Thomas James McAvoy (b. 1938 in Johnson City, NY) is a federal judge for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York. Judge McAvoy graduated from Villanova University with an A.B. in 1960 and Albany Law School with a J.D. in 1964. He was nominated to the court by President Ronald Reagan on January 29, 1986, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333, he was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 3, 1986, and received his commission on March 4, 1986. He served as chief judge from 1993 to 2000 and assumed senior status on September 17, 2003.