On May 28, Schrieber’s Mock Trial and American Heroes Club co-hosted an assembly in the Schreiber Library featuring Judge Joseph Bianco. The event focused on Judge Bianco’s career in the legal profession, as well as his daily activities as a federally appointed judge. Schreiber students had the opportunity to learn more about the American federal justice system, the American legal framework, and the duties of working in public service. The assembly began with both clubs introducing the speaker and outlining the afternoon.
The assembly’s audience consisted of students, faculty members, and administrators. The presentation included a structured lecture, followed by a question and answer session where students could ask Judge Bianco about his life and his experiences working in both the federal district and appellate courts in New York.
“I learned much about the importance of the law and how it protects us. I also learned a lot about how to become a lawyer, and have a distinguished career. The presentation was very interesting to me. Overall, I think that bringing Judge Bianco into our school was a fantastic idea, as it helped many students interested in law learn more about phenomena like due process and a free right to fair trial,” said freshman Shayna Green.
Judge Bianco, originally from Port Washington, shared stories from his early years as a student, his career as a federal prosecutor, and his experiences on the bench. After graduating from Schreiber, Judge Bianco graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts (BA) from Georgetown University. He then went on to attend Columbia University’s law school as a Kent scholar, which is the institution’s highest academic honor for law students. Judge Bianco also served as a member of Columbia Law School’s litigation committee. Early in his career, he worked for private New York law firms, including Simpson, Thatcher, and Bartlett LLC.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Judge Bianco became the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He oversaw counterterrorism efforts within the New York region and worked in the criminal justice sector prosecuting statewide security cases. In his presentation at Schreiber, he discussed high-profile trials related to the Al-Qaeda terrorist group that he prosecuted. Judge Bianco also talked about his prosecutions with infamous figures like Ahmed Abdel Satter and Lynne Stewart.
“I cannot imagine the pressures and stress of holding public office in counterterrorism during the time of 9/11. Honestly, I was shocked when I heard about his experiences and think that is partly why I found the presentation intriguing. Judge Bianco talked a lot about how his life and his career were permanently changed after that event,” said freshman Frankie Famiglietti.
In 2006, Judge Bianco was appointed to a position on a US federal court, and nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by 43rd US president George W. Bush. As a federal district judge, he oversaw and managed prosecutions in the federal courts. He had jurisdiction over Nassau, Suffolk, Kings, Richmond, and Queens Counties, which all saw numerous high-profile criminal cases.
In 2019, Judge Bianco was promoted to the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The court reviews decisions appealed from federal court districts within the Vermont, New York, and Connecticut region. Additionally, Judge Bianco serves currently as an Adjunct Professor at the Schools of Law at St. John’s University, teaching courses on national security and criminal procedure.
“Judge Bianco is definitely an incredible figure because of his persistence and hard-working traits that allowed him to eventually become nationally recognized in his field. It’s very inspiring to see and made me want to work a little harder everyday,” said freshman Emilia Cerda.
Judge Bianco was successful in making his presentation both educational and entertaining. He rewarded some students with presents like Dunkin Donuts gift cards and Tinker armbands to show his gratitude for their questions and engagement throughout the assembly. To conclude the afternoon, he discussed youth involvement in civic education and government, citing concerns regarding the importance of civic literacy as an educational tool to understand the world, engage in democracy, and protect basic constitutional rights.