Clerks of the Court (Historical)

David Spokony

Clerk of the Court: 2010
Born: 1948

David Spokony was born in 1948 and was raised in Newburgh, New York. He graduated from Newburgh Free Academy High School in 1966. He went on to graduate cum laude from Pratt Institute in 1970 with the honors of Pratt Institute Scholarship and Dean's List. David Spokony then enlisted in the U.S. Army (Active Duty: 1971-1972; Reserves:1972-1978). After his Active Duty service, he earned his J.D from Brooklyn Law School in 1975 with both a Law School Scholarship and a State Military Service Scholarship. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1976 From 1976 to 1978, he was employed as Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx.

Subsequently, he served as both the Assistant Attorney General and Staff Attorney of New York and Bronx counties from 1978-1979. In 1979, Mr. Spokony joined the Appellate Division, First Department where he served as a Court Attorney. He was promoted to Deputy Clerk in 1994 before assuming the title of Clerk of the Court in 2010. The same year, Mr. Spokony announced his retirement at the age of 61 after 32 years with the Appellate Division, First Department. In 1999, Spokony was awarded the Bernard Botein Medal for his “outstanding contributions to the administration of justice.”

In 2010, he was one of over 1,600 court-system employees who accepted a retirement incentive. Although many worried about the loss of institutional memory, Spokony was confident that the Appellate Division, First Department's “rich history and traditions” would endure. He also noted, “change is a part of an institution like the Appellate Division…We've got a lot of experienced and dedicated people who are going to remain. I'm confident that they are going to support the institution in the same way [as the people who are leaving.]”

Though he retired from the Appellate Division, First Department, Mr. Spokony continued his service at the United States Department of Homeland Security in New York and New Jersey, where he worked from 2011 to 2017.

Mr. Spokony is married and has two daughters.

This biography was co-authored by Gerrell Guppy and Kaleigh McCormick.

Goal Is to Keep Services as Workers Retire, New York Law Journal, September 28, 2010. Pages 1, 9.