Justine Tocci, Esq. - Associate

Justine Tocci, Esq. received her B.A. in Political Science from New York University, College of Arts and Science in 1998. She received her law degree in 2001 from St. John’s University School of Law, where she served as a Notes and Comments Editor for the St. John’s Journal of Legal Commentary.

Her note entitled Tort Liability of the Media, 15 St. John’s J.L. Comm 187, was published in May of 2000. The note addressed cases brought against media defendants such as movie producers, magazine and book publishers, newspapers, and radio and television broadcasters, for physical harm allegedly resulting from the speech they disseminate, contending that liability in such cases is barred by the protections afforded by the First Amendment.

During law school she interned with firms in Suffolk and Nassau County; the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, Civil Division, where she prepared pleadings, motions and research memoranda; and the St. John’s Elder Law Clinic where she represented low income senior citizens in consumer fraud, predatory lending and public benefits law cases.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Tocci was an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department, Office of the Corporation Counsel, which represents the City of New York and all of its agencies, including the Department of Education and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. Upon joining the Law Department, she was assigned to the Tort Division, Manhattan Trial Unit. In that unit, she successfully managed a high volume caseload of approximately 800 cases and gained extensive litigation experience, handling hundreds of depositions, conferences and motions. She then transferred to the Special Litigation Unit, which handles the Tort Division’s high exposure and high profile tort cases.

Ms. Tocci is admitted to practice in the United States District Court in the Eastern District of New York, and all New York State Courts. She is a member of the New York State and Suffolk County Bar Associations, and the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York.