Chief Judge Rowan Wilson to be honored with Stanley Fuld Award by NYSBA

January 16, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson for the New York State Court System will be honored by the NYSBA later this month.
Photo courtesy of New York State Court of Appeals via AP

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Hon. Rowan Wilson, chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals and the New York State Court System, is going to be honored by the NYS Bar Association (NYSBA) during its annual meeting later this month.

Chief Judge Wilson, who administers the state court system, is set to receive the prestigious Stanley Fuld Award, the highest honor from the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial & Federal Litigation Section. The award ceremony will take place at a luncheon on Jan. 17 at the Hilton Midtown in Manhattan.

“In his first year as the leader of the New York court system, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson has gone above and beyond in serving the people of our state,” said Richard Lewis, president of the NYSBA.

“He has revitalized the court and led the state’s court system into a new era,” Lewis continued. “The Commercial & Federal Litigation section is especially impressed by his background in complex commercial litigation. We are proud to recognize his groundbreaking tenure with this honor named after one of his predecessors.”

A Harvard Law School alumnus, Wilson made history by becoming the state’s first Black chief judge on April 18, 2023. His tenure at the Court of Appeals started in 2017, following a nearly 30-year career as a litigation partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he handled a diverse range of cases including antitrust, intellectual property, and civil rights.

The Stanley Fuld Award, named after the former chief judge who served from 1967 to 1973, recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to the practice of commercial law and litigation in New York. Chief Judge Wilson joins a distinguished list of legal professionals who have been honored with this award for their extraordinary service to the public and the legal profession.

The 147th Annual Meeting of the NYSBA will take place from Jan. 16 to 20 at the New York Hilton Midtown. The meeting includes the Presidential Summit on AI and the Legal Landscape, the Presidential Gala honoring former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and the Justice for All Luncheon with Chief Judge Wilson delivering the keynote address.