New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 4
Melissa Countryman Stearns
Catholic University alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1994, registered office in Syracuse, NY. Decades of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1994
- Admitted
- 32
- Years in bar
- 2594166
- NY reg #
The record in one line
With 32 years on the register since a 1994 admission, Melissa Countryman Stearns ranks among the New York bar's most senior active practitioners, longer-tenured than 71% of the currently-active bar.
- 32 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #557 of 1,636
- by tenure in Syracuse office peers
- Law school
- Catholic University
Data updated August 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Registration 2594166 with the New York bar authority has long belonged to Melissa Countryman Stearns, a veteran practitioner still in active good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 4, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Principal Law Clerk To Judge Joseph E. Lamendola, located in Syracuse, NY (Onondaga County), ZIP 13202. Educational background: CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY (326 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
After 32 years on the register, Melissa Countryman Stearns still falls within the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
Few active New York attorneys match Melissa Countryman Stearns's 32 years since admission in 1994.
32 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
32 Top 29% higher than 71% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Tenure among Syracuse, NY office peers
Melissa Countryman Stearns is earlier in the Syracuse, NY office cohort than most peers: local tenure rank #557 of 1,636 (34th percentile). See the Syracuse attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #557
- City cohort
- 1,636
- Local percentile
- 34th
- Admitted
- 1994
Nearest tenure peers in Syracuse
- Louis Nathan Altman admitted 1994 · 32 yr
- Elisabeth Atkinson Barker admitted 1994 · 32 yr
- Brian James Barry admitted 1994 · 32 yr
- Amy Margaret Bittner admitted 1994 · 32 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of August 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How Melissa compares to fellow Catholic University alumni
Among the 207 Catholic University graduates in the New York register, Melissa Countryman Stearns is longer-tenured than 48%.
32 years vs. Catholic University alumni
Years since admission - 207 NY-registered alumni of this school
32 Top 52% higher than 48% of 207 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Catholic University's active-bar rate
Of Catholic University's 326 alumni in the New York register, 59.8% currently hold "Currently registered" status, below the statewide average.
The 1994 admission class today
Of the 6,410 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1994, 61.7% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 2594166
- Year Admitted
- 1994 (32 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 4
- Next Registration
- Jan 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- Principal Law Clerk To Judge Joseph E. Lamendola
- City
- Syracuse, NY
- County
- Onondaga
- ZIP Code
- 13202
- Phone
- (315) 671-1196
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Melissa Countryman Stearns's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Near-tenure Catholic University alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1994 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1994), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1994 whose listed office city differs from Syracuse, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for Melissa Countryman Stearns: closest NY bar admission year outside NY, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~1,637 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1994)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
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Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
Melissa Countryman Stearns's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Melissa Countryman Stearns licensed?
Melissa Countryman Stearns is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Melissa Countryman Stearns admitted to the bar?
Melissa Countryman Stearns's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1994.
Where did Melissa Countryman Stearns go to law school?
Melissa Countryman Stearns attended CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY.
What company does Melissa Countryman Stearns work for?
Melissa Countryman Stearns is associated with Principal Law Clerk To Judge Joseph E. Lamendola in Syracuse, NY.
Is Melissa Countryman Stearns in good standing?
Yes, Melissa Countryman Stearns holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.