Sol Wachtler

Following the receipt of his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from Lexington, Virginia's Washington and Lee University, Sol Wachtler began his career in law and politics as a Councilman in North Hempstead, New York. After five years as a Concilman and Town Supervisor, he won an election to become a Justice with the New York State Supreme Court. Four years later, Sol Wachtlerwas elected to a seat on the New York Court of Appeals the state’s highest court. For 13 years, he served on the bench and wrote hundreds of opinions on a variety of legal matters. Then, Mario Cuomo, New York's Governor named Sol Wachtler its Chief Judge,and Chief Judge of the State of New York. a position he held for another six years. While Chief Judge, he made a number of changes throughout the entire New York judicial system including increasing efficiency in the administrative realm, creating commissions to investigate the justice system’s impact on women and minorities, and founding community and commercial courts. His successes gained Sol Wachtler numerous awards and honorary doctorates from several schools.

Since leaving the bench, Sol Wachtler has turned his attention towards writing and teaching. The author of two books, he has also contributed a number of articles to publications such as The New York Times and The New Yorker. At Touro Law School on Long Island, Sol Wachtler provides his expertise to students in his Constitutional Law course. Sol Wachtler also puts effort into encouraging an understanding of mental health and improving the relationship between individuals with mental illness and the law by chairing the Law and Psychiatry Institute of North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System. Currently, he resides in Manhasset, New York.