Saturday, October 25, 2025

Italian American Heritage Month: Joseph Nocella Jr.

Joseph Nocella Jr. is a seasoned legal professional and jurist from New York whose career spans federal prosecution, local government service, private practice, and the judiciary. He graduated from Fordham University in 1986 and then earned his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1989. 

Early in his career, Nocella served as the first law clerk to the Hon. Lawrence M. McKenna of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He then joined the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) from 1991 to 1995, prosecuting narcotics-trafficking, organized-crime, money-laundering, and fraud cases

Following his time as a federal prosecutor, Nocella entered private practice and later held a series of public-service legal roles in Nassau County and various towns on Long Island. These included serving as Town Attorney for Oyster Bay, New York (2017-2020), Town Attorney for Hempstead, New York (2021-2022), and other counsel and managing-attorney positions in county government. 

In 2022, he was appointed and then elected as a District Court Judge in Nassau County. Most recently, on May 5, 2025, he was sworn in as the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, returning to the office where he began his federal career. His appointment was by authority of U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, to serve up to 120 days or until a Presidential nominee is confirmed. 

Throughout his career, Nocella has emphasized a commitment to prosecuting complex criminal cases and supporting law-enforcement efforts across the region.

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