The Judiciary Committee of The LGBT Bar Association of New York (LeGaL) is pleased to announce its ratings for candidates in the following upcoming June 25 primary elections: Kings County Civil Court (Countywide); Kings County Civil Court for the Sixth Municipal Court District; Kings County Surrogate; New York County Civil Court for the Fourth Municipal Court District; Queens County Civil Court (Countywide); and Queens County District Attorney.
Candidates were eligible to receive the following ratings: “Highly Approved,” “Approved,” “Not Approved,” or “Failed to Appear.”
In order to obtain an “Approved” rating, the Judiciary Committee had to be satisfied that the candidate, once on the bench, would: 1) demonstrate a commitment to the equality of rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people; 2) possess the integrity, intellect, experience, and temperament required of judicial office; and 3) perform judicial duties without bias or prejudice against or in favor of any person and will not permit discrimination against any minority in his or her courtroom.
In order to obtain a rating of “Highly Approved,” the candidate had to demonstrate that they possess all of the characteristics required for an “Approved” rating to an outstanding degree, and in addition must have demonstrated a commitment to the equality of rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
To ensure the thoroughness and integrity of the ratings process, LeGaL cannot comment beyond what is provided in this release.
Kings County
New York City Civil Court (Countywide)
D. Bernadette Neckles — Failed to Appear
Edward King — Approved
New York City Civil Court (Sixth Municipal Court District)
Alice A .Nicholson — Failed to Appear
Caroline P. Cohen — Highly Approved
Chinyelu O. Udoh — Approved
Tehilah H. Berman — Failed to Appear
Surrogate:
Elena Baron — Failed to Appear
Meredith R. Jones– Approved
Margarita Lopez Torres — Approved
New York County:
New York City Civil Court, New York County (Fourth Municipal Court District)
Lynn Fischman Uniman — Highly Approved
E. Grace Park — Highly Approved
Queens County:
New York City Civil Court, Queens County (Countywide)
Lumarie Maldonado-Cruz — Failed to Appear
Wyatt N. Gibbons — Failed to Appear
District Attorney, Queens County:
Melinda Katz — Failed to Appear
Gregory L. Lasak — Failed to Appear
Betty Lugo — Failed to Appear
Rory I. Lancman — Failed to Appear
José L. Nieves — Failed to Appear
Tiffany Cabán — Failed to Appear
Mina Quinto Malik — Failed to Appear
Members and Officers of the 2019 Judiciary Committee
Janice B. Grubin, Esq., Chair
Pamela B. Goldsmith, Esq., Co-Vice Chair
Michael J. Weiner, Esq., Co-Vice Chair
Craig A. Convissar, Esq.
Lee Coppage, Esq.
William Crosby, Esq.
Harley David Diamond, Esq.
Martha L. Golar, Esq.
Michael B. Gallub, Esq.
Linda S. Kagan, Esq.
Alexandra P. Kolod, Esq. (On sabbatical 2019)
Jaime B. Leggett, Esq.
Kaegan Marie Mays-Williams, Esq.
Andrew P. Merten, Esq.
Craig M. Notte, Esq.
Ethan D.B. Rice, Esq.
Christopher Salloum, Esq.
About The LGBT Bar Association of New York (LeGaL)
LeGaL was one of the nation’s first bar associations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) legal community and remains one of the largest and most active organizations of its kind in the country. Serving the New York metropolitan area, LeGaL is dedicated to improving the administration of the law, ensuring full equality for members of the LGBT community, and promoting the expertise and advancement of LGBT legal professionals.
Through the LeGaL Foundation, the organization provides vital legal services to hundreds of members of the LGBT community each year and hosts a network of free weekly walk-in legal clinics, anchored by the flagship at Manhattan’s LGBT Community Center. The Foundation also publishes LGBT Law Notes, the most comprehensive monthly publication summarizing legal developments affecting the LGBT community here and abroad, sponsors the Dr. M. L. “Hank” Henry, Jr. Judicial Fellowship Program, and runs the area’s only career fair dedicated to first-year LGBT law students.
For more information on LeGaL, visit le-gal.org.
The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York is dedicated to promoting justice in and through the legal system for LGBTQ people.
