Peter Skelos to retire as judge

Justice Peter Skelos, a Rockville Centre resident and brother of state senator Dean Skelos, announced last week that he would be retiring from his seat on the bench as of Aug. 1.

Skelos has been a judge since 1994, when he was elected to the New York State District Court. In a letter he wrote to Gail Prudenti, the chief administrative judge of the state, Skelos stated that he was retiring from his judgeship to return to private practice.

“I am thankful and, I dare say ‘lucky,’ that I am in good health and that I am young enough to return to the practice of law where I hope to make a long and valuable contribution to the continued growth and development of one of Long Island’s premier firms,” he wrote.

Skelos did not say what firm he would be joining.

After being elected District Court Judge, Skelos was elected as a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York State for the 10th judicial district in 1998. In 2004, Gov. George Pataki appointed him Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second judicial Department — one of the busiest appellate courts in the country.

Before he was a justice, Skelos graduated from Fordham Law School in 1980. From there, he started working at the law offices of Frederick J. Magovern in New York City. In 1981, he joined the staff of Edward G. McCabe as a Deputy Nassau County Attorney, and stayed in the position until 1987, when he became a partner in the law firm of Liotti & Skelos. He stayed there until he was elected to the court.

“It has been my great privilege and pleasure to have served as a member of the judiciary of the State of New York for over 20 years,” Skelos wrote. “Most particularly my greater than 11 years of service in the Appellate Division have been the most rewarding and stimulating years of my professional life.”

During his career, Skelos has received many honors for his work, including from the Criminal Courts Bar Association of Nassau County, the Jewish Lawyers Association of Nassau County, the Fraternal Order of Court Officers, the Eastern Orthodox Lawyers Association and the Long Beach Lawyers Association. Earlier this year, he was presented with the Presidents’ Award for his service to the Nassau County Bar Association.