Port Washington Resident Rowan D. Wilson Confirmed to Court of Appeals

Port Washington resident Rowan D. Wilson was confirmed as an Associate Judge on the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, making him the first Long Islander to serve on the bench in over 20 years, the New York State Senate announced Monday.

Wilson was nominated for the position by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January.

“With Rowan Wilson’s confirmation as the next Associate Judge on the New York State Court of Appeals, New York gains another supremely qualified and accomplished leader to serve on our state’s highest court,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Admired for his unassailable integrity, keen intellect and extensive experience handling some of the most pressing legal matters of our time, Judge Wilson is committed to the principles of justice and equality that are the very foundation of New York’s judicial system.”

Following his confirmation as Associate Judge, Wilson retired from his position as litigation partner in the New York office of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he worked for the past 30 years and led the firm’s pro bono work.

“Rowan is an outstanding trial and appellate litigator, who will bring to New York’s highest court extensive experience in complex commercial matters, coupled with a lifelong commitment to civil rights and social justice,” Cravath’s Presiding Partner Faiza J. Saeed said in a press release.

Wilson will serve alongside Sheila Abdus-Salaam, making it the first time two African Americans serve together on the seven-member panel, according to the New York Post.

Wilson will fill the vacancy left by Honorable Eugene Pigott who retired last year. He is the seventh person that Cuomo has nominated to serve on the New York State Court of Appeals.

Image of the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany. [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0] via Wikimedia Commons