Hon. William M. Skretny

Judge Skretny served as chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York from 2010 to 2015, when he assumed senior status. He grew up in the tumultuous 1960s with a younger sister in Buffalo’s First Ward. His father was a city worker and drove a city plow, and his mother worked at home. He didn’t know any lawyers until he went to Canisius College, graduating in 1966. He was then offered a scholarship to Howard Law School in Washington, D.C., where he earned his JD in 1969, followed by an LLM in 1972 from Northwestern University School of Law, in Chicago.

Attending Howard Law School was “the most worthwhile and significant experience of my life,” he said. People were surprised to see a Caucasian at Howard. The faculty was outstanding. Several deans from other law schools were visiting professors. A tremendous number of women were enrolled, which was unusual. He met legendary leaders of the civil rights movement, such as Stokely Carmichael, and was there when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Political issues were roiling at the time, and Judge Skretny wanted to help his country.

At one point, Judge Skretny briefly considered leaving Howard because he found the transition from Buffalo to be socially and academically overwhelming. His “incredible” study group and his roommate helped him. His roommate in law school remains his closest longtime friend. He periodically visits his law school classmates.

When Judge Skretny left Northwestern, he was invited to work at the busy U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago while they were prosecuting the Black Panthers case. He worked in Chicago for three years doing appellate work and criminal trials and then worked in the Civil Division. He had a broad range of experiences when he was offered a position in Buffalo’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The practice of law, he says, is his life. He has respect for the law because law made society what it is today. He has respect for individuals. He tries to treat people equally. He believes that law training affects all his relationships because they are the product of analysis, experience and respect.

Judge Skretny treasures loyalty, friendship and reciprocity. He gives as much as he receives. If he had to do it over again, he would hands-down practice law.