Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division Second Judicial DepartmentSupreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division Second Judicial Department
Calendars Decisions

Justices of the Court

Hon. Leonard B. Austin *

Judicial Offices

Justice of the Supreme Court - 1999 to present
- Dedicated Matrimonial Part - 1999 to 2000
- Commercial Division - 2000 to 2009

Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department - 2009 to present

Other Professional Experience

Adjunct Professor of Law, Hofstra University School of Law - Fall 2002 to present

Associate Counsel to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly - 1980 to 1981
- Counsel to the Agriculture and Commerce and Industry Committees

Private practice of law:
- Leonard B. Austin, P.C. - 1990 to 1998
- Wolfson, Grossman & Austin - 1988 to 1990
- Stillman, Herz & Austin - 1980 to 1988
- Stillman & Austin - 1979 - 1980 - Solo practice - 1978 to 1979

Assistant Law Librarian, Hofstra University School of Law - 1978 to 1979

Admission to the Bar

New York; Florida, United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; United States District Court for the Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of New York. Also admitted pro hac vice in Texas, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern District of Massachusetts and the District of North Carolina

Education

Hofstra University School of Law - J.D. - 1977

Georgetown University - B.A. - 1974

Jewish Theological Seminary - Summer 1973

Publications & Leading Cases

Publications:

NYSBA Family Law Review, View From the Bench, Fall/Winter 2001

Banking Law Journal, The Impact of New York Supreme Court’s Commercial Division on Bank Litigation, October, 2001.

Physicians Management Magazine, Divorce Battleground: What is Your Medical License Worth Today? September 1989

Crains NY Business, Punish Illegal Peddlers, Not Innocent Parties; June 1, 1987

American Medical News, License Status in M.D. Divorces; (Two Parts) May 8 and 15, 1987

Leading Cases:

Lipco Electrical Corp. v. ASG Consulting Corp., NYLJ p. 20, col. 3 (8/26/04)

Sodexho Management Inc. v. Nassau Health Corp., NYLJ p. 19 col. 3 (10/6/04), affd., 23 A.D.3d 370 (2nd Dept. 2005)

Yemini v. Goldberg, 12 Misc.3d 1141 (2006)

Brown v. DeGrace, 193 Misc.2d 391, affd., 298 A.D.2d 526 (2nd Dept. 2002)

Anonymous v. Peters, 189 Misc.2d 203 (2001)

Eredics v. Chase Manhattan Bank, 186 Misc. 2d 19 (2000), affd., 292 A.D.2d 338 (2nd Dept. 2002), affd., 98 N.Y.2d 606 (2003).

Beverage Marketing USA, Inc. v. South Beach Beverage Co., Inc., 15 Misc.3d 1124(A) (2007), affd., 58 A.D.3d 657 (2nd Dept. 2009)

Cohen v. Nassau Educators Federal Credit Union, 12 Misc.3d 1164(A), affd., 37 A.D.3d 751 (2nd Dept. 2007)

Wisell v. Indo-Med Commodities, Inc., 11 Misc.3d 1089(A) (2006), on reargument, 14 Misc.3d 1209(A) (2006)

Fuchs v. Wachovia Mortgage Corp., 9 Misc.3d 1129(A) (2005), affd., 41 A.D.3d 424 (2nd Dept. 2007)

Tal Tours (1996) Inc. v. Goldstein, 9 Misc.3d 1117(A) (2005), affd., 34 A.D.3d 786 (2nd Dept. 2006)

Gallimore v. Wing, NYLJ, p. 24, col. 1 (9/25/02)

Oliver V. v. Kelly V., 224 N.Y.L.J. 101, p. 37, col. 6 (11/27/00)

Tunga v. Tunga, 223 N.Y.L.J. 83, p. 36, col. 5 (5/1/00)

Professional & Civic Activities

American Bar Association

New York State Bar Association (Member of the House of Delegates and Past Presiding Member of the Judicial Section)

Florida Bar Association

Nassau County Bar Association

Jewish Lawyers Association of Nassau County (Board of Directors)

New York Bar Foundation (Life Fellow)

American College of Business Court Judges (President and Chair of the By-laws Committee)

Theodore Roosevelt Inn of Court (Past President)

Association of Justices of the Supreme Court

Pattern Jury Instructions Committee

Commercial Division Rules Revision Committee

Unified Court System Matrimonial Practice Committee

Unified Court System Commercial Division Curriculum Committee

Nassau County Courts Quarantine Team

Volunteer Judge in various mock trial and moot court competitions sponsored by the New York State Bar Association, Nassau County Bar Association, Hofstra University School of Law and St. John’s Law School, 1999 to present

Temple Beth Torah (Executive Board and Past President)

* Retired 01/05/2022