OFFICIAL STATEMENT March 31, 2021 Contact: Toni Valenti [email protected] New York County Lawyers Association Issues Statement on the Passing of Judge Paul George Feinman The New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) today issued the following statement on the unexpected passing of Judge Paul George Feinman today, only days after his sudden retirement from the New York State Supreme Court of Appeals to attend to health concerns. “The Appeals Court has lost a brilliant legal mind and an accomplished jurist. As the first openly gay judge on the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, Judge Feinman was also a role model and mentor to other LGBTQ attorneys and judges. We are deeply saddened at the untimely loss of such an accomplished, well respected member of the legal profession in his prime. We extend our deepest sympathies to his husband, Robert, and his family on this tragic loss” said Stephen C. Lessard, NYCLA President. Feinman started his career at the Legal Aid Society in Nassau County, New York. In 1996, he was appointed to the New York City Civil Court and he was elected to the Supreme Court in 2007. In 2012, he was elevated to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department to become the first openly gay jurist to serve in that capacity. A NYCLA Member since 1998, Judge Feinman was also a member of the NYCLA Judicial Section and was an active participant in many of NYCLA programs and events over the years. About the New York County Lawyers Association The New York County Lawyers Association (www.nycla.org) was founded in 1908 as one of the first major bar associations in the country that admitted members without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Since its inception, it has pioneered some of the most far-reaching and tangible reforms in American jurisprudence and has continuously played an active role in legal developments and public policy. # # # .