Ruth C. Balkin

Ruth C. Balkin 

Republican

BACKGROUND: Balkin, 66, of East Rockaway, is running on the Democratic and Republican party lines in the general election. She is the associate justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 2nd Department. Balkin was elected to the State Supreme Court in 2004. She was designated to the Appellate Division in December 2006. Balkin served as a judge of the Nassau County Family Court from January 1995 to May 2004 when she began an interim appointment to the Nassau County Supreme Court until the end of 2004. From 2002 to 2004, she was the presiding judge of the Nassau County Family Treatment Court and from January 2003 to September 2004, she was also the supervising judge of the Nassau County Family Court. From 1987 to 1994, she worked as counsel to the presiding supervisor and town board of the Town of Hempstead.  Balkin began her legal career in 1977 as a principal appellate counsel of the law firm Sutter, Moffatt, Yannelli & Zevin in Mineola, and became a partner in the firm Sutter, Balkin, Marten & Regan in 1984. Two years later, she became an associate civil litigator for the firm Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein. She received a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in 1976. Balkin received an honorary doctor of laws degree from her alma mater Adelphi University in 2011. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1977. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Nassau County Bar Association, the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association, and the Association of Justices to the Supreme Court.