Judge Melvyn Tanenbaum: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Melvyn Tanenbaum (Ret.) was an associate justice for the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term, Second Judicial Department for the Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts. He joined the Appellate Term in 2004 and retired in 2011.

He began his judicial career as a judge for the Suffolk County Court in 1974. During his tenure on the County Court, Tanenbaum served as an acting justice of the New York State Supreme Court in the Tenth Judicial District (1979 to 1983). He was then elected to the Suffolk County Supreme Court in 1983. He remained on the Supreme Court bench until joining the Appellate Term.

Tanenbaum received a B.S. from New York University in 1955. He went on to earn a J.D. from New York Law School in 1957. He also holds an LL.M. from the University of Virginia School of Law (1992).

Before joining the bench, he was associate counsel at the South Huntington Water District, a position he had held since 1969. In addition to his role at the Water District, he served as an assistant county attorney in Suffolk County (1971 to 1973).

Tanenbaum was a private practice attorney from 1958 to 1974, during which time, he also served as an assistant and special counsel to the Suffolk County Water Authority for four years beginning in 1959.

He was a former chairperson for the American Bar Association Judicial Division and Conference of Special Court Judges and was also a Life Fellow with the American Bar Foundation. His other memberships included the New York State County Court Judges Association (past-president), the Suffolk County Court Judges Association (past-president), and the New York State Supreme Court Judges Association, Tenth Judicial District (executive committee).

Tanenbaum was a Fullbright Scholar and Professor of Law in Russia. He received the National Institute of Justice Award from the U.S. Department of Justice (1986) and the Special Award of Recognition from the Suffolk County Bar Association (1988).