The month of October is Italian American Heritage Month, and our association would like to highlight some notable members of our community.
The month of October is Italian American Heritage Month, and our association would like to highlight some notable members of our community.

Hon. Richard J. Daronco was a founding member and friend of CLAW. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, as a federal judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Daronco was well-respected and widely recognized for his integrity, fairness, and commitment to justice. Before his...
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Antonin Scalia (1936 - 2016) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving until his death in 2016. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, Scalia was the first Italian American to serve on the Court and became one of its most influential and intellectually vigorous members.

Hon. Janet DiFiore, a long-time member and friend of CLAW, is an accomplished Italian American jurist and public servant. Born to a family of Italian immigrants, in Mount Vernon, New York, DiFiore was attributes her Italian-American values as a strong influence on her career in public service. DiFiore attended C.W. Post College...
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Hon. Frank Caprio (1936-2025) was an Italian American judge and public figure revered for his compassion and humanity in the courtroom. He was born to Italian immigrants in Providence, Rhode Island and raised in modest circumstances. Caprio earned his bachelor's degree at Providence College. Later, while employed as a high school teacher,...
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Geraldine Anne Ferraro (1935–2011) was an attorney, congresswoman, and the first woman to be nominated for vice president by a major U.S. political party. Born to Italian immigrants, in Newburgh, New York, Ferraro grew up modestly. She attended Marymount Manhattan College and later Fordham University School of Law, graduating in 1960 as...
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Hon. James R. Caruso was fundamental to the establishment of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County.
Caruso was born in New York City in 1906 and would later settle in Westchester County in 1925. Deeply dedicated to his community and heritage, he was active in numerous local civic...
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Hon. Francis A. Nicolai is an Italian American jurist, respected community leader, and beloved friend of CLAW.
A graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, he served with honor in Greenland, Italy, and Vietnam before earning his law degree from New York Law School, with admission to the...
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Hon. Susan Cacace is a distinguished Italian American jurist, dedicated public servant, and esteemed friend of CLAW.
A lifelong resident of Westchester County, Judge Cacace earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Pace University in 1986 and her Juris Doctor from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at...
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