Governor McKee swears in five judges to the Rhode Island Courts

January 10, 2022 8:26 pm

Joseph Richard,

Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court, Kevin F. McHugh
Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court, Jeanine Perella McConaghy
Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court, Shilpa Naik
Associate Judge of the Rhode Island District Court, William J. Trezvant
Associate Judge of the Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court, George J. Lazieh

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- Five new judges to the Superior Court, Family Court, District Court, and Workers’ Compensation Court were sworn in Monday morning by Governor Dan McKee.

Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court, Kevin F. McHugh graduated from Rhode Island College, the University of Connecticut, and New England School of Law. Judge McHugh has more than 30 years of legal experience, prior to being sworn in to the Superior Court, he was the Senior Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Providence and Legal Counsel to the Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs Committee for the state Senate. He will be filling the seat of Judge Melissa A. Long who elevated to the Rhode Island Superior Court.

“I am humbled and honored by my appointment and am grateful for the opportunity to serve all of the people of the State of Rhode Island as an Associate Justice of the Superior Court,” McHugh said.

Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court, Jeanine Perella McConaghy is a graduate of Lawrence University and Suffolk University Law School. Earlier in her career she was an Associate at Bouchard & Mallory in Manchester, New Hampshire. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts School of Law, and currently serves as the Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Chief of the criminal divisions. She is a board member of Providences’ Foster Forward. She is filling the seat vacated by Judge Rossie Lee Harris, Jr. who is retiring.

“I am humbled and honored to be nominated to the Family Court by Governor McKee. I know that behind every case are real people and families who deserve a judge who can fairly, empathetically and expeditiously decide their cases. I will work hard every day to be that judge,” Perella McConaghy said.

Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court, Shilpa Naik, is a graduate of Brandeis University and Western New England College School of Law. She was a partner at Oster & Naik Law Offices, and before that a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Rhode Island. She worked in Family Court as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate who provided legal representation to children in DCYF’s care since 2011. Naik is the first Indian-Asian American to serve on the Rhode Island Family Court.

“I am extremely grateful and humbled to be selected by Governor McKee as an Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court,” Naik said. “I am aware that this honor and opportunity brings with it a tremendous responsibility to the citizens of our state. I will strive every day to serve the public and be a fair, impartial and compassionate jurist.”

Associate Judge of the Rhode Island District Court, William J. Trezvant is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. For 16 years he held various positions as Special Assistant in the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General, and currently serves as Senior Counsel for Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara. Trezvant is also active on several board such as the Narragansett Council Boy Scouts of America Scout Outreach Program and Thurgood Marshall Law Society. He fills a seat vacated by Judge Madeline Quirk who is retiring.

“I am excited to be appointed as Associate Justice of the District Court by Governor McKee. It will be an honor to serve the people of Rhode Island,” Trezvant said. “I know that I stand on the shoulders of many people who came before me. I intend to be a role model for those who are coming after me and to always uphold the highest ethical standard.”

Associate Judge of the Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court, George J. Lazieh is a graduate of Roger Williams University and Suffolk University Law School. He was appointed in 2012 to serve as bail commissioner for Rhode Island. He had served as Special Assistant Attorney General for the state. Lazieh has over three decades of experience in criminal, civil, and workers compensation trial experience, 21 years of that working for Law Office of Steven B. Stein. He currently teaches criminal and constitution law courses at CCRI. Lazieh is filling the vacated seat of Judge Diane Connor, who is retiring.

“From an old Arabic proverb: we have one language, and two ears for a reason, we need to listen more than we speak. As a judge I will listen,” Lazieh said.