Articles

Profile of the Honorable Alan LeVine

by Michael Goldsmith

If you litigate personal injury or medical malpractice cases, chances are that you will eventually appear before the Hon. Alan LeVine.

Justice LeVine was born in Brooklyn, and grew up in Jamaica Estates, graduating from Jamaica High School. He received his B.A. in Economics from Queens College in 1951. While an undergraduate, the future Supreme Court Justice received a Masonic Service Award, and served as Class Treasurer.

Following in the footsteps of his father, who was the lead trial attorney for Prudential Insurance in New York, Justice LeVine received his LL.B. in 1954, from the New York University School of Law. While a law student, Justice LeVine served on the Board of Governors of the Pre-Bar Association, and participated in Moot Court.

After his admission to the bar, Justice LeVine became associated with Freeman & Hyman, of Jamaica, New York, where he had the opportunity to work with the future Justice Harold Hyman. During his eight years with the firm, Justice LeVine gained substantial trial experience. Eventually, Justice LeVine started his own law practice in Rockville Centre in 1967.

From 1966 to 1974, Justice LeVine volunteered his time to serve as an arbitrator in Small Claims Court, where, besides providing a community service, the future judge was able to gain valuable experience for his later career.

In 1970, while still engaged in private practice, Justice LeVine became a per diem hearing examiner at the New York City Parking Violations Bureau and Taxi and Limousine Commission. From May to December, 1973, Justice LeVine was in charge of all hearings at the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission.

In 1974, the Hon. Arthur W. Lonschein (currently a Supreme Court Justice) was elected to the Civil Court. The new Judge asked the future judge to become his law secretary. Justice LeVine served as Judge Lonschein's law secretary in the Civil court until his election to the Supreme Court in 1976, and continued his service in the Supreme Court until December, 1979.

In January, Judge LeVine entered the ranks of the judiciary after his election to the Civil Court of the City of New York, County of Queens. Judge LeVine served in that capacity for three years, including an assignment to the Family Court from January 1, 1980 to October 3, 1980. Justice LeVine was elected to the Supreme Court in January, 1984, where he currently sits.

Shortly after his ascension to the Supreme Court, Justice LeVine presided over the infamous "Green Body" case, which involved a lawsuit against a funeral home for allegedly turning the deceased green prior to the wake. The defendant's verdict came much to the chagrin of this writer's office, which represented the plaintiff.

Justice LeVine also presided over another civil trial of unusual circumstances. A young man, while riding a motor bike, was struck in the head by a model plane attempting to make a landing at a mini airport designed for such planes. The jury found that there was no liability, because the rider was a trespasser at the mini landing field.

Justice LeVine hears many medical malpractice cases, and must quickly become familiar with technical medical terminology. One case involved a little girl who was diagnosed with a subluxating patellae, but in reality, she suffered from a synovial sarcoma, a minute cancer in her knee cap, that ultimately resulted in her leg being amputated. A plaintiff's verdict was eventually rendered after five days of deliberations. Justice LeVine admires "the skill of medical malpractice trial attorneys, as they must master extremely complex technical information to enable them to cross examine doctors."

Justice Levine has a reputation for being a "hands on judge," and will often ask questions during a trial from the bench. He also reads his own motions and writes many of his own decisions, with the assistance of his "fine Law Secretary, Joseph Christiano." Justice LeVine is very pleased with his staff, and has nothing but praise for his secretary, Evelyn Cioffi.

Justice LeVine has "enjoyed being a judge for the last almost 17 years. I am proud of the lawyers that appear before me, particularly the Queens County attorneys. The people practicing in the local area are very competent and professional."

Justice LeVine is active in many professional organizations. In the Queens County Bar Association, he served on the Family Law, Professional Ethics, and Speakers Bureau Committees. He was Director, and Chairman of the Education Committee of the Jamaica Estates Association. He served as the director of the Jamaica Estates-Holliswood-South Bayside Ambulance Corps. He was president of the Jamaica High School PTA in 1981-1982. He was a Justice at the NYU Law School Moot Court. In 1985, he served as the Chairman of the Brandeis Association Board of Directors.

Justice LeVine is married to Loretta LeVine, a free lance artist. He is the proud father of two daughters from a previous marriage, Merrill, who is a teacher at P.S. 131, where she once attended, and Audrey, who carries on the family tradition and is an attorney. Justice LeVine is a music lover, and frequently attends concerts and operas. He also enjoys spending time with his year old twin granddaughters, born to Audrey.