ALBANY—Assembly Republicans have put forward John Cirando, an attorney from Syracuse, to sit on the Commission on Judicial Nomination.
Cirando will fill the seat of Ed Cox, who resigned from the commission in September when he became chairman of the Republican State Committee. Last week, the commission put out a public call for lawmakers to fill its vacant seats. Cirando’s appointment by Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb was made in a letter dated Nov. 4, but not announced publicly.
The 12-member board nominates candidates for the Court of Appeals; a list it presented last December was criticized by David Paterson for a lack of diversity.
Paterson also has an outstanding appointment on the commission, but it’s unclear who he might nominate or when.
Here’s Cirando’s official biography, per the Law Revision Commission:
John A. Cirando was appointed as a member of the Law Revision Commission in 2006. He is a partner of the law firm of D.J. and J.A. Cirando, Esqs., located in Syracuse, New York. His practice is concentrated on appellate advocacy. He served as Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office and was a member of the United States Army, Judge Advocate General Corps. He has been active both in local and state bar associations, serving as Chairperson of both the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on County Courts and the New York State Bar Association’s Public Relations Committee, and as Secretary and member of the Board of Directors of the Onondaga County Bar Association. He has taught as an adjunct professor of law at Syracuse University College of Law and authored the 2004-2005 Survey of Criminal Law in New York State for the Syracuse University Law Review.
He is general counsel for Vera House, Inc., a not-for-profit that works to end domestic violence and sexual assault, and din 2005, received the Sister Mary Vera Recognition Award. He has been a member of the St. Bonaventure University Board of Trustees and is currently serving as Secretary and member of the board of Trustees of Loretto Health & Rehabilitation Center. He received his B.A. from St. Bonaventure University and his J.D. from S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo, School of Law.
