A Q&A with Valley Stream’s new associate village justice

Melanie Jenkins was appointed to the bench on April 4 after Village Justice Virginia Clavin-Higgins recommended her for the position. Prior to that, the position had been vacant for several years after the former Acting Village Justice Charles Rattoballi, who served under former Village Justice Robert Bogle, passed away. The Herald recently spoke to her about her life in and out of the courtroom.

What is your background?

My husband, Andy Smith, and I have been residents of Valley Stream for 12 ½ years. Prior to moving here, we both worked in New York City. Professionally, I have been a practicing attorney for 25 years and am currently a Principal Law Clerk for Nassau County Court Judge William J. O’Brien.

I have had a very diverse law career that started with several litigation positions in the New York State Attorney General’s Office. I spent almost 11 years at the NYAG’s office first handling labor and employment law cases and then securities law prosecutions.

I worked in the private sector for the next 10 years where I worked as regulatory counsel at Citigroup handling regulatory examinations for the broker dealer; and as in-house legal counsel for Morgan Stanley and Executive Director at JP Morgan, where, among other things, I managed a team of lawyers and paralegals that investigated and responded to pre-litigation client complaints. Prior to my appointment as Acting Village Justice, I served as a Valley Stream Village Prosecutor for several years. I am currently on the Friends of Bridge Board of Directors. 

What does an Associate Village Justice do?

The Associate Village Justice is appointed to supplement the judicial resources of a Village Court and serves when requested by the Village Justice or when she is absent or unable to serve. When a person arrives for court, they sign in and if they are on the conference calendar they, will meet with the prosecutor to discuss their case and try to work out a plea.

If they cannot work out a plea, the case will be adjourned and scheduled for a trial date. If the case is on the arraignment calendar, the person will appear before the judge and either plead to the charge or plead not guilty and then return on a later date to conference with the prosecutor or appear for trial. The cases scheduled for trial are held after the calendars are completed.

What made you decide to become an attorney?

I was 13 when I decided I wanted to be an attorney.  It was during a conversation with my mother who pointed out that I liked to argue, and also, defend the underdog. She encouraged me to take my school studies seriously and to participate in activities like drama and speech that would develop my public speaking skills. She also encouraged me to do volunteer work so that I developed a sense of public service. I realized throughout that I enjoyed these types of activities and excelled at them.

Alongside Virginia Clavin-Higgins, Valley Stream now has a two-woman team in the court. Why is this important?

The practice of law and the judiciary were historically a male-dominant profession. This has changed greatly since I began law school many years ago and has continued to change. Just as my mother did and many others of her generation, I think it is important for women to continue to strive for all types of professions and positions, because this will open up opportunities for the generations of women who follow them. The good news is that things are changing.

Who are some people — powerful women or otherwise — who have inspired you?

As I noted above, the first woman who inspired me was my mother. She taught me by example to work hard, be courageous and never doubt that I can achieve my goals. Whenever I credited an accomplishment to luck, she would say, “luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” As a result, I developed a strong work ethic, learned to be persistent, and to try to go into every situation prepared.
I’ve also been inspired by prior female supervisors who have specifically taught me about good law practices and leadership skills. They also taught me that sometimes it is better to listen and consider what is being said on all sides of a debatable proposition rather than to just try to make my point. 

Since you began, what has it been like?

I have really enjoyed the experience and appreciate the opportunity to connect with members of the community. The Village Court staff and the Auxiliary Police are a pleasure to work with. Court nights can be very fast paced and the staff works diligently and efficiently to ensure that cases are heard as quickly as possible and that everything runs as smoothly. 

What else should community members know about you or your work?

I would like the community members to know that they should not be nervous or fearful about going to court or appearing before the judge. If they do not understand their rights or what is happening with their case, they should not hesitate to ask questions. Their rights will always be respected and our decisions will always be fair and impartial. And finally, they should not ignore their parking tickets as penalties can add up quickly.