NYS BAR ASSOCIATION CALLS ON SENATE TO CONFIRM MICHAEL J. GARCIA AS ASSOCIATE JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS

ALBANY, NY (02/08/2016)(readMedia)-- New York State Bar Association today urged the state Senate to confirm Michael J. Garcia as an associate judge of the New York State Court of Appeals.

"Mr. Garcia possesses strong skills that we believe will serve him well as an associate judge," said Vincent E. Doyle, past president of the State Bar Association, who testified today at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Albany.

Doyle chairs the Association's Committee to Review Judicial Nominations, which found Garcia "well qualified," the committee's highest rating.

In his testimony, Doyle cited Garcia's legal career in both the public and private sector.

"Since 2008, he has been a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he established a pro bono criminal defense program and received awards from the Legal Aid Society for outstanding pro bono service.

Previously he served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, a 250-lawyer office," Doyle said. Garcia also held various positions within the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.

"He was his law school class valedictorian, and I am pleased to note he served two years as law clerk to then-Associate Judge Judith S. Kaye," Doyle said.

Garcia has been an active in the State Bar Association since 1990.

"In 2010, he co-chaired our Association's Task Force on Government Ethics, which published a report containing a number of recommendations to help restore public confidence in governmental institutions," Doyle said.

Doyle was testifying on behalf of Association President David P. Miranda, who was attending an American Bar Association meeting in San Diego. On January 20, Miranda hailed Garcia's nomination.

"We applaud Governor Cuomo for continuing to shape our state's highest court with superb jurists who are reflective of the diversity of our great state, without regard to party affiliation," he said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee reported out his nomination to the Senate, which must confirm the nomination.

The 74,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.