Thomas J. Principe

Tom Principe is a Partner at Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore (KDLM) in New York. Tom Principe’s background is as a defense attorney. In that capacity he squared off more than once against fellow partner Tom Moore – who recruited him to become a KDLM partner in April 1989. Today, his experience and perspective serve KDLM’s clients well as he conducts examinations before trial. Those depositions and discovery illuminate the defense’s claims and likely strategy. He is painstakingly thorough in his approach, sifting through and examining medical records and transcriptions for information to aid in client defense.

Tom Principe has been admitted to the bar in New York, Florida, the District of Columbia U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts, the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals. He is a former Assistant District Attorney, Queens County, NY (1974-1979), rising to the position of Deputy Bureau Chief of the Supreme Court Trial Bureau (1978-1979). He has served on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, City of New York, since 2014. He has also served as a member of the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission for Queens County and the Judiciary Committee of the Queens County Bar Association. His many professional memberships include the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Florida Bar, the District of Columbia Bar Association, Columbian Lawyer’s Association of Queens County (President Elect), Catholic Lawyer’s Guild of Queens County (currently Treasurer), and the Board of Directors of the St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Association, of which he is also a Past President.

A Brigadier General in the New York Army National Guard, Principe was Staff Judge Advocate to the 53rd Troop Command, among many other posts. During 9/11 service, he authored memoranda used as personnel guidelines on “Rules of Engagement,” “Excessive Use of Force,” and “Employment Rights” in addition to rendering command support of tactical operations and deployment during Operation World Trade Center. He retired in July, 2006 after thirty-three years of service with the Legion of Merit award given by the United States Army and the Conspicuous Service Medal from the State of New York. He has been President of the Veterans of the Seventh Regiment in Manhattan, located at the Park Avenue Armory, since 2007. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument Association in Manhattan.

Principe frequently lectures on continuing legal education topics in medical malpractice and trial practice for St. John’s University School of Law, the Marino Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and the Queens County Bar Association.

He is the proud recipient of the St. John’s University School of Law Distinguished Veteran Alumni Award (2015), St. John’s University Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award (2013), Msgr. McClancy Memorial High School Cor Jesu Award (2013), St. John’s University Alumni Association President’s Award (2012), St. John’s University School of Law Hon. Guy J. Mangano Award (2012), and the Catholic Lawyer’s Guild of Queens County Man of the Year Award (2007). He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, St. John’s University School of Law (J.D.) and St. John’s University (B.A.).