Hon. John M. Curran ’84
Hon. John M. Curran ’84 focused his practice on commercial litigation before becoming a New York State Supreme Court judge, 8th Judicial District, in 2004.
About this Interview
Interview Date(s)
February 14, 2012
Occasion
Recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award for the Judiciary at the 51st Law Alumni Association Annual Dinner
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About the Hon. John M. Curran
John Curran graduated from the University of Dayton undergraduate college, then UB law school’s Class of 1984. His brother Patrick, who spoke highly of UB, influenced him. During law school, Curran lived with his parents in Tonawanda for a time and viewed law school as “a great deal and a great education.”
His favorite law school memories are of the friends he met, such as Judges Erin Peradotto and Tracey Bannister, and the experiences they went through together. He remembers Professors Schlegel and Lindgren teaching an experimental Contracts and Torts course together without textbooks, called ConTorts. The first year he took Constitutional Law with Professor Katz, and he enjoyed it. Another favorite professor was Professor Konefsky, who appealed to his undergraduate experience in history. His favorite teacher was Professor Spanogle, who taught Commercial Paper. Spanogle had the most influence on him. He encouraged Curran to go into a commercial field. Curran won Moot Court and Trial Technique awards in law school.
After graduating from UB School of Law in 1984, he began to practice in Miami, then joined Albrecht, Maguire, Heffern & Gregg, in Buffalo, as an associate in 1987. He was named a partner in 1991, and the firm merged with Phillips Lytle in 2000.
Before taking the job in Miami, he married Margaret Curran, a law school classmate. She retired after their eldest child was born.
After Gov. George Pataki appointed him to the Supreme Court in 2004, he was elected to the seat the following year. During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Curran presided over the Commercial Division for the 8th Judicial District as well as the Erie County Malpractice Part.
His judicial career began in 1996 when he became a town justice for Orchard Park. He held that position until his elevation to the Supreme Court.
Curran served on the Committee on New York Pattern Civil Jury Instructions. He is a past president of the Supreme Court Justices Association for the 8th Judicial District, the UB Law Alumni Association and the Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce.
