top of page
THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Lawrence M. McKenna
District judge
S.D.N.Y.
2nd Circuit
Average Rating:
8.9
-
22
rating(s)
rating submitted
Please send me alerts on this judge
subscribed
Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Lawrence M. McKenna
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
23198
1/1/16
10
10
8
9
10
10
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
9.5
Civil Litigation - Private
13560
1/2/12
10
9
0
10
0
9
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.5
Civil Litigation - Private
13220
1/2/11
9
8
8
8
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
11502
1/3/10
10
10
10
0
10
0
10
10
3
5
0
3
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
9383
1/2/09
10
9
9
9
10
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
7913
1/1/09
10
10
10
10
10
8
10
10
5
5
5
5
3
7
9.7
Other
7799
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
7801
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
6644
1/2/08
10
3
6
6
8
9
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5919
1/2/08
9
9
10
10
10
0
10
10
0
1
0
1
1
0
8.3
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5829
1/1/08
10
8
9
0
10
10
10
10
2
3
0
2
1
8
9.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5355
1/2/07
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
Other
5067
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3064
1/2/06
10
10
10
0
10
0
10
10
0
5
0
5
3
1
10
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1478
1/3/06
10
9
9
9
7
0
7
10
3
5
0
5
1
9
8.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1101
1/2/06
10
10
10
10
10
0
5
10
0
5
0
4
1
0
9.2
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1016
1/2/06
8
8
6
7
0
0
8
0
0
6
0
5
2
0
7.4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1017
1/2/06
8
8
6
7
0
0
8
0
0
6
0
5
2
0
7.4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1030
1/2/06
10
8
8
8
10
0
10
0
0
2
0
2
1
0
9
Civil Litigation - Private
1044
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Items marked with (*) are averaged into the displayed overall rating
Fam
Par
Qu-Arg
At-Arg
Sch
Cri
Civ
Lab
Imm
How familiar are you with the work of this judge? (1=Not at all familiar,10=Extremely familiar)
Participates in Oral Argument (1=Rarely,10=Always)
Quality of Questions During Oral Argument (1=Poor,10=Extremely insightful)
Attitude during oral argument (1=Consistently inappropriate,10=Consistently respectful)
Scholarship as reflected in Opinions (1=Poor,10=Outstanding)
General Inclination in Criminal Appeals (1=Strongly ProGovernment,10=Strongly ProDefense)
General Inclination in Civil Rights Appeals (1=Strongly Pro-Defendant,10=Strongly ProPlaintiff)
General Inclination in Labor Law Appeals (1=Strongly ProEmployee,10=Strongly ProEmployer)
General Inclination in Immigration Appeals (1=Strongly ProImmigrant,10=Strongly ProGov.)
evaluator
ID
date
Fam Par Qu-Arg At-Arg Sch Cri Civ Lab Imm
Civil Litigation - Private
23198
1/1/16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
13560
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
13220
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
11502
1/3/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9383
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
7913
1/1/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
7799
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
7801
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
6644
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5919
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5829
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5355
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
5067
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3064
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1478
1/3/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1101
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1016
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1017
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1030
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
1044
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Litigant
7553
1/1/08
10
Litigant
4305
1/2/07
10
category average
-
Temp*
Sch*
Indu*
Comp*
Punct*
Ev-Cv*
Ev-Cr*
Flex
Bail
Crim
Settle
Trial
Sent
Coop
Temperament (1=Awful 10=Excellent)
Scholarship (1=Awful 10=Excellent)
Industriousness (1=Not at all industrious 10=Highly industrious)
Ability to Handle Complex Litigation (1=Awful 10=Excellent)
Punctuality (1=Chronically Late 10=Always on Time)
Evenhandedness in Civil Litigation (1=Demonstrates Bias 10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Evenhandedness in Criminal Litigation (1=Demonstrates Bias 10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Flexibility in Scheduling (1=Completely Inflexible 10=Very Flexible)
General Inclination Regarding Bail (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Pre-Trial (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
Involvement in Civil Settlement Discussions (1=Least Involved 10=Most Involved)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Trial (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Sentencing (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
Typical Discount Off Guidelines for Cooperators (1=10% 10=100%)
comments1
Comments:
What others have said about
Hon. Lawrence M. McKenna
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
23198
rating:
9.5
Professionally and personally proper. A pleasure to appear before.
1/1/16, 6:27 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
13560
rating:
9.5
Excellent jurist, not afraid to make the hard call. Fair and willing to work with all counsel. We need more judges like him on the bench.
