A tribute to presiding justice Anthony V. Cardona: a jurist who has always sought to "do the right thing" in the law and in life.

• Author: McKay, Michele
• Position: New York - Testimonial

It is a tremendous honor to add my words to the many well-deserved tributes lauding our outstanding Presiding Justice, Anthony V. Cardona. In preparing this tribute, I let myself first be intimidated by reading other testimonials eloquently written by attorneys who have clerked for eminent jurists. Daunted, I nevertheless decided to go forward with this task in light of the unique thing I do have to share, namely, the glimpse I can give of what it has been like to be in the privileged position of working alongside Judge Cardona for almost a decade. Anyone reading this who has known the Judge from his successful private practice, to his legendary work as a family court judge, to his distinguished service as a supreme court and appellate division justice--could tell you that he considers family to be the most important institution of all. When the Judge speaks of family, he does not just mean the families of the various litigants he has represented or those who have appeared before him on the bench. Nor is his view of family limited to his own beloved family, helmed by his wonderful wife Aline and their terrific children and grandchildren. His definition embraces his colleagues and friends in the court system as well, including those of us fortunate enough to have worked beside him at the Appellate Division, Third Department, or here in chambers.

I worked in Judge Cardona's chambers for the first time in 1996 for a short stint as a temporary law clerk alongside his trusted Senior Law Clerk, Peter R. Porco. It was an especially busy time to be here, and my initial nervousness over hoping to make a good impression soon turned to awe once I realized just what an extraordinary human being the Judge really is. I particularly remember, shortly after I started, that I was relieved to be at the end of what seemed to be a tremendously long day. We had conferenced and completed several difficult cases with the Judge running through what seemed to my eyes to be an impossibly long list of tasks. As I started to pack up my things, I was frankly looking forward to going home and putting my feet up. To my surprise, the Judge walked in, bright as a new penny, and cheerily informed us that he was about to go out to "poke his head in" at two different functions before attending a big retirement dinner to "say a few words." When I expressed amazement at his energy level with such a busy agenda after a hard day, he nonchalantly replied that no, this was "fun"; if I really wanted to be shocked, I should look at what he had scheduled for the rest of the week. As I shook my weary head, I felt how an average athlete probably feels in the presence of an Olympian: completely humbled.

My early impressions of the Judge were not just of his superhuman energy level but also of his determination and devotion to the law and his work. My favorite memories in chambers are those times spent sitting with the Judge, discussing every aspect of a case, trying to--in his favorite words--"do the right thing." In the early days, these talks included Peter Porco, who shared a close and special friendship with the Judge that...