PATERSON LIKES AMBRO AND WOLFORD

Yesterday, Governor David A. Paterson announced that he has nominated Richard Ambro to fill an interim vacancy in Suffolk County Court and Kelly C. Wolford to fill an interim vacancy in Monroe County Court. 

Under the New York State Constitution, the Governor may nominate individuals to fill vacancies on the County Court until those vacancies can be filled at the next general election. If the Governor's nominations are confirmed by the Senate, each individual will serve until December 31, 2010. 

Richard Ambro has been nominated to serve as a Judge of the Suffolk County Court, filling a vacancy created by the elevation of Judge C. Randall Hinrich, who was elected to Supreme Court in 2009. Mr. Ambro currently serves as the Principal Law Clerk to the Honorable C. Randall Hinrichs, Judge of the County Court of Suffolk County and Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County, Criminal Term, Tenth Judicial District, a position he has held since 2002. Mr. Ambro received his Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 1981. He earned his J.D. from the Widener University School of Law in 1984. From 1985 to 1988, Mr. Ambro was a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County. From 1988 to 2001, Mr. Ambro practiced as an attorney in the Felony Trial Bureau at the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County. 

The annual salary for the nomination to the County Court in Suffolk County is $136,700. This nomination is subject to Senate confirmation. 

Kelly C. Wolford has been nominated to serve as a Judge of the Monroe County Court, filling a vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Alexander Renzi, who was elected to the Supreme Court in 2009. Ms. Wolford is the Chief of the Appeals Bureau at the Monroe County District Attorney's Office, a position she assumed in January 2009. Prior to her appointment as the Chief of the Appeals Bureau, Ms. Wolford served in various capacities at the Monroe County District Attorney's Office from June 1997: Misdemeanor Trial Assistant, Felony Trial Assistant, Appellate Attorney in the Appeals Bureau, and then Deputy Chief of the Appeals Bureau. Immediately after graduating from law school in 1995, Ms. Wolford was an Assistant Prosecutor in the Civil and Appeals Bureaus of the Stark County Prosecutor's Office in Canton, Ohio from 1995 to 1996. Ms. Wolford received her Bachelor of Arts from Allegheny College in 1992, where she was a 17-time NCAA Division III All-Americ! an in the sport of swimming. She earned her J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1995. Ms. Wolford is active on the Legislative Committee of the New York State District Attorneys' Association, the Monroe County Bar Association Ethics Committee, the 7th Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee and the Rochester Women's Network Golf League. 

The annual salary for the nomination to the County Court in Monroe County is $125,600. This nomination is subject to Senate confirmation.