SILVER PICKS CRONY FOR 'JUDGE' PANEL (MORE, PICK HERE)

SILVER PICKS CRONY FOR 'JUDGE' PANEL
By KENNETH LOVETT - New York Post Correspondent

February 29, 2008 -- ALBANY - Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has quietly picked the head of his personal-injury law firm to serve on a state judicial-screening panel, The Post has learned.
The move is drawing criticism from good-government groups and outside lawyers.

Silver and Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith last month tapped Arthur Luxenberg as their appointment to the 13-mem- ber committee that recommends to the governor candidates for the Appellate Division, Court of Claims and State Supreme Court in the city's district.

Luxenberg is a co-founder of Weitz & Luxenberg, one of the state's largest trial-law firms. Silver has been "of counsel" at the firm since 2002. He and the firm have repeatedly refused to reveal who his clients are or how much he is paid, although sources have said it could be in the seven figures.

Luxenberg told The Post he was a joint appointment of Silver and Smith and denied the fact that Silver's ties to the firm had anything do with his placement in the nonpaying post on the commission. "I don't see anything wrong with it," Luxenberg said. "I've been a lawyer for over 20 years and I have made a career out of appearing in court before judges on both the state level and the appellate level."

He added he sees his appointment as "very appropriate, and I think I'm very well qualified to do this work." But critics say the appointment sends a bad message, with some claiming it lends an appearance that Silver could benefit indirectly from the appointment.

"The speaker is entitled to pick someone who shares his judicial philosophy, but he should look outside a firm with which he is affiliated," said Russ Haven, of the New York Public Interest Research Group. One lawyer with knowledge of the appointment noted that Luxenberg, whose firm's Web site boasts of "more million-dollar verdicts than most firms in the country," will now have a say in selecting appellate-court judges who will decide whether to uphold or lower such awards.

"It just doesn't look good," said the lawyer, who asked for anonymity. Luxenberg denied any conflict, saying, "It's a well-balanced committee." Silver spokesman Dan Weiller defended the selection of Luxenberg, saying, "He's a respected member of the bar with an impressive list of legal accomplishments and long record of community service."

Silver's ties to Weitz & Luxenberg have raised eyebrows over the years.

In 2006, The Post reported that Weitz & Luxenberg was shopping for clients who were injured at state-run parks, even though Silver, as Assembly speaker, has a role in overseeing the management of the parks as well as setting budgets for them. The firm removed the solicitation from its Web site soon after.     kenneth.lovett@nypost.com