Funeral Services Held for Israel ‘Russ’ Rubin, Former Justice on the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, First Department

NEW YORK (May 28, 2014) — Funeral services were held in Bronx, New York on Sunday, May 25 for Israel “Russ” Rubin who served as Co-Chair of the National Appellate Practice Group at Greenberg Traurig in the firm’s New York City office. Rubin passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 23. He was 87. Prior to joining the firm in 2003, Rubin spent 14 years as a Justice on the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, First Department. Prior to that time, he served in many judicial capacities including Administrative Judge of The Civil Court of The City of New York, Justice of The Supreme Court of The State of New York, Acting Surrogate of Kings County, Judge of The Civil Court and Assistant Corporation Counsel of The City Of New York in charge of The Penalties Division. Rubin was part of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Division of the Judiciary and the sections of the Appellate Judges Conference, Judicial Administration, and the Conference of State Trial Judges. In 2010, he was appointed Vice-Chair of the ABA's Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. Justice Rubin graduated from St. John’s University in 1949. He received his J.D. from St. John's School of Law in 1950 and was admitted to the Bar that year. He joined Milton M. Mokotoff in New York. After 10 years, he became a member of the firm, then known as Mokotoff, Rubin & Mondshine. In 1970, he became Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New York, Chief of Penalties Division. He was elected Bronx County Civil Court Judge in 1973. In 1976, he was elected to Supreme Court, Bronx County. He was appointed Administrative Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York in 1982 and served until 1989. That year, then Governor Mario Cuomo appointed him to the Appellate Division, First Department. Just prior to that appointment, Justice Rubin served as Acting Surrogate, Kings County, from 1988 to 1989. He remained at the Appellate Division until he reached mandatory retirement age in 2002. Upon his retirement from the bench, Justice Rubin joined the firm of Greenberg Traurig LLP as Counsel in 2003, and began service as a Special Master to the Appellate Division, First Department. During his judicial career, Justice Rubin was active with several groups, including the Committee on the Profession and the Courts of the New York State Bar Association; National Conference of State Trial and Appellate Judges of the American Bar Association; Chief Judge Sol Wachtler’s Committee to Improve Availability of Legal Services; and Chief Judge Kaye’s Committee on the Profession and the Courts. Justice Rubin was an adjunct professor at St. John’s University School of Law. In addition, he received an Honorary Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law in 1992. He received numerous awards and recognitions, including the "Exemplary Service Award," New York County Lawyers' Association, 1993; "Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone Memorial Award" Association of Trial Lawyers of the City of New York, 1991; "Outstanding Service and Dedication Award," Puerto Rican Bar Association, 1990; "Distinguished Service Award," Small Claims Court Association of Arbitrators, 1989' "Presidents Award," New York State Women's Bar Association, 1989; "Bar Association Award" Bronx County Bar Association, 1988; "Outstanding Leadership Award" - Judicial Administration, Layers Division of B'nai B'rith, 1986; "Chinese Community Recognition Award," 1985; "Small Claims Award," 1984; "Benjamin N. Cordozo Award," Jewish Lawyers Guild, 1982; "Metropolitan Women's Bar Association Award," 1981; "Outstanding service and Dedication Award," Black Bar Association of Bronx County, 1978; "Corporate Counsel Award," 1972; "Certificate of Appreciation" - Arbitration, 1964; and the "American Arbitration Association Award" - for Service as an Arbitrator, 1963. He was the author of several articles, including "New York City's Housing Court - One on One," Newsletter of the General Practice Section of the New York State Bar Association, Fall/Winter Edition, 1991; "History of Small Claims Court," New York Law Journal, November 26, 1984; and "Housing Court's First Decade," New York Law Journal, April 20, 1983. Justice Rubin made the following public televised appearances: CBS-TV, The Real People's Court Series; WNBC-TV, Today in New York; WNBC-TV, Series on the Housing Court with Ralph Penza; WABC-TV, Eyewitness New York; and Numerous Cable TV talk shows including LAWLINE. He made the following radio broadcasts: WOR, Radio with Bernard Meltzer; WOR, Radio with Rob Grant; WOR, Radio with Joe Franklin; and WCBS-FM & WEVD. He is survived by his wife Roslyn; three daughters, Lisa, Janet and Gail; and eight grandchildren. Memorial gifts can be made to breast cancer research.