Port Washington Resident Rowan D. Wilson Nominated for Court of Appeals

Port Washington resident Rowan D. Wilson was nominated to serve as an Associate Judge on the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.

Wilson would be the first Long Islander to serve on the bench in over 20 years. The last Long Island resident appointed to the court was Sol Wachtler of Manhasset, who served as Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1985 to 1992.

“I am confident he has the intellect, integrity, and compassion we need to continue moving New York forward,” Cuomo said in a press release. “I am proud to nominate him to serve as an Associate Judge, and I look forward to his swift confirmation by the State Senate.”

The nomination was sent to the State Senate late Sunday. Wilson is a litigation partner in the New York office of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he has worked for the past 30 years, and leads the firm’s pro bono work. He lives in Port Washington with his wife and three daughters.

“I am both humbled and honored to be nominated by Governor Cuomo to serve as an Associate Judge on the state’s highest court,” Wilson said. “My entire career has been dedicated to the pursuit of justice and there is no better place to continue those efforts than on the New York State Court of Appeals. I thank Governor Cuomo for this opportunity and look forward to working together to create a stronger, fairer New York for all.”

The nomination on Martin Luther King Day was fitting as Wilson would be the second African American to serve on the Court of Appeals, the New York Post reports. If appointed, he will serve alongside Sheila Abdus-Salaam, making it the first time two African Americans served together on the seven-member panel, according to the Post.

Former New York State Chief Administrative Judge and Interim Dean of Hofstra Law School Gail Prudenti said Wilson would be a tremendous asset for New York.

"Wilson is a respected authority in the legal community, and we would all be served well if he is confirmed to serve as an Associate Judge," Prudenti said in a press release. "His passion, qualifications, and willingness to serve embodies the spirit of our state's highest court."

Wilson was nominated to 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.

While being considered for nomination to the Court of Appeals, Wilson received the highest rating from the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, the Women’s Trial Lawyers Caucus, the Albany County Bar Association, the Broome County Bar Association, New York City Bar Association and the Tri-County Bar Association.

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