Vincent J. Messina, Jr. has represented individuals, private and municipal entities and agencies in the State of New York in New York State Courts, including Supreme Court, Appellate Division, (First, Second, and Third Departments), and the Court of Appeals in a variety of practice areas including land use, election law, guardianship, municipal law, and municipal procurement and construction. He has also provided counsel to elected and appointed officials in various federal courts in civil rights and voting rights cases and members of the judiciary in matters before the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. He also serves as a Special Master in the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department Mandatory Mediation program, having been appointed to that position by the Presiding Justice of that Court.
Before co-founding MPH, Mr. Messina was the co-managing partner of a seventeen (17) lawyer firm in Suffolk County. Prior to the fifteen (15) years at that firm, Mr. Messina was the Chief Legal Officer of a municipality with over 300,000 residents for 13 years. In this capacity, Mr. Messina rendered advice and counsel to the Town Supervisor, Town Board, Commissioners of various departments and Special Districts and Department Heads on all legal, legislative, and personnel matters, as well as policies and procedures within the Town government. Additionally, he oversaw the Town’s self-insurance program, and had final decision making authority on all matters in which the Town was sued for personal injury or property damage claims. Currently, Mr. Messina serves as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Islip.
Mr. Messina is a frequent contributor to the Suffolk Lawyer where he has written articles on land use and other subjects, and has been a guest editor of several special sections of that publication.
In addition, Mr. Messina is a member of the Committee on Character and Fitness for the Appellate Division, Second Department, having been appointed or re-appointed by three different Presiding Justices of that Court. He has also been appointed as a Special Master for the Appellate Division, Second Department Mandatory Civil Appeals Mediation Program.
Mr. Messina dedicates a significant amount of his time participating in associations and on committees, furthering the goals of the legal profession. He is currently the First Vice President of the Suffolk County Bar Association and was a Recipient of the Associations’ Directors’ Award in 2017 for his work as a Member of the Indigent Legal Services Task Force. He previously served as the Treasurer, Secretary and Director of the Association. Additionally, Mr. Messina serves or has served as Current Chair and Past Chair of the Legislative Review Committee, the Pro Bono Foundation, Member of the Bench Bar Committee, Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Member of the Grievance Committee, Co-Chair of the Real Property Committee, and Co-Chair of the Municipal Law Committee. He has also served as a Member of the Guardianship Mentor Program.
Mr. Messina is a frequent presenter at Continuing Legal Education Programs sponsored by the Suffolk Academy of Law, speaking on topics including Municipal Law, Guardianship, and Real Property and Zoning issues. He has also lectured at Touro Law School in a variety of classes and participated with private providers of Continuing Legal Education Programs in the areas of Municipal Procurement and Municipal Construction.