Hon. Emilio Colaiacovo is a 2001 graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and attended Mercyhurst University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in 1998. Justice Colaiacovo was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in 2015.
Prior to his election to the State Supreme Court, Justice Colaiacovo was a Partner with the Bouvier Partnership LLP, a law firm located in Buffalo, New York. Justice Colaiacovo focused his practice primarily in the areas of Matrimonial & Family Law, General Practice, and Election Law. He appeared regularly as a trial attorney in the Supreme Courts throughout the Eighth and Seventh Judicial Districts and practiced before the Appellate Division, Fourth Department. He also served as Managing Partner of his law firm until his election. Justice Colaiacovo served as Associate Counsel to the Erie County Water Authority where he handled labor and employment matters, municipal contracts and agreements, and general litigation.
While in private practice, Justice Colaiacovo was regularly named by Buffalo’s Business First “Who’s Who in Law” and in 2014 was named one of the Top 10 Lawyers in Western New York. Justice Colaiacovo previously was elected as a Director to the Erie County Bar Association and served on the Board of Directors for The Erie County Bar Association Aid to Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc.
He currently serves as Secretary of the Supreme Court Judges Association in the 8th Judicial District and sits on the Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America Greater Niagara Frontier Council.
In 2017, Justice Colaiacovo was appointed as Presiding Justice of the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Genesee County. Judge Colaiacovo was appointed by Judge Lawrence K. Marks, Head Administrative Judge for the New York State Unified Court System, to the Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics in 2018. In 2019, he was assigned to the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court.
He resides in Clarence, New York with his wife, Kimberly, and their two children.