The Honorable Lillian Wan ’00, Associate Justice, New York State Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department to Deliver 2025 Commencement Speech
Albany Law School is proud to announce The Honorable Lillian Wan ’00, Associate Justice, New York State Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, as the Commencement keynote speaker for the law school’s 174th Commencement on Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Justice Wan has a remarkable legacy of leadership in the New York State judiciary. Justice Wan was appointed to the Appellate Division, Second Department on May 25, 2022, by Governor Kathy Hochul. She is the first Asian American woman to be appointed to the Appellate Division in New York State.
“Throughout her career, Justice Wan has demonstrated a deep dedication to public service, to the rule of law, and to upholding the highest standards of legal practice. Her work and mentorship have made a significant impact on the legal community, and her insights will undoubtedly inspire our graduates as we celebrate the beginning of their journeys as our next generation of lawyers and leaders,” said Cinnamon P. Carlarne, Albany Law School President and Dean.
In a 2022 interview with Albany Law Magazine, she noted that as a law student, she never expected to pursue a judicial career. She initially took a serious interest in social work and child welfare, which led her to the legal profession.
“I wanted to go to law school and work in a job that impacts. That really makes a difference and impacts people's daily lives. And when I was in law school, I chose internship positions during the summer that were in the New York City child welfare system,” she said.
During law school, Justice Wan worked with Lawyers for Children and The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Division. After law school, she was a trial attorney at the Administration for Children's Services in the Family Court Legal Services Division. She then served as a court attorney-referee in Kings County Surrogate's Court under Judge Margarita López Torres.
“I worked very, very closely with Judge López Torres and I got to see things from behind the bench. I saw that the judge behind the bench was actually a human being. I found that I loved the view from the bench,” she said. “The role of the judge, is a person who cares, cares about getting it right, and works hard to try to find a solution to the problem.”
Justice Wan was first appointed to the bench by former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in 2012, and became the first Asian American woman on the New York City Family Court. Justice Wan served in both Bronx County Family Court and Kings County Family Court.
Justice Wan was appointed to the New York State Court of Claims by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on June 20, 2018. There, she was designated to preside over an Integrated Guardianship and Landlord/Tenant Part in New York County Supreme Court, where she heard cases involving tenants who were the subject of both Article 81 guardianship and eviction proceedings.
In November 2021, prior to her appointment to the Appellate Division, Justice Wan became the first Asian American to be elected to the Supreme Court, Kings County. She presided over jury and non-jury trials, Mental Hygiene Law Article 9 hospital proceedings, and handled motions on a variety of civil matters.
In addition to her service as an Associate Justice, Justice Wan co-chairs the statewide Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics for the New York State Unified Court System and currently serves as a Vice President for the New York City Bar Association. She previously served as the President of the Asian American Judges Association of New York for three years and currently serves as a board member for the Asian American Judges Association of New York.
In addition, Justice Wan is a member of the Brooklyn Bar Association Diversity Committee. Justice Wan is a member of the New York State Bench Book Committee and is also a member of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Brooklyn. She also regularly participates in various “Meet the Judges” and mentorship events in the community and has presented on career panels at various New York City schools.
Justice Wan earned her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University and her law degree from Albany Law School, where she served on the Albany Law Review.
