By MATT CHANDLER
Buffalo Law Journal

Former Erie County Attorney and University at Buffalo Law School graduate Eugene Pigott Jr. has been recommended as a possible replacement for retiring State of New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge Hon. Judith Kaye by the Commission on Judicial Nomination.

A Grand Is-land resident, he joins six others who will be considered by Gov. David Paterson to succeed Kaye, who steps down Dec. 31, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Pigott, an associate judge of the Court of Appeals, is in contention for the top spot alongside a mix of judges and private-practice lawyers.

The other nominees are: George Carpinello, a partner in Boies Schiller & Flexner in Albany; Evan Davis, a partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton in New York City; Steven Fisher, an associate justice of the Appellate Division, 2nd Department; Theodore Jones Jr., an associate Court of Appeals judge; Jonathan Lippman, presiding justice of the Appellate Division, 1st Department; and Peter Zimroth, a partner at Arnold and Porter in New York City.

Paterson has until Jan. 15 to make his selection.