LGBTQ Trailblazing Justice Marcy Kahn Retiring From The Bench
LeGaL friend, and LGBTQ trailblazer, Justice Marcy Kahn, announced that she will retire from the First Department in September "to become an advocate on climate change, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law."
Justice Marcy Kahn is a justice on the First Department of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division. She was appointed to the court by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to fill a vacancy in February 2016. Previously, Justice Kahn was a justice for the New York County Supreme Court in the 1st Judicial District of New York. She was first elected to this position in 1995, after having served as an acting justice since 1993.
“Justice Kahn truly is one of those on whose shoulders we all stand," said LeGaL President Kristen Browde. Every LGBT lawyer and every LGBT New Yorker owes Marcy a huge debt of gratitude, not just for her long service on the bench but for her pioneering and tireless work for equality, which, I’m sure, is nowhere near done yet.”
Justice Kahn began her career in 1975 as a Special Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the New York State Special Prosecutor. In 1977, she became an associate of the private law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She then became a partner of the firm Anderson Kill & Olick in 1980. She worked in this capacity through 1986.
Her first judicial appointment was in 1987, when she joined the New York City Criminal Court. She served on this court through 1994, but spent the end of her term (1993–1994) as an acting justice of the New York County Supreme Court. She was elected a justice of this court in 1995. Justice Kahn received her A.B. degree from Stanford University in 1972 and his J.D. degree from the New York University School of Law in 1975.
"Justice Kahn is the gold standard as far as judges go and our community was truly fortunate to have her on the bench early on," said LeGaL Judiciary Committee Chair Janice Grubin. "We look forward to the next focus of her tireless efforts for equal rights for all."