1/2/12, 2:46 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
13220
rating:
8.4
This guy is what a judge should be, and how a judge should act. Appeared before him, and handled two cases with him when we represented some defendants with common interests in civil litigation, on both of which we prevailed. He's thoughtful, smart, even tempered and, most of all, respectful of his brethren no matter what side of the argument-he knows what it was like on the other side of the bench and that's a testament to what a good man he is, in addition to a good judge.
1/2/11, 2:39 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
11502
rating:
10
What an amazing, thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate and fair gentleman.
1/3/10, 1:21 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9383
rating:
9.5
I tried a Civil case in front of Judge McKenna several years ago - he is everything you would hope a judge would be - smart, prepared, attends to details, compassionate, knowledgable, does not loose sight of the big picture - a gentleman as well.
1/2/09, 7:33 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
7913
rating:
9.7
The model of decorum. Unfailingly polite and even-tempered. Firm but fair. Really believes in the presumption of innocence. Very smart and very savvy.
1/1/09, 6:55 PM
Other
comment #:
7799
rating:
0
The justice that you have done is absolutely nada. How many scoundrels will get away with robbery of the people. He's left in comfort while people and charities are left in turmoil. ... So much for justice.
1/2/09, 6:01 AM
Other
comment #:
7801
rating:
0
The key is to be rich, no matter how you get it, and you get special treatment. If this were Joe Stockbroker or Bill Bank Teller and he took $1 million and tried to send a $1,000 piece of jewelry to a sister, he would not be allowed to live at home while supplying expensive 24-7 double guard duty! No, he would be in jail where he belongs. Once again our system has failed us and rewards the wealthy - regardless of how they got their wealth!
1/2/09, 6:14 AM
Litigant
comment #:
7553
rating:
0
A fantastic judge and a wonderful human being!
1/1/08, 4:21 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
6644
rating:
7
Judge McKenna is one of the most decent human beings I've seen on the bench, and a pleasure to appear before. However, he is very slow to decide motions and tends to be result-oriented, irrespective of what the law may be, making his decisions vulnerable on appeal. Almost always denies S/J and almost always affirms magistrates' discovery orders no matter how off base. In the non-complex case, he'd probably be a superstar and in any case, he's far better than a lot of other judges who preside without his sense of humanity and decency.
1/2/08, 1:56 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
5919
rating:
8.3
I agree with all of the comments above. A true gentleman. Totally involved with all aspects of each session. At sentencing, mentioned that he had read all of the documents submitted to him at least twice, some of them 3 or 4 times. A better deal for a defendant is not available from any other judge in the country.
1/2/08, 6:27 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
5829
rating:
9.5
The most compassionate, humane federal judge in the entire United States. Maybe I should remove the limitation to the federal system. There is no judge in this country I would rather have preside over my client's case than Judge McKenna.
1/1/08, 7:40 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
5355
rating:
9
Had a jury trial before Judge McKenna, and I echo the comments of others. He is fair, practical, and even-handed.
1/2/07, 2:12 AM
Other
comment #:
5067
rating:
0
He is a great judge who always tries to see the good in others. Everyone deserves a second chance and Judge McKenna is always willing to give one. May God richly bless you, Judge McKenna.
1/2/07, 10:21 AM
Litigant
comment #:
4305
rating:
0
I was told by many different people that he is the BEST Judge in all of New York. He proved them right! He is fair, kind and treats all defendants with respect and compassion. An excellent Judge and a wonderful man!
1/2/07, 6:43 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
3064
rating:
10
A true gentleman and treats defendants as people, not as a number. As good a judge as it gets. Down to earth manner.
1/2/06, 11:35 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
1478
rating:
8.5
The best judge to be before on a criminal case in SDNY. He is very intelligent, well versed in the law and the most lenient sentencer. Prosecution is treated with respect and goverment arguments are considered fairly. Of course, the government thinks he is ridiculously pro-defense but he does not disregard the law as many of his pro-government colleagues do.
1/3/06, 2:30 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
1101
rating:
9.2
Judge McKenna and his staff are an absolute pleasure. The tone is set by the Judge and flows down to everyone in his courtroom, including the Marshals assigned to it. His courtroom Deputy, Ken, is especially helpful.
1/2/06, 10:15 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
1016
rating:
7.4
You can't get a better judge in the SDNY for a criminal matter. Will bend over bacdkwards to give a fair and just sentence.
1/2/06, 1:01 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
1017
rating:
7.4
You can't get a better judge in the SDNY for a criminal matter. Will bend over bacdkwards to give a fair and just sentence.
1/2/06, 1:01 AM
HOME
bottom of page