Hon. W. Gerard Asher (Ret.)
The Honorable W. Gerard Asher was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in Suffolk County in November of 2010. He presided over numerous civil trials involving virtually all types of disputes, but with an emphasis on negligence and medical malpractice cases. Scores of the matters he presided over went to verdict, including 35 medical malpractice cases.
Judge Asher started his judicial career in 2005 in the District Court and as the Drug Court Judge in County Court for two years before ascending to the Supreme Court bench.
He was honored as Judge of the Year by the Suffolk County Criminal Bar Association in 2009.
Prior to coming to the bench, Judge Asher had a 35-year career as a practicing lawyer in various fields including trial practice, real estate, surrogates court matters and sports law. Judge Asher also served for two years in the United States Army where he attained the rank of Captain and commanded a Hawk missile battery in Korea for which he was awarded an ACM. Army commendation medal.
Judge Asher was a certified baseball agent for over twenty-six years and worked with player agent Tony Attanasio. He represented several major league baseball players in arbitration cases heard in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. During his time as an agent, he negotiated contracts, handled over 20 collusion arbitrations, and had 12 salary arbitration decisions.
Upon his retirement from the bench in 2018, Judge Asher began serving as a neutral. His judicial and private practice experience, as well as his negotiation experience as a certified baseball agent and his mediation experience working as a neutral, make him an outstanding addition to the Mediation Solutions panel. His broad experience provide him with the ability to mediate cases in almost any area of practice.
Judge Asher earned a B.A. at Princeton University in 1963 and a J.D. at Cornell University in 1966. He is married to the former Sylvia Gazetsky for 60 years and they have two grown daughters, Gigi and Lara, and one grandson.
Judge Asher is available for mediations only, either virtually or at our Islandia or Westhampton Beach offices.
Mediating Cases In:
- Personal injury
- Medical malpractice
- Real estate
- Surrogate’s court matters
- Municipal Law
- Commercial and business disputes
- Zoning and land use
Professional Experience
Justice, Supreme Court, Suffolk County (2011-2017)
Acting Judge, Suffolk County Court (2009 – 2010), Drug Court Judge
Judge, Suffolk County District Court (2005- 2010)
Private practice (1969-2004)
Certified Major League Baseball Agent by the Major League Baseball Players Association affiliated for 26 years with ADA Financial Inc., Tony Attanasio, Pres.
Education
Cornell University Law School, J.D. (1966)
Princeton University, BA (1963)
Memberships and Professional Associations
New York State Bar Association
Suffolk County Bar Association
- Board of Directors (2008 – 2011)
- Pro Bono Foundation (Pro Bono recognition winner, 1997 and 2004)
- District Court Committee, Chairman (2007 – 2009)
- Numerous committees (1970-2008)
Huntington Lawyers Club, Past President (1982 – 1983)
Chairman, Reapportionment Committee for Suffolk County Legislature
Citizen Advisory Committee to update Master Plan, Town of Huntington
Kiwanis Club of Huntington, President (1979 -1980, 2003 – 2004), Hixson Award Winner
Lifetime Member, VFW Post 1469
Town of Huntington, Planning Board (1986 – 2003)
Chairman (1994 – 1995)
Town of Huntington, Zoning Board of Appeals (2022-present)
Chairman (2022-present)
Board of Trustees, St. Anthony’s High School
Veterans’ Advisory Board, Town of Huntington