The New York City Bar Association recently weighed in on several contested races in Queens and Brooklyn in its judicial rating process.
In Queens, where there are four candidates running for two open spots on the Queens Civil Court bench in the Democratic primary election on June 23, the bar association neatly approved two of the candidates.
But in Brooklyn, the bar association’s ratings don’t clearly tip the scales in either of the two contested races. It approved of both candidates running for a central Brooklyn civil court seat and neither of the candidates running for a south Brooklyn seat.
The review was conducted by the association’s Judiciary Committee, which uses two ratings — either approved or not approved — in its evaluation of candidates. Approved candidates “affirmatively demonstrate qualifications” for the role, according to the bar association’s description of the process.
Beyond that general explanation, the bar association provides little more detail about how it reaches its final decision on the ratings in its annual ratings, which are often one of the few measures of a candidate’s competency available to voters.
All three contested races are for Civil Court judge positions, which are elected either countywide or in localized districts. These positions serve for 10-year terms and preside over everyday legal battles involving money and assets of less than $25,000, from housing and property disputes to consumer debt and personal injury claims.
In Brooklyn, the bar association approved of both Michelle DeSouza and Janice P. Purvis, who are running for the judicial seat in District 6, which covers Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Flatbush, Ditmas Park, Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope, Midwood, and Kensington.
The two lawyers have worked as counsel to the city Law Department and court attorneys.
DeSouza took leave of her most recent position as an assistant corporation counsel to the city Law Department to run for the role. She got into public service law after passing the bar and entering the field while she was pregnant.
Purvis spent over 20 years of her legal career with the Law Department. She currently works as a special referee in the matrimonial court under Statewide Coordinating Judge for Matrimonial Matters Judge Jeffrey Sunshine.
Brooklyn Judicial District 6 candidates Michelle DeSouza (L.) and Janice P. Purvis (R.), who are running for a seat on Brooklyn Civil Court.Photos via DeSouza for Judge and Janice Purvis
In the other Brooklyn race, the association approved of neither Susan A. Liebman nor Abbye L. Lawrence, who are running for the judge seat in District 8, covering Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Garrett’s Beach, Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach and parts of Midwood and Flatlands
Lawrence currently works as a construction liability and personal injury attorney at Litchfield Cavo LLP and small claims arbiter in New York City Civil Court.
As of last year, Liebman was serving as the principal law clerk in the civil part of Brooklyn Supreme Court, but she recently left that position for one offering pro bono legal services to domestic violence survivors through Mount Sinai’s victim services program.
Both candidates currently live in Manhattan, but they maintain they have ties to Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Judicial District 8 candidates and Susan A. Liebman (L.) and Abbye Lawrence (R.) for Brooklyn Civil Court.Photos via Facebook and Abbye Lawrence
In Queens, John Ciafone, Edward Irizarry, Julie Milner and Edmond Wong are running to win the countywide nomination for two spots on the civil court bench. The city bar association approved the candidacy of Wong and Irizarry and disapproved of Ciafone and Milner.
Irizarry serves as an associate court attorney to Queens Civil Court Judge Maria Gonzalez. Wong currently serves as a Court Attorney Referee in Queens County Surrogate’s Court, a part of the system that handles estates and wills of the dead.
Wong and Irizarry were also endorsed in February by the Queens County Democratic Party.
Ciafone is a trial attorney from Astoria who has run his law practice for several decades. He also serves as an administrative law judge and hearing officer for the city Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings and a court referee in the Supreme Court for a Foreclosure Proceeding.
Milner has managed a constitutional and civil rights law office since 2008. For over a decade, she has also served as an arbitrator in the Queens Civil Court’s attorney-client fee dispute program.
From left, John Ciafone, Edward Irizarry, Julie Milner and Edmond Wong are running for the Queens Civil Court bench.Photos via campaign
Early voting for the June 23 election runs from June 13 to June 21. You can find your polling place at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/.