Michael Siris

Michael Siris
Born September 11, 1945
US
Occupation Lawyer

Michael J. Siris (born September 11, 1945) is an American attorney best known for successfully representing the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the New York State Senate in 1992 to compel production of information on taxpayer-subsidized mailings.

Life and career

Son of a neurosurgeon, the late Dr. Joseph Siris[1] and the late Muriel Siris, Siris was educated at Great Neck North High School (1963), Yale College (B.A. 1967)[2] and New York University Law School (J.D. 1970).[3]

Following a primary win, Siris was the Democratic nominee in 1992 for the New York State Senatorial District (the 7th) in Nassau County then represented by Michael J. Tully, Jr.[4] During the campaign, a campaign worker named Weston, under New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), requested information on the cost of Tully's taxpayer-subsidized mailings, which Siris argued were really thinly-disguised promotions of the incumbent although styled as educational. Siris argued that such mailings gave Tully (and other incumbents) an unfair advantage over challengers who statistically almost never succeed.[5]

When the State Senate declined the FOIL request and claimed immunity from disclosure, the campaign worker sued the Senate during the campaign and Siris acted as his counsel. Entitled "Weston v. Sloan" ("Sloan" having then been Secretary of the Senate), the lawsuit worked its way up to New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, where the Court, after Siris had lost the general election to Tully,[6] directed the Senate comply with FOIL.[7] During the litigation, the Senate was criticized for withholding the information requested.[8]

After the Court of Appeals' holding, then-Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Siris to fill an interim vacancy on the New York State Supreme Court. Cuomo claimed that he nominated Siris unaware of the lawsuit and that he did not intend to embarrass Tully.[9] In any event, the nomination died in committee.

For his efforts, in 1995 Siris received the New York State Bar Association's annual Root-Stimson award for public service.[10]

Author of two law review articles[11] and other writings,[12] Siris began his career representing Conrail and other railroads.[13] Siris is now a real estate attorney[14] and counsel to the Garden City, New York law firm, Solomon and Siris.[15] He specializes in real estate law and title litigation.[16][17] Among other real estate related matters, he has handled adverse possession,[18] restitution of real property,[19] and forgery cases.[20] He is also the moderator of the Listserv of the real property section of New York County Lawyers[21]

Siris lives in Roslyn, NY with his wife, Dr. Karen Siris, an elementary school principal,[22] author,[23] and bullying prevention expert.[24] His daughter, Liz Winchester, is an author of children's books.[25] His son John was a member of the controversial 1996 Bucknell University [26] lacrosse team that was undefeated, untied and uninvited (to the NCAA Division I playoffs).[27]

References

  1. ↑ "Dr. Joseph H. Siris". The New York Times. January 24, 1987.
  2. ↑ https://alumnievents.yale.edu/reunions/registration/classDirectory.asp?ClassID=211
  3. ↑ http://www.martindale.com/Michael-J-Siris/44911621-lawyer.htm
  4. ↑ "The 1992 Campaign; Candidates in Today's Primary". The New York Times. September 15, 1992. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  5. ↑ http://politics.as.nyu.edu/docs/IO/2602/gordon_landa_jop_2009.pdf
  6. ↑ Sullivan, Joseph F. "In Trenton, It's the Vote No One Wants to Cast", p. 3, The New York Times, November 29, 1992. Retrieved October 19, 2011
  7. ↑ "Matter of Weston v. Sloan - Argued October 19, 1994". Leagle.com. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  8. ↑ "The Secret Ways of State Republicans". The New York Times. March 2, 1993. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Confirmation of Judge Could Be Stalled", New York Times, July 7, 1993, retrieved October 11, 2011
  10. ↑ "Committee on Civil Rights | Award information". Nysba.org. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  11. ↑ ["OSHA Evidence in Products Liability Litigaton", Arizona State Law Journal, http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/arzjl25&div=34&id=&page=, "New York's Freedom From Information Law," Albany Law Review, http://www.questia.com/library/1G1-19509310/new-york-s-freedom-from-information-law-disclosure]
  12. ↑ ABA Journal, 1998, "No Island of Sanity" (book review, http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/PubArticleNY.jsp?id=1202489046000& "Notary's Responsibility to_Verify_Identity of Person Presenting Document", , N.Y. Law Journal, "Notary's Responsibility to Verify Identity of Person Presenting Document", "Notary Liability: Recent Developments, New York Law Journal, November 2013,http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/PubArticleNY.jsp?id=1202628529650&Notary_Liability_Recent_Developments&slreturn=20131029092650 )
  13. ↑ Conrail v Nevins-Petrillo, http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19831519619FSupp900_11440.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985, Altro v Conrail, http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19851190129Misc2d1061_1997.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985 LTA Group v JB Hunt, et al., http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=2000194101FSupp2d93_1180.xml, In Re Roll Form, https://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/662/662.F2d.150.81-5006.104.html and D'Aurizio v Conrail,http:www.leagle.com/xmlresult.aspx?xmidoc=19841078129misc2d949_1910.xml&docbase=cslwar1-1950-1985
  14. ↑ Pulse Magazine, "Top Legal Eagles 2011"
  15. ↑ Solomon and Siris official website
  16. ↑ Siris, Michael. "What to Expect When Selling or Buying a Home", Solomon and Siris, P.C., Retrieved October 19, 2011
  17. ↑ See, e.g., George v. Grand Bay; Jean v. Joseph; Edwards v Rockaway Storage and http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/CaseDecisionNY.jsp?id=1202503614361] Martin v. Cohen]
  18. ↑ Meckler v Schnell, http://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/other-courts/2010/2010-ny-slip-op-52438-u.html, Weiszberger v Husarsky, http://wwww/newyorklawjournal.com/casedecisionny.jsp?=id1202561576507
  19. ↑ Cashel v Cashel (Sup. Ct Suffolk Co. 2012) http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/PubArticleNY.jsp?id=1202581837211&Mortgage_Lender_Wins_Restitution_Under_Exception_in_CPLR_5523&slreturn=20121120075906
  20. ↑ Mu-Min v Lee, et al.,http:wwwcourts.state.ny.us/courts/ad2/cealendar/webcal/decisions/2012/d34341.pdf] Cashel v Cashel (2nd Dep't, 2012) http://www.courts.state.ny.us/courts/ad2/calendar/webcal/decisions/2012/D34341.pdf
  21. ↑ http://www.nycla.org/siteFiles/Publications/Publications1477_0.pdf
  22. ↑ http://www.oceanside.k12.ny.us/9boardman/principal_messages.htm, Boardman Elementary School #9E, Oceanside, NY, official school web site
  23. ↑ http://www.sprigeo.com/Bullying-Expert-Interview-Series/Karen_Siris.asp
  24. ↑ http://www.ivillage.com/has-school-found-key-end-bullying/6-a-286844, I Village, "Has This School Found the Key To Ending Bullying," September 30, 2010
  25. ↑ http://www.betterworldbooks.com/sisters-and-brothers-id-0531138704.aspx
  26. ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/buck/sports/m-lacros/auto_pdf/MlaxMG10Full_SM.pdfof the controversial 1996 Bucknell
  27. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/12/sports/lacrosse-12-games-12-victories-1-snub.html