Justice Barry A. Cozier earned a B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1971 and a J.D. degree from New York University Law School in 1975. He was admitted to the bar in 1976 and worked in private practice before joining the bench.
In 1986, Cozier began service as a Judge of the Family Court of the State of New York, a position he held until 1992. From 1993 until 1994, he served as a Justice of the Supreme Court for Kings County, Criminal Term. He was then Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the New York City Courts until 1995, and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Management Support for the New York State Courts from 1996 until 1997. In 1998, he was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court for the Commercial Division of the Civil Branch for the County of New York. That year, Justice Cozier ordered the Board of Education to develop a plan to repair hazardous conditions in hundreds of New York City schools. In 1999, he ruled to uphold the repeal of a New York City tax on commuters, whether residents of New York or another state. In 2001, Cozier was designated as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department.
Since his retirement from the bench in 2006, he has worked as a member of the New York office of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. in Litigation and Labor and Employment. Additionally, since 1998, he has taught a juvenile justice course as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law. His publications include a chapter on summary judgment and commercial litigation in West’s New York Practice Series in 1995 and 2005.
Cozier founded the Black, Latino, Asian Pacific American Law Alumni Association of New York University of Law. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Law Alumni Association, Inc. of New York University School of Law and for the Metropolitan Black Bar Association (1988-1992). He has served on the Executive Committee of the New York City Bar Association (1998-2002) and chaired the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board (2003-2006). He has also served as a member of the New York State Bar Association, New York County Lawyers’ Association, the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, the New York State Judicial Screening Committee for the First Department, and the Board of Trustees of the Center for Employment Opportunities.
Sources
“Barry A. Cozier: Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.” Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. http://www.ebglaw.com/showbio.aspx?Show=2084.
“Cozier, Barry A.” Biographical information sheets. Appellate Division, Second Department Library, Brooklyn.
“Judge Upholds and Extends Commuter Tax Repeal.” New York Times (1923-Current file): A1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2007). Jun 26 1999. Web. 24 Oct. 2011 http://search.proquest.com/docview/110100668?accountid=8012.
“Report Says 161 Schools are in Need of Repairs.” New York Times (1923-Current file): B3. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2007). Aug 29 1998. Web. 24 Oct. 2011 http://search.proquest.com/docview/109915566?accountid=8012.