It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Judge Nicolas Figueroa, who served as president of the Puerto Rican Bar Association from 1980 to 1981.
Born in Manhattan in 1933 to Puerto Rican parents, Judge Figueroa was raised in the Bronx, where his intellectual curiosity and determination flourished. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from CUNY in 1956 and served two years in Korea, where he was honorably discharged as a 1st Lieutenant. In 1964, he graduated from Brooklyn Law School, marking the start of an extraordinary legal career.
Judge Figueroa served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx from 1966 to 1969 and later as Deputy Public Administrator in the Surrogate Court. His dedication to public service extended to his work at Morrisania Legal Assistance for Youth, where he represented indigent defendants. As Associate Counsel on the Knapp Commission (1970-71), he played a pivotal role in investigating police corruption within the NYPD.
In 1972, he broke new ground as the first Puerto Rican Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, overcoming biases and discrimination during his tenure. From 1977 to 1980, he served as NYC Deputy Police Commissioner, and in 1980 he was appointed as a Criminal Court Justice in the Bronx.
Judge Figueroa ascended to the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan in 1984, where he presided over several high-profile cases, including the first World Trade Center bombing trial, until his retirement in 2009.
Beyond his remarkable legal career, Judge Figueroa was an avid reader, traveler, and adventurer, with a love for scuba diving, racquetball, and spending time with family and close friends. He is survived by his ex-wife and lifetime close friend Carmen Figueroa, his sister Amanda Figueroa, niece Bianca Carty, nephew Robert D’Angelillo, and many dear friends.
Judge Figueroa’s legacy as a trailblazer and champion of justice will be long remembered.