Court of Appeals Judge Victoria Graffeo Receives State Bar's Excellence in Public Service Award

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Graffeo Award

ALBANY, NY (01/29/2014)(readMedia)-- Hon. Victoria A. Graffeo, senior associate judge of the Court of Appeals, is the 2014 recipient of the Excellence in Public Service Award, given by the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Attorneys in Public Service.

The award recognizes public sector attorneys who demonstrate a "higher calling" by an extraordinary commitment to service, honor and integrity. Graffeo received her award on January 28 at the State Bar Association's Annual Meeting in Manhattan.

"Judge Graffeo's career has spanned all three branches of state government and exemplified excellence at every turn. She has improved the lives of New Yorkers through her work and decisions," said Catherine A. Christian of New York City (assistant district attorney, New York County), chair of the Committee on Attorneys in Public Service. "She is a model public servant and epitomizes the best values of the legal profession."

Graffeo, who has spent most of her career in public service, has served on the Court of Appeals since 2000. She previously was an associate justice of the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court, Third Department, and a justice of the state Supreme Court, Third Judicial District.

She began her career in private practice and later became assistant counsel to the New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. She later served as chief counsel to the Assembly Minority Leader. In 1995, she was appointed New York State Solicitor General.

Graffeo earned her undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta and her law degree from Albany Law School. She resides in Voorheesville.

The 75,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

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