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When Judge Madeline Singas ’91 took her seat on the New York Court of Appeals in 2021, the highest appellate court in New York, she made history as the first Greek American to serve on New York’s highest court. Five years later, she returned to Fordham Law School, where her legal career began, to reflect on the path that brought her to the bench.
On October 7, 2026 Fordham Law held “First to the Bench: A Fireside Chat with Hon. Madeline Singas ’91,” Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. Hosted by Fordham Law School’s Center for Judicial Events & Clerkships, the Fordham First Generation Law Students Group, and co-sponsored by the Hellenic Lawyers Association, the event featured a conversation between Judge Singas and Fordham’s Assistant Dean Suzanne Endrizzi.
The daughter of Greek immigrants, Judge Singas grew up in Astoria, Queens. She described her upbringing as a first-generation American, assisting her parents navigate a country that was completely foreign to them. Judge Singas’s parents relied on her and her sister to take them to doctor appointments, go to government offices, and check the mail–serving as Greek-English translators.
Judge Singas is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, Barnard College of Columbia University, and Fordham University School of Law. Though her family came from humble beginnings she lovingly recounted how they always encouraged her to dream big.
“My parents gave me a home that was full of love and support. Education was the great equalizer from when I was young. All they would say is study and get your degrees. They believed in the American dream, and if you worked hard, you would succeed. I wanted to succeed for them for all the sacrifices they made for us,” she said.
Judge Singas’ path to the bench began in the courtroom. After graduating from Fordham Law School in 1991, she began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Queens County. In 2006, she joined the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Here, she established and led the county’s first Special Victims Bureau, serving children, the elderly, and victims of domestic and sexual abuse.
Judge Singas described her experience as an Assistant District Attorney as a position where she was meeting people on the worst day of their life, whether they were a victim or a defendant. It was important to her to ensure defendants received fair trials and were not wrongly accused and that victims were treated with dignity and respect.
“It blew me away to learn people were living with such abuse, then going to work the next day. I just wanted to help them stand up to their abuser, who was probably never stood up to before,” she said.
Judge Singas was twice elected Nassau County District Attorney, overseeing an office serving nearly 1.4 million residents. During her tenure, violent crime fell by more than 22%, while her office expanded specialized programs for adolescent offenders, veterans, and individuals experiencing mental illness or drug addiction.
Judge Singas emphasized the importance of not simply dismissing cases involving young offenders, but providing them with opportunities to envision a different future. She recalled asking young adults about their interests and aspirations. When one young man expressed an interest in becoming a chef, she contacted a local business owner to arrange for him to work there for a week. She explained that she was dismissing his case but wanted to provide him with an opportunity to pursue his interests. The business owner agreed. Similarly, when another young man expressed his dream of becoming a basketball player, Judge Singas contacted Hofstra University’s basketball coach, who agreed to let him practice with the team.
Through these examples, Judge Singas illustrated how meaningful opportunities can arise simply by connecting people with the right resources. She emphasized that people are often willing to help, but may never have been asked.
She also established new units focused on hate crimes and crimes against immigrants and the elderly, as well as Nassau County’s first Family Justice Center. Family Justice Centers provide free and confidential support for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, including sexual violence, human trafficking, stalking, and intimate partner violence.
Nearly 80 percent of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. It is extremely common for sexual assault survivors, typically women, to decline to report the offense to police.
“I wanted to create a place where women felt safe and could report crimes,” Judge Singas said. “Victims of sexual violence are under a scrutiny unlike victims of other crimes.”
Additionally, Judge Singas was motivated to uplift female prosecutors. She established the first maternity leave program in Nassau County. To this day, it is the only prosecutor’s office on Long Island with maternity leave. She also sought to promote more women to managerial positions. Judge Singas noted that to this day most prosecutor’s offices are male-dominated. During her tenure as District Attorney, 70% of managing roles were held by women.
Before running for District Attorney, Judge Singas had no experience in the political realm and was unfamiliar with the process of fundraising. She was told she would need to raise at least $200,000 to throw her hat in the ring. When asked where she would begin, she responded, “I’ll start with the Greeks.” She credits the Greek community as being her primary supporters, church friends of her parents, grammar school friends, neighbors, fellow Greek Americans writing checks without hesitation.
She remained Nassau county’s top prosecutor until 2021, when she was nominated to the New York Court of Appeals. The New York State Senate confirmed her appointment on June 8, 2021, making Singas the first Greek American and the first female Fordham Law graduate to serve on New York State’s highest court.
Throughout her career, Judge Singas has advocated for women in the legal professions. In 2018, she was appointed special prosecutor to investigate sexual assault allegations against New York’s then-Attorney General.
While serving on the Court of Appeals, Judge Singas continued seeking ways to make a positive impact beyond the courtroom. After learning about Afghan women judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals who had been killed by the Taliban, she was determined to find a way to help those who had escaped persecution. Many of these women had fled to the United States, where they were working as cashiers and grocery store employees despite their legal backgrounds and professional experience. Judge Singas sought to provide these women with employment opportunities within New York’s Office of Court Administration (OCA), allowing them to return to work in the legal field. The program also offered a pathway toward earning an L.L.M. degree and potentially resuming their careers as attorneys in the United States. The program later expanded to include Afghan male legal professionals.
Judge Singas serves as an inspiration to young women, Greek Americans, and all first-generation professionals, demonstrating the importance of representation and creating opportunities for future generations. Her fireside chat was especially meaningful given the presence of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s United Nations Girl Delegates, who attended the event as part of their New York City program commemorating the International Day of the Girl. The program was founded and is directed by Niki Devaris-Morgulis, a Fordham Law graduate who serves as a Senior Court Attorney in the Law Department of the New York Supreme Court, Civil Term.
Following the fireside chat, attendees gathered for a reception, providing an opportunity to continue the conversation and connect with one another, reflecting on the fireside chat and the importance of community.
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