Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas announced the appointment of Antonio Seda as the Managing Inspector General for Bias Matters on Tuesday. 

This vital role, part of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) within the Office of Court Administration (OCA), is crucial in overseeing investigations into allegations of bias within the court system. Seda, taking over from Kay-Ann Porter Campbell, who has been appointed as the OCA’s Inspector General, will assume his new duties on Dec. 7.

Antonio Seda’s responsibilities will include leading the OIG’s Office of the Managing Inspector General for Bias Matters, a division dedicated to probing claims of workplace bias based on various grounds such as race, sex, age, and gender identity. 

He will also serve as a liaison with law enforcement agencies, advise on anti-bias policies, develop training programs, and represent the office at statewide events.

“Mr. Seda is an accomplished attorney with extensive investigative experience, strong leadership skills and a deep commitment to rooting out systemic bias and fostering diversity and inclusiveness within the workplace and beyond,” Justice Zayas said in his announcement. “He is an innovator, and a trusted guide and mentor, who is well regarded by colleagues and others for his collaborative approach, hard work, and integrity. 

“On behalf of the court’s leadership team and our entire court family, I am delighted to welcome him to the court system and look forward to our working together to promote a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment in courthouses and court facilities throughout the state,” Justice Zayas said.

Seda’s extensive background includes over a decade at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority–New York City Transit, where he managed investigations and training modules related to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and workplace inclusivity. His legal career, spanning over three decades, includes roles as an assistant district attorney, a defender in criminal cases, and a litigator in torts cases.

“I look forward to the privilege of working closely and collaboratively with Inspector General Porter Campbell, the OIG team, the OCA leadership, and all stakeholders to continue to advance anti-bias efforts and initiatives, root out and eliminate bias within the court system, and foster public trust and confidence in the courts,” Seda said. 

“As a former practicing litigator, I have decades of experience in New York’s courts and believe we have reached a turning point with a new leadership team that will make the court system more equitable, diverse, and inclusive,” he added.

Seda, a South Bronx native, is a Columbia College and New York University School of Law alumnus. He has been a proactive member of various bar associations and was recently elected vice president of the Puerto Rican Bar Association. His community involvement includes nearly 30 years on the Board of Directors of Avenues for Justice, an organization dedicated to providing youth with alternatives to incarceration.