Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced the appointment of the Hon. Renee R. Roth to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE). Roth will replace outgoing member Patrick Bulgaro, who resigned on July 30.

"Judge Roth has a long and distinguished career serving the people of New York," said Speaker Silver. "She is well respected among her peers in the legal community and I am honored that she has agreed to serve as a member of JCOPE."

"I consider it a great honor and privilege to serve as a member of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. The citizens of New York deserve to know that the people who serve them are adhering to the highest ethical standards and I take my role in overseeing these issues very seriously," said Judge Roth.

A graduate of Fordham Law School and the City College of New York, Judge Roth began her career as a Law Assistant - Referee for Surrogate's Court in King's County and subsequently presided over the New York County Surrogate Court from 1983 to 2008.

Judge Roth is employed of Counsel for the law firm of McLaughlin & Stern, LLP. In addition, Judge Roth currently acts as a Judicial Hearing Officer for the New York State Supreme Court, and holds a long-time position as adjunct professor for Fordham University School of Law. Judge Roth is also the Chair of the Surrogate's Court Advisory Committee of the Office of Court Administration.

She previously served as a member of the Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections; Trustee of St. Francis College; Member of Women's Forum, Inc.; Member of New York Task Force on Permanency Planning for Children; Board Member of the National Association for the furtherance of Jewish Education; and President of City College Alumni Association.

JCOPE, which was established by the Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011, is an independent body responsible for overseeing and investigating allegations of ethics violations in state government.