, Sunshine & Goldberg where he concentrated in matrimonial, family, and elder law.  He received a JD from Hofstra University School of Law.

Civil Court

Judge Miriam R. Best was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in June 2003.  Prior to her appointment, she spent over nineteen years as a federal and state court prosecutor.  She has held supervisory and senior positions at the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District, the Kings County and New York County District Attorney’s Offices and Special Narcotics Prosecutor.  Judge Best earned her JD from Yale Law School.

Judge Susan Knipps, who serves as an Acting Supreme Court Justice and Supervising Judge of the New York County Family Court, was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in 2000.  Prior to taking the bench, Judge Knipps served in various positions in the courts, including Deputy Counsel to Chief Judge Judith Kaye.  Judge Knipps is a graduate of Yale Law School.

Judge Jeffrey Lebowitz, who is an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in 1993.  Judge Lebowitz, who was Law Secretary to Judge Phillip Chetta, received a JD from Hofstra University School of Law.

Judge Judith Lieb was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in 1999 after serving as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.  Judge Lieb received a JD from Michigan Law School.

Judge Mary O’Donoghue was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2003.  Prior to her appointment, she most recently served as Administrative Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York.  She was also Chief of the Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Juvenile Crimes Bureau at the New York County District Attorney’s Office.  Judge O’Donoghue received a JD from St. John’s University School of Law. 

Judge Ruth E. Smith was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in June 2003.  Prior to her appointment, she was Assistant Deputy Chief Court Attorney for the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department. Previously, she was an attorney in private practice and an Assistant District Attorney in New York County, where she was Chief of the Special Narcotics Asset Forfeiture Unit.  Judge Smith earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center.

All appointments and reappointments were made after nominations by the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.  The Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary nominates three candidates for each vacant judgeship, and the Mayor selects judges from among that group.  For reappointments, the Mayor’s Advisory Committee recommends whether or not to reappoint each judge, and the Mayor then decides whether to make the reappointment.  All of the judges appointed and reappointed have also been found qualified by the Judiciary Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and were approved by Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Román, Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo and Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt.







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