New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 2
Melissa Kanas
Golden Gate University alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 2002, registered office in Riverhead, NY. This established record's status, address, and registration history come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 2002
- Admitted
- 24
- Years in bar
- 4036836
- NY reg #
The record in one line
Melissa Kanas has held an active New York bar license for 24 years - admitted in 2002, longer-tenured than 51% of the state's currently-active attorneys.
- 24 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #186 of 353
- by tenure in Riverhead office peers
- Law school
- Golden Gate University
Data updated August 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Melissa Kanas carries New York bar registration 4036836, an established, active practitioner in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 2, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under The Legal Aid Society Of Suffolk County, located in Riverhead, NY (Suffolk County), ZIP 11901. 4 other attorneys share this firm affiliation in the registry. Educational background: GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY (141 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
With an established practice on record, Melissa Kanas remains inside the New York bar's active cohort - see below for how that share of the register compares.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
Melissa Kanas was admitted in 2002, giving 24 years on the New York register.
24 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
24 Top 49% higher than 51% 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 Riverhead, NY office peers
Relative to the 353 NY-registered attorneys