Hunter Igoe ’20 Gives Back to the City He Loves

Hunter Igoe was raised upstate. But as a St. John’s Law student, he fell in love with New York City, seeing the good it does for millions of people who live and work there. The son of public servants, he felt called to carry out the City’s mission. So, he was delighted to launch his legal career at the New York City Law Department, where he worked as a trial lawyer defending the City and its agencies in personal injury and property damage actions. Now, he’ll continue to serve the city and its people as Principal Court Attorney to Hon. Claudia Lanzetta in Queens Supreme Court.

“I'm a true believer in the power of good government, and working in government allows me to put that belief into practice,” Igoe says. As a “City attorney” and in his new courthouse role, he draws on knowledge and skills he gained in law school, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development, competed with the Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute (PTAI), and benefited from the DiMartino/Smith Public Interest Center’s programs.

“PTAI taught me foundational trial skills, like how to carry myself in a courtroom, present arguments, apply the rules of evidence and procedure, and object when necessary,” Igoe says. “Those skills weren’t just crucial to my trial work for the City, they also served me well in discovery and settlement conferences, at depositions, and in other ways. Through the Public Interest Center, I connected with Law School alumni who told me about their work with the Law Department. I also received a Summer Public Interest Fellowship as an intern with The Legal Aid Society. That experience confirmed that I wanted to devote my career to public service.”

During his time at the Law Department, Igoe never viewed his cases as battles to win at all costs. Instead, he “sought justice,” and he brings that same outlook to his work as a Court Attorney. “When I was with the Law Department in Manhattan, there was a Court Attorney I admired for his ability to resolve disputes as they arose,” he recalls. “I knew that I wanted to step into a similar role one day and help bring parties to mutually agreeable resolutions. I look forward to serving the City in that capacity and diving into new areas of law beyond municipal torts."

As he builds his career, Igoe takes time to return to St. John’s Law and talk to students who are interested in public service. “I share that the work is very rewarding and offers a quick onramp into practice,” he says. “You're not just watching or assisting other attorneys. You’re in the courtroom; you’re making arguments to judges and juries; you’re drafting motions; you’re questioning and interviewing witnesses; you're negotiating settlements; you’re scouring records to build cases. From day one, you're a lawyer serving the greater good. That’s truly gratifying.”