Tejash: How long have you been a member of the WCBA?  

Judge Rivera: I believe it has been over 10 years. I previously served as chair of the Law Practice Management Committee of the WCBA.

Tejash: Can you briefly share your path to becoming the first elected Hispanic Justice in the Town of Greenburgh in 2011 and then being appointed Judge to the New York State Court of Claims in June 2017?

Judge Rivera: My legal career started in public service. After law school, I clerked at the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany on the Central Legal Research Staff. I was then appointed as an Assistant Attorney General and served as a trial attorney in the Claims Bureau until I entered private practice in 1985. For more than 30 years, I represented private, not-for-profit and municipal clients in my private practice in Manhattan’s financial district. In 2013, I opened an office in White Plains and practiced on a part-time basis until my appointment to the Court of Claims.

Living in Greenburgh, I wanted to contribute locally so I volunteered on the Town’s Board of Ethics and gradually assumed greater responsibilities. In 2011, I ran for Town Justice and was honored to be elected twice to one of the busiest town courts in the State. My years litigating in the Court of Claims, both at the Attorney General’s Office and in private practice, prepared me for my current role on the bench. While at the Attorney General’s Office, I prevailed in representing the State in the Court of Claims in a 23-day trial involving a boxer’s death following a bout at Madison Square Garden.

Tejash: Can you share a memorable initiative or case that you have worked on?

Judge Rivera: I am proud to have more than fifty published decisions, but I am especially proud of helping to launch the Equal Justice in the Courts (EJIC) Committee in the Court of Claims, which I co-chaired at its inception. We created a pilot program to refer attorneys to unrepresented incarcerated individuals in a select number of state prisons and have presented CLE’s on Demystifying the Court of Claims to the bar. I am gratified that these initiatives continue to grow.

Tejash: Who were some of your mentors and mentorship activities?

Judge Rivera: There are many but a few that standout are Judge Theodore T. Jones, Jr. (Court of Appeals), Judge John Carro (Appellative Division), and Judge Frank Torres (Bronx Supreme Court). My parents, Marcelino and Ana Maria Rivera, were instrumental in furthering my education and shaped me to be the best I could be. I also strive to mentor the next generation of lawyers. I was proud to have been a professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and have served as an instructor at the Judicial Institute.

Tejash: What might people be surprised to learn about you? 

Judge Rivera: I grew up attending public schools in Hell’s Kitchen through the ninth grade and earned a scholarship through the A Better Chance program to Governor’s Academy in Massachusetts, the oldest continuously operating boys boarding school in the country. (The school went co-ed shortly after I enrolled.)

Tejash: What is one of your guilty pleasures?

Judge Rivera: Jazz. I enjoy going to the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown. I played the alto saxophone in my high school jazz band.

Tejash: What is one of your future ambitions?   

Judge Rivera: I am interested in doing more work in the international arena. In May of this year, I attended the 2025 World Law Conference in the Dominican Republic, which drew 1500 delegates from over 80 countries! I am also interested in working as a mediator after my judicial career. I am looking forward to continuing to do ABA law school accreditation site visits. I have completed nine site visits across the country and have another one scheduled for next year. I was honored to be selected by the ABA to participate in this important initiative.

Tejash: Sounds wonderful! Can you share any personal ambitions?

Judge Rivera: My wife and I plan to walk at least 70 miles of the Camino de Santiago finishing at the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It is a well-established pilgrimage and it is special to me, because my wife was born there.

Tejash: Is there a particular experience or training that helped build your skill set as an attorney or judge?

Judge Rivera: Two stand out – my clerkship at the Court of Appeals and representing the State as an Assistant Attorney General.

Tejash: Can you talk about the importance of Bar membership and some of your organizational activities?

Judge Rivera: Bar association membership and participation are critical for lawyers. Bar associations are a wonderful way to build relationships and generate business. I was proud to have co-founded the Hispanic Hudson Valley Bar Association, served as the first chair of the Small Law Firm Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, served on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Bar Association and served as President of the Latino Judges Association. I am also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Our chapter is based in White Plains and has various social action programs in the area.

Tejash: What advice would you give to your younger self or new lawyers?

 Judge Rivera: Pace yourself and prioritize wellness, rest and balance.

Tejash: I know you love to travel. Can you talk about any of your experiences?

Judge Rivera: I have organized international trips for the Court of Claims Judges Association for education and cultural exchanges. Our first trip, in 2019, was to Havana, Cuba and since then we have visited Panama, and just this past month we visited Puerto Rico. During our trips, we meet and have educational exchanges with local judges and public officials, members of the bar and law school professors and students.

Tejash: What is one of your favorite books?

Judge Rivera: Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s memoir. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago and attended her panel at the World Law Congress earlier this year, where she spoke on the importance of the rule of law.

Tejash: Wellness is an important issue for all members. The WCBA’s Task Force on Well-Being issued a report with its recommendations. How do you manage your physical and/or mental health? 

Judge Rivera: I enjoy going on walks and recharge by reading books, listening to jazz and most importantly, spending time with my family! I am happy to share that I recently became a great grandfather!

NOTE: Governor Kathy Hochul nominated Judge Rivera to the Supreme Court (Interim) on June 4, 2025 and he was confirmed by the Senate on June 10, 2025. Judge Rivera will sit in Supreme Court, Westchester County.