Justice Sherry Klein Heitler received her B.A. from Hunter College, her M.A. from New York University, and her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Before starting law school, she was Assistant Director of Admissions at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University. After her admission to the Bar in 1977 she worked as a Law Assistant in the New York City Civil Court. In 1979 she founded the law firm of Heitler & Levy, P.C. and was an Arbitrator for the New York City Civil Court. She also taught Family Law at Baruch College.
Justice Heitler was elected as a Judge of the New York City Civil Court for a term beginning in 1994. She was designated an Acting State Supreme Court Justice in 1996, and in 2000 was elected to begin a term in 2001 as a State Supreme Court Justice. As a trial judge she evaluated, settled, and tried all types of cases. In 2007 she was designated to sit as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Term of the State Supreme Court, First Department. In August 2008 she was assigned to the Court’s Center for Complex Litigation to administer the asbestos mass tort cases in the City of New York. In December of 2009 she left the Appellate Term when she was appointed as Administrative Judge for Civil Matters for the First Judicial District. She also continued to administer asbestos-related matters. In March of 2015, Justice Heitler was appointed as Chief of the Office of Policy and Planning for the New York State Unified Court System. In addition, she maintains an IAS Part.
Justice Heitler has chaired and lectured at various programs established by professional groups of which she is a member. She has received numerous awards.
Justice Heitler has also been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law for many years.