From 1998 through 2002, She was assigned to a general civil part where she handled general civil matters, including municipal disputes, medical malpractice cases, land-use matters, negligence cases, Article 78 proceedings and general contract disputes. In 1996 and 1997, she served in a dedicated matrimonial part.

In 2002, Judge Emerson was tasked with preparing a proposal for the creation of a Commercial Division for Suffolk County. After such proposal was approved, she worked to establish the Suffolk County Commercial Division by designing rules and protocols regarding case identification, case assignment and case management. She also drafted and promulgated forms and model language. From 2002 through her retirement from the bench, she remained active in initiatives to improve and to promote the Commercial Division within Suffolk County and around the State.

From 1997-2002, she created and administered Project Assist, a program designed to provide information about essential services such as food, shelter, medical care, and relief from domestic violence to members of the public who visited the Cohalan Court Complex.

Prior to ascending to the bench, Justice Emerson was a partner at Shearman & Sterling, one of the world’s leading international law firms. Her practice included representation of foreign and domestic banks, investment banks, and corporations in the structuring, negotiation, and documentation of a wide range of complex transactions involving banking and finance, communications, entertainment, manufacturing, and the oil and gas industries. Her clients included domestic corporations, banks, and investment banks such as Viacom, Citibank N.A., J.P. Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley. She also oversaw pro bono projects involving affordable housing, community development, and rape crisis. In addition, she was responsible for certain aspects of marketing, recruiting and summer associate activities, and was the partner in charge of training and development for the Private Finance Practice Group.

Before joining Shearman & Sterling, she was an Associate at White & Case, where her practice focused on both corporate transactions and litigation matters, such as securities litigation, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy.

Justice Emerson has also been active in teaching the next generation of professionals. She has been an Adjunct Professor for the Masters of Business Administration programs at both SUNY Stony Brook and Dowling College. She has lectured at universities and law schools within the New York Metropolitan area including Fordham University School of Law and St. John’s University School of Law.

Since 2004, Justice Emerson has authored and updated Chapter 101, Secured Transactions, in the multi-volume treatise, Commercial Litigation in the New York State Courts. She has also authored numerous articles for bar association publications and presented at various schools, conferences and organizations.

During the course of her career, Justice Emerson has earned numerous honors and awards. In March 2022, she represented the State of New York at the request of the Chief Judge at the National Judicial College, Judicial Leaders in Climate Science, open to one Jurist from each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Justice Emerson is married to Michael W. Emerson, and they have two children, Captain Christopher M. Emerson, United States Army 10^th Mountain Division. United States Military Academy Class of 2015, and LTJG Andrew A. Emerson, Naval Aviator. United States Naval Academy Class of 2020.

Justice Emerson is available to mediate or arbitrate cases virtually or in any of our Long Island offices.