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Barry Kamins named partner at new law firm

January 21, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Barry Kamins is joining his own law firm. Eagle file photo by Mario Belluomo
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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle has learned that Kings County Supreme Court Justice Barry Kamins will be a named partner in the newly formed firm Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, P.C.  Originally Aidala & Bertuna, the Brooklyn-based criminal defense firm plans to expand into personal injury cases as well as commercial and civil litigation.

It is being reported that Kamins will primarily deal with attorney disciplinary matters and appellate criminal defense cases. Kamins retired from the bench in December after a report by the NYC Department of Investigations accused the former judge of improperly advising former-Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes during his re-election campaign, in violation of judicial ethics.

Any probe into Kamins’ alleged wrongdoing or misguided actions ended upon his retirement.

Kamins, 71, told the New York Law Journal that the partnership with Aidala was serendipitous.

“When I stepped down from the bench, he was looking to expand,” Kamins said. “We both felt it was a match that would be a perfect match.”

On the question of salary, Aidala said Kamins initially would make at least his $177,000 annual salary he made as a judge. “I would say that’s the worst case scenario,” he said. “Our goal is that he would make more than that.” 

Also moving along a new career path is former Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Mina Quinto Malik, who is heading to Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) where she will serve as the agency’s executive director.

Malik was special counsel to D.A. Kenneth Thompson and worked as a prosecutor in the Queens D.A.’s office.  CCRB Chairman Richard Emery called Malik “the perfect person to lead the agency during this time of change, when our goal is nothing short of remaking the CCRB to realize its full potential.”

The executive director position at the CCRB became vacant following the firing of its former Director Tracy Catapano-Fox. Catapano-Fox is suing the city and claims that she was fired in retaliation for her complaints about alleged employee sexual harassment. The city plans to file a motion to dismiss. The city’s motion is due in Manhattan federal court next month. 

In assuming the new role, Malik has stated that she plans “to advance the board’s reform agenda for the CCRB, and in so doing, build a stronger, more effective agency in which the public and the police have confidence.”


— Charisma L. Troiano, Esq., Brooklyn Daily Eagle, contributing

 

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