Hon. James A. W. McLeod
Candidate for the
City Court, City of Buffalo

• Biography Buffalo City Court Judge James A.W. McLeod, the great nephew of educator Mary McLeod Bethune, began his legal career by becoming the second African American attorney in Buffalo history to be hired as an associate attorney with a major law firm (the then firm of Doyle, Diebold, Bermingham, Gorman and Brown). Having worked as a defense attorney involved in major cases, he was selected by Supreme Court Justice Samuel L. Green to become the first African American - outside of New York City - to serve as a Confidential Law Clerk. Judge McLeod’s career continued with his becoming the first and only African American attorney to head as Buffalo/Erie County Legal Aid Bureau’s Public Defender Office; as well as the first and only African American to serve as Erie County’s Second Assistant County Attorney. His past or present legal affiliations include the Minority Bar Association of Western New York, Western New York Thurgood Marshall Organization, New York State Bar Association and the Erie County Bar Association where he was the first and only African American to serve as the Association Treasurer.

• Democrat
• Republican
• Working Families

• Herkimer Community College, A.A. Degree, 1969
• SUC Fredonia, B.A. Degree, 1971
• SUNY, Buffalo School of Law, J.D. Degree, 1974

• New York 1975

• Buffalo City Court Judge

• Erie County Famil Court Hearing Examiner Hearing and determining all issues relative to child support; spousal maintenance, medical insurance, health insurance, etc., for custodial and non-custodial parent
• Second Assistant Erie County Attorney Supervisor of the Erie County Family Court Unit. In this capacity, supervised six (6) attorneys and was responsible for prosecution of juvenile petitions on a yearly basis. Also responsible for processing of support petitions on behalf of parents seeking child support. Legal advisor to Erie County Probation Department's Juvenile Unit. Worked closely with the Buffalo Police Department in formulating a policy to address arrest and detention of juveniles charged with serious crimes.
• Former Associate Member of Law Firm - Doyle, Diebold, Bermingham, Gorman & Brown, Buffalo, New York Legal Research, preparation of legal documents, briefs, etc. Extensive criminal defense experience; defense trial experience in local, state and federal courts.
• Public Defender's Office: Buffalo Legal Aid Bureau, Inc. Administrator of Public Defenders Office for Buffalo City Court; preparation of trials and felony hearings for indigents at Buffalo City Court.