John M. Czygier, Jr. was admitted to practice law in New York State in 1975. After serving as a prosecutor he entered private practice and, for twenty-five years, concentrated in estate administration and estate iitigation in the New Yorkmetropolitan area. He was awarded an "AV" rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for practicrng attomeys. He is a former Director of the Suffolk Counfy Bar Associatron: a member and a former chair of the Surrogate's Court Committee, and a former director of the Suffolk County Women's Bar Association. While in private practice, Surrogate Czygier served as a Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 Court Examiner for New York and Suffolk Counties. He also represented the public
Administrator of SufTolk County.
Judge Czygier was appointed Judge of the Surrogate's Court of Suffolk County by Govemor George Pataki on April 26,2001 and confirmed by the New York State Senate on May 8, 2001. In November 200l he was elected to a ten-year term.
Prior to joining the bench. Judge Czygier became a member of the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. The college is a national organization of approximately 2600 lawyers elected to membership by demonstrating the highest level of integrify, commitment to the professron, competence and experience as trust and estate counselors. He is one of only three judges in New York State selected for membership.
Judge Czygier was elected to the Fellows of the New York Bar Foundation in October 2000. He is also a member of the Trusts and Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association where he serves on the Estate and Trust Adrninistration Committee, and was formerly a vice-chairmnan of the Estate Litigation Sub-Committee; he previously served as the District Representative for the Tenth District to the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association's Trusts and Estates Law Section.
Iudge Czygier has served as a member of the Surrogate's Court Advisory Commiftee to the Chief Adminrstrative Judge of the Courls of the State of New York since his appointrnent in 1999 by the Hon. Jonathan Lippman. He has also been a member of the EPTL-SCPA Legislative Advisory Committee since 2007. The mission of both committees is to review existing statutes and to draft legislation. He is a member of the Continuing Legal Education Faculty of the Suffolk Academy of law, and lectures on the topic of Wills and Estates to professional and civic organizations. He has lectured on various aspects of Trust and Estate Law at numerous law schools and state and local bar associations.
Judge Czygier is a contributing author to Warren Heaton on Surrogates' Courts (Matthew'Bender) and to Weinstein, Kont & Miller New York Civil Practice (Matthew Bender), as well as vanous articles for the New York State Bar Association Trusts and Estates Newsletter.