Commissioner Directory

Robin A. Bikkal: Appointed by Temporary President of the Senate Stewart-Cousins
Term ends 3/21/2027

Robin A. Bikkal has been a practicing immigration attorney in White Plains, New York for 38 years. She is the current owner of Bikkal and Associates and a former partner of Silverman and Bikkal, a firm she founded with her husband, the late former NYS Supreme Court Justice Donald N. Silverman. In addition to her professional career, Ms. Bikkal has a lengthy history of community and civic involvement in Westchester County. Currently she serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Westchester Community College and is the founder and co-chair of the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester. She received her J.D. from Western New England School of Law.

John A. Cirando: Appointed by Assembly Minority Leader Barclay
Term ends 3/31/2029

John Cirando is a partner of the law firm of D.J. and J.A. Cirando, Esqs., in Syracuse, New York. 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 served as Chairperson of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on County Courts and 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., and in 2005, received the Sister Mary Vera Recognition Award. He is a member of the NYS Law Revision Commission. He received his B.A. from St. Bonaventure University and his J.D. from S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo, School of Law.

Eugene M. Fahey: Appointed by Chief Judge Wilson 
Term ends 4/30/2030

Eugene M. Fahey served as an Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 2015 to 2021. He began his career in public service as a member of the Buffalo Common Council from 1978 to 1983 and again from 1988 to 1994. He served as Law Clerk to Judge Edgar C. NeMoyer in the New York Court of Claims before entering private practice in 1985, serving as house counsel for Kemper Insurance Company until 1993. He was elected to Buffalo City Court in 1994. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 1996 and was re-elected in 2010. As a Supreme Court Justice, Judge Fahey was assigned to handle a civil calendar as well as criminal Special Term and presided over a variety of cases in Erie County as well as the outlying counties in the Eighth Judicial District. He was assigned to the Commercial Division in Erie County in January 2005 until his appointment by Governor George E. Pataki to the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, in December 2006. In January 2015, Judge Fahey was nominated to the Court of Appeals by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The New York State Senate unanimously confirmed that nomination on February 9, 2015. In 2021 Judge Fahey retired after reaching the mandatory age of 70. Thereafter, he served as the Chair of the New York State Special Commission on Legislative, Judicial, & Executive Compensation. He also was an adjunct teacher at the State University of New York (“SUNY”) at Buffalo Law School. He earned three degrees from SUNY Buffalo: a B.A. in political science in 1974 (cum laude); a J.D. in 1984; and an M.A. in European History in 1998. 

Elizabeth R. Fine: Appointed by Governor Hochul
Term ends 3/31/29

Elizabeth R. Fine is an attorney and advisor with more than three decades of senior legal and government experience. She began her career as counsel to the House Judiciary Committee and served at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Clinton White House, where she served as Special Counsel to the President. She went on to serve as General Counsel of the New York City Council and Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Empire State Development, New York State's principal economic development authority. From 2021 to 2024, she served as Counsel to Governor Kathy Hochul — chief legal officer of the executive branch of New York State — advising on legal, policy, communications, judicial appointments, and strategy matters, serving as lead negotiator on three state budgets, and overseeing the executive branch's response to federal and state investigations. She currently serves as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, appointed by Governor Hochul to a six-year term and confirmed by the New York State Senate, as well as on other public and private sector boards. She is the recipient of the Dorothy Marie Milner Award for Outstanding Service from the New York City Corporation Counsel and the Annual Public Service Award from the Municipal Forum of New York, and she has been recognized in City & State New York's Law Power 100 and Albany Power 100.

Ann-Marie Foster: Appointed by Chief Judge Wilson 
Term ends 4/30/30

Ann-Marie Foster is the President & CEO of Phoenix House of New York & Long Island and longtime Fellow of the American College of HealthCare Executives (FACHE), with more than three decades of leadership in the healthcare sector. Under her leadership, Phoenix House has grown to serve more than 4,000 individuals annually and expanded its statewide services with the launch of Brooklyn’s first-ever recovery center, a new mental health clinic in Long Island, a peer-led Clubhouse in Harlem, and several other locations. Prior to joining Phoenix House, Ann-Marie worked for the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation for 26 years beginning her healthcare journey at Metropolitan Hospital. Over the years, she held several leadership positions within the corporation, including leading the country’s largest psychiatric program, Bellevue Hospital Department of Psychiatry, as the Senior Associate Executive Director. In October 2024, Ann-Marie was named to a Blue-Ribbon Taskforce on Opioid Addiction, launched by the New York State Bar Association to address the statewide opioid public health crisis. She was recently named in Crain’s New York Business as a Notable Black Leader in 2024 and City & State Top 50 over Fifty Leaders in NYS. Ann-Marie serves on several boards such as InUnity Alliance, National TCA, Mental Health News, and in January 2025, she joined the Center for Justice Innovation.

Michael J. Hutter: Appointed by Senate Minority Leader Ortt
Term ends 3/31/24

Michael J. Hutter is a Professor of Law at Albany Law School, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1976. He is also Special Counsel to the law firm of Powers & Santola, LLP, in Albany, New York, where he specializes in appellate practice. Professor Hutter is an honors graduate of Brown University, and Boston College Law School, where was the Editor-In-Chief of Boston College’s law review (Annual Survey), and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After graduation, Professor Hutter served as law clerk to Judge Matthew J. Jasen, an Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. From 1979-1984, he was the Executive Director of the New York State Law Revision Commission. He also served as Chair, NYS Capital Defender Office from 2005-2008. He presently serves as a Commissioner on the New York State Law Revision Commission. Professor Hutter is the immediate-past President of the Albany County Bar Association.

Kenneth A. Manning: Appointed by Governor Hochul
Term ends 3/31/28

Kenneth A. Manning is a Partner at Phillips Lytle LLP and a member of its Litigation Practice Group. He has experience in bet-the-company corporate and commercial litigation, and served as the co-chair on the firm's Class Action, Government Operations, and Education Practice Teams. Mr. Manning has prosecuted and defended class actions in both State and Federal Courts. He is highly recognized for his legal excellence as a Leading Individual in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He is listed in 2022 The Best Lawyers in America and is ranked among the 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers. Mr. Manning is a member of the  Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority; Board Member of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; and a member of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Mediator Panel Member. He received his B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo Engineering School and his J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. Mr. Manning also has an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo Engineering School.

Robert  F. Mujica: Appointed by Governor Hochul 
Term ends 3/31/2030

Robert Mujica is the Executive Director of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico (FOMB), a position he has held since January 1, 2023. Prior to joining the FOMB, he served as New York State's Director of the Budget beginning in 2015, where he was responsible for the overall development and management of the State's fiscal policy, including budget recommendations for all State agencies and programs, economic and revenue forecasting, tax policy, fiscal planning, and capital financing. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief of Staff to the Temporary President and Majority Leader of the Senate and as Secretary to the New York Senate Finance Committee. He received his B.A. in Sociology from Brooklyn College at the City University of New York, his M.S. in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and his J.D. from Albany Law School.

Cynthia Nixon: Appointed by Chief Judge Wilson 
Term ends 4/30/2030

Cynthia Nixon is a native New Yorker who began acting professionally at the age of 12 and has worked as an actor and director for nearly 50 years. Over the course of her career, she has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award for her reading of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. She has appeared in plays and films by such distinguished directors as Mike Nichols, Sidney Lumet, Louis Malle, Milos Forman, and Robert Altman. While she is best known for her longtime role as Miranda Hobbes in the Sex and the City franchise, she has played roles as varied as Emily Dickinson, Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan. She has also received many honors and awards for her advocacy and leadership on social issues including the GLAAD Vito Russo Award, the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award, the Yale University Artist for Equality award and the National Action Network Triumph Award, to name a few. As an advocate, she has focused on public school funding, abortion access, breast cancer awareness, and LGBTQ equality. In 2018, she ran for Governor of New York State on a platform centered on economic, racial, and gender equality. Nixon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College. Her career and public life continue to combine professional work in the arts with civic advocacy.

James S. Oddo: Appointed by Governor Hochul 
Term ends 3/31/2027

James S. Oddo has been a respected leader in government for more than three decades. From 2023 to 2025, he was Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings, one of the world’s largest municipal construction regulatory agencies. Immediately before that he served as Chief of Staff to the New York City Deputy Mayor for Operations. From 2014 to 2022, he was Borough President of Staten Island. He also represented parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn in the New York City Council between 1999 to 2013, and served as the Council’s minority leader from 2002 to 2013. He received his B.A. in history from Fordham University and a J.D. from New York Law School.

Paul N. Samuels: Appointed by Speaker Heastie
Term ends 3/31/2030

Paul N. Samuels is Director/President of the Legal Action Center, a not-for-profit public interest law firm specializing in legal and policy issues involving substance use, criminal justice and HIV/AIDS. He also chairs New York State's Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council, serves on the Governor’s Council on Community Reentry and Reintegration, and is Co-Chair of the national Coalition for Whole Health. Mr. Samuels is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia University School of Law.

Josh Silber: Appointed by Chief Judge Wilson 
Term ends 4/30/2030

Josh Silber is a founding partner of Abend & Silber, PLLC in Manhattan, where he has practiced civil litigation for nearly 30 years, representing plaintiffs in complex personal injury, medical malpractice, and sexual abuse litigation. Mr. Silber serves as a Dean of the New York State Trial Lawyers Institute and is a Board Member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, where he served as co-chair of the Judiciary Committee for many years. He is also a member of the Bronx County Bar Association and serves on the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department. Mr. Silber has lectured extensively on legal ethics, trial practice, and personal injury litigation in New York and nationally. He received his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport in 1993 and his law degree, with honors, from the University of Miami in 1996. He is a longtime member of the Brockport Foundation Board of Directors, which oversees the endowment of SUNY Brockport, his undergraduate alma mater. He is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

Henry M. Greenberg, Counsel

Cynthia L. Neidl, Assistant Counsel