Justice Adams is an Acting Supreme Court Justice in New York County. Prior to her election to the New York City Civil Court in November of 2017, Justice Adams practiced nearly twenty years as a litigator in the New York State Courts. She was a partner at a Manhattan based, women owned law firm, and founded a Manhattan based litigation law firm where she was the managing partner. Before becoming a judge, she received a Proclamation from the New York State Assembly in recognition of her volunteer legal work at the Eviction Intervention Services Clinic.
Her judicial assignments have included Criminal Court and Family Court. In 2019, Justice Adams was chosen by the Office of Court Administration to be one of the six judges to oversee the newly formed “Raise the Age” part in Family Court. She was chosen for this role because of her holistic approach to adjudicating troubled youth and alternatives to incarceration. The “Raise the Age” part, formed in 2019, was created to adjudicate children under the age of 18 as minors in Family Court, in certain situations, instead of adults in Criminal Court.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, she oversaw all litigation involving the New York City Transit Authority, in New York County. Since that time, she has served as an individual assignment justice, in New York County.
She was formerly the co-chair of the New York County Lawyers Association Civil Court Section and formerly the chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Columbian Lawyers Association, First Judicial Department.
Justice Adams in a frequent guest lecturer at New York Law School, Pace University, and Penn State Law School. She participates in Moot Court Competitions for the New York City Bar Association, and Cardozo Law School. For Fordham Law School, Center for Race Law & Justice, and Cardozo Law School, she has conducted mock interviews.
Every summer, Justice Adams hosts students from law schools, colleges and high school. She exposes these students to the courtroom, to trials, and gives weekly lectures. Many of her prior interns have gone on to become public servants, and associates at law firms.
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission (part of the Office of Court Administration) chose Justice Adams to serve as a Judicial Mentor in the Special Masters Program. The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission is committed to ensuring fair and respectful treatment for all who enter or serve in the courts, and to eliminate barriers to equity. In her role, Justice Adams focuses on inspiring attorneys from underrepresented communities to become judges.
The Richard Failla LGBTQ Commission (part of the Office of Court Administration) also selected Justice Adams to be a judicial mentor. The Richard Failla LGBTQ Commission addresses the issues facing the LGBTQ community for both employees and litigants. Justice Adams fosters and promotes a pathway to the judiciary for LGBTQ attorneys.
She has presented Continuing Legal Education courses for the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers Association, and Columbian Lawyers Association, First Judicial Department.
Justice Adams has received awards from the New York County Lawyers Association (in grateful appreciation and recognition of outstanding dedication and contribution to the Court and the effective administration of justice), the New York City Brehon Law Society (for exemplary service to the judiciary, and fellowship, and mentorship to the law society), the Defense Association of New York (distinguished jurist award), the New York State Bar Association, Trial Lawyers Section (Peter C. Kopff Trial Advocacy Award – for commitment to representing the interests of those who appear in court with integrity and adherence to the highest ethical standards).
She is a member of several bar associations including, the New York City Brehon Law Society, Columbian Lawyers Association, First Judicial Department, National Italian American Bar Association, New York County Lawyers Association, New York Women’s Bar Association, and New York State Bar Association, Trial Lawyers Section, and Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section. Additionally, she is a member of Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert, NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch, National Association of Women Judges, National Organization of Italian American Women, and the Penn State Alumni Association.
Justice Adams graduated from Penn State University in 1996, with a B.A. in Journalism, and she received her J.D from Hofstra University Law School in 1998.