Former Nassau County Judge Returns to Mamaroneck Law Firm

The content below was submitted by Rosemarie Yu, LLC. 

Mamaroneck law firm Kase & Druker announced that Hon. John L. Kase has rejoined the firm as partner as of Jan. 2, 2013. Judge Kase, supervising judge of the criminal courts in Nassau County, co-founded the firm in 1978 with partner James O. Druker. Judge Kase and Druker were colleagues at the Nassau County District Attorney's Office where they served as chiefs of the Narcotics, District Court, Rackets and Frauds Bureaus.

Judge Kase was senior partner at Kase & Druker for 26 years before being elected to the Nassau County Criminal Court, beginning his term in January 2005. He was appointed supervising judge in January 2012 by Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti. He stepped down from the bench on Dec. 31, 2012, at age 70 due to the state’s mandatory retirement law.

At Kase & Druker, he intends to resume representing clients in criminal and other matters, and further expand the firm’s federal practice.

“I’ve had the unique opportunity in my career to see the practice of criminal law from all three sides—prosecution, defense and now the bench—and I am thrilled to be returning to criminal defense, the work I find the most rewarding,” said Judge Kase. “I am particularly pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside my daughter, who has established herself in the legal community as an exceptional advocate.”

Elizabeth Kase, Judge Kase’s daughter and former Assistant District Attorney in New York County, has been a partner at the firm since 2004. Druker’s son, Scott, joined the firm in 2009.

“I am excited to have my friend and colleague back at the firm we had founded together,” said James. “I am certain that the wisdom he has gained from his eight years on the bench will provide an incomparable benefit to our clients and our entire firm. We have a strong, committed team of litigants at Kase & Druker, and I am eager for us to build our practice further.”

Judge Kase began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County in 1967. He then served as a Special Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force.  He was an Assistant Attorney General for the New York State Organized Crime Task Force and was appointed Assistant District Attorney in Nassau County, where he was Chief of the District Court Bureau, Narcotics Bureau and the Rackets Bureau.

In addition to local, state and federal courts in the U.S., Judge Kase’s career has brought him to the World Court in The Hague; the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France and courts in Israel, Bermuda and Austria, to name a few.

He continues to be involved with various professional and community organizations including the American Inns of Court, Theodore Roosevelt Chapter, where he is a past president of the Board of Directors. Previous positions include: president, Temple Emanuel of Great Neck; secretary, Board of Directors, Nassau County Bar Association; president, Former District Attorney’s Association and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Nassau County Bar Association.

He has also been recognized by many groups as an accomplished trial attorney and a respected jurist. He also writes and lectures frequently on matters of criminal procedure and jurisprudence. Judge Kase, a graduate of New York University and St. John's School of Law, resides in Westbury, NY.

About Kase & Druker

Kase & Druker, with offices in Garden City, NY, Mamaroneck, NY and Longboat Key, Fla., is a boutique law firm that provides the highest quality legal counsel on a broad variety of legal matters. Since 1978, the firm has provided clients with top notch representation in federal and state courts specializing in criminal and civil litigation, tax matters, commercial litigation, wills, trusts and estates, and appeals. With more than 100 years of combined legal experience, Kase & Druker is committed to securing the best possible results for clients. More information can be found at www.kaseanddruker.com.