March 2024 Member Spotlight:
The Honorable Judge Perry

This month we’re pleased to spotlight a distinguished MBAWNY member: The honorable Tiffany R. Perry, Buffalo City Court Judge.

The Honorable Judge Perry was elected as a Buffalo City Court Judge on November 7, 2023. Prior to the election she was appointed court attorney referee by the then Administrative Judge Paula L. Feroleto and the Supervising Judge of Family Court, Michael F. Griffith in November, 2016. She presided over child abuse and neglect, custody, visitation and family offense and permanency hearings. Previously, she was the confidential law clerk for Family Court Judge Lisa Bloch Rodwin where, among other duties, she presided over pretrial conferences and negotiated settlements between attorneys and litigants in child abuse and neglect, custody, and domestic violence proceedings.

From January 2011 until June 2015, Judge Perry was an attorney with the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, representing several thousand indigent criminal defendants charged with both misdemeanors and felonies. Judge Perry also was an assistant Erie County attorney from May 2006 through December 2010, prosecuting juveniles charged in Erie County Family Court and from November 2000 through February 2006 she served as the Save Our Streets Coordinator for the City of Buffalo.

Judge Perry graduated from the University at Buffalo Law School with her juris doctor in 2000. Her undergraduate degree in history came from Canisius College in 1997, where she was on the Dean’s List. She was a 1993 graduate of Bennett High School in Buffalo.

Judge Perry is a member of the Family Court Practice and Procedure Committee and the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Erie County Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association of Western New York. Previously, Judge Perry was on the Board of Directors and past treasurer of the Minority Bar Foundation, vice president of the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association, treasurer of the Erie County Bar Foundation and a past director and vice president of the Minority Bar Association of Western New York. She was also involved in various committees within Erie County Family Court, including the Disproportionate Minority Representation committee, the Diversity Committee and served as co-chair for the Planning for Older Youth in Care committee.

A lifelong Buffalo resident, Judge Perry has been recognized by her colleagues and peers and received the Community Award from The Wealthy Place, The Distinguished Public Service Award from MYCROBIG, the Trailblazer Award from the Minority Bar Foundation, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University at Buffalo Law of School, Students of Color Committee and the Outstanding Women in the Law Award from the Eighth Judicial District’s Women in the Courts/Gender and Racial Fairness Committee.

She was also an adjunct professor at Hilbert College and is active in her church, where she is the chairperson on the Trustee Board for God’s Way of Life Interdenominational Church.