The Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association hosted its monthly “Lunch with a Judge” event on Wednesday, May 15, featuring Judge Hector LaSalle, the presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department.
Approximately 50 judges and lawyers attended to hear Justice LaSalle discuss his background and his court’s workload and engage directly with BWBA members, including Justice Genine Edwards, who served as moderator.
Justice LaSalle, appointed presiding justice in 2021, shared insights about his court, which handles nearly half of New York State’s appeals.
“The age-old question is, what’s going on with the backlog, so we’ll talk about that,” Presiding Judge LaSalle said. “We got rid of the backlog about two years ago and have maintained it. I have heard lots of practitioners say, ‘Well, what about my case?’ We do have wait times that are sometimes up to two and a half, sometimes three years. I do believe that help is on the way.”
LaSalle highlighted ongoing discussions with the governor and the chief administrative judge about adding more judges and staff. “I’m hoping that, in the near future, we’re going to see additional resources given to the Second Department, probably for the first time in 30 years,” he said. He pointed out the resource disparity, noting, “We handle about 50% of the cases in NYS, but we don’t have 50% of the resources.”
Justice LaSalle also expressed his interest in feedback from the legal community. “I’m curious what the bar is thinking, and I really want to know what is on your mind. If there are any blind spots where the court is missing something, or I’m missing something, I’d really like to hear about it.”
The event showed the BWBA’s commitment to facilitating direct dialogue between the judiciary and its members.
“So many of your colleagues are here, Judge LaSalle, and I just want to say that the bar appreciates everyone on your bench and how hard they work,” said Helene Blank.
Justice LaSalle’s distinguished career includes serving as a justice of the Suffolk County Supreme Court and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term for the Ninth and Tenth Judicial Departments. He has a B.A. in political science from Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law.
LaSalle’s legal career began as an assistant district attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, followed by roles in private practice and the New York State Attorney General’s Office. He has also served as a lead gang prosecutor and deputy bureau chief of the Special Investigation Bureau. In 2021, Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed LaSalle as the presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department.
Justice LaSalle is a founding member and past president of the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association and holds memberships in the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Supreme Court Justices Association of the State of New York and the Suffolk County Bar Association.
