Vincent L. Briccetti of South Salem officially took his post yesterday as judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in a ceremony at the U.S Courthouse in downtown New York City.

He was recommended for the bench by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) in June 2010 and nominated for the seat in November by President Obama. Prior to his unanimous confirmation after hearings in April, he was a partner in the law firm of Briccetti, Calhoun & Lawrence, LLP, in White Plains, and previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District.

He now sits at the federal court in White Plains. Briccetti just completed his first trial as a federal judge, which led to the jury conviction of a woman accused of stealing the identity of a Scarsdale couple she was hired to care for.

In recommending Briccetti, Schumer said, “Vincent Briccetti has had a varied and distinguished career in the law and public service on behalf of the people of New York and the nation. He is universally respected by his peers in the legal community due to his sharp mind and exemplary professionalism. His outstanding leadership, his intellect, his commitment to justice, his deep connections to New York, and his extensive experience make him an exceptional choice for as a federal judge in the Southern District.”

Briccetti told the Lewisboro Ledger that after graduating from Fordham Law School, his time serving as a law clerk to the Hon. John M. Canella, then-U.S. district judge for the Southern District of New York, helped him find his career focus.

“It was apparent to me that the best lawyers were criminal lawyers, both prosecution and defense,” he told writer Jane Dove. “I decided I wanted to become a federal prosecutor. After two years in private practice I became an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

You can read the Ledger’s full story here. 

Briccetti will fill the vacancy left by former Chief Judge Kimba Wood, who assumed senior status in 2009 in Manhattan.

Briccetti was born in Mt. Kisco and graduated from Fox Lane High School in Bedford, going on to earn bachelor’s degree in 1976 from Columbia University and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law in 1980. After working at law firms in New York and CT and completing a stint as assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan, he started his own law firm, later being joined by partners. From 2000 until 2011, he was a partner in Briccetti, Calhoun & Lawrence.