Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy

Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, was appointed to the court in July 2020. Her eighteen-year career as a jurist began in January 2006, serving in Criminal Court, Civil Court (including Supervising Judge in New York County), Family Court, and Supreme Court. Justice Kennedy’s dedication to legal education is evidenced by her former role as an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law, where she taught a juvenile justice seminar for ten years. She is thrilled to rejoin the Fordham Law faculty this fall. Additionally, Justice Kennedy actively participates in various continuing legal education panels.

Justice Kennedy’s service extends beyond the courtroom, as demonstrated by her leadership roles in the legal community. She is the Presiding Member of the Judicial Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), co-chair of the Appellate Division, First Department Wellness Committee, and member of the Board of Overseers of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she received her law degree. She was also a former Executive Committee member of NYSBA’s Women in Law Section, a past member of the Board of Directors of the New York City Bar Association (City Bar), a former Chair of the City Bar’s Special Committee to Encourage Judicial Service, a former Board member of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association (where she is a life member), and a former member of the Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions of the Association of Supreme Court Justices of the State of New York.

As a former President of the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ), Justice Kennedy organized a Legislative Caucus on Capitol Hill focusing on ensuring a healthy work environment free of sexual harassment and led NAWJ in trademarking “#WETOO IN THE LEGAL WORKPLACE, which NAWJ continues to use.

She is a sought-after speaker at various conferences and the recipient of several professional achievement awards, including the 2024 Professor William Hamilton Leadership Award from the University of Florida 11th Annual E-Discovery Conference, the 2023 MBBA Jurist of the Year Award, the 2022 Award of Recognition from the New York Women’s Bar Association, the 2022 Champion for Justice Award from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Justice; the 2021 Distinguished Alumna Award from Penn State University; the 2021 NYSBA John E. Higgins, Esq. Diversity Trailblazer Award; the 2020 Inspiration Award from the NY Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law;  the 2018 Brooklyn Technical High School Hall of Fame Designation; the 2017 Diversity Leadership Award from Penn State Law; and the 2015 Alumni of the Year Award from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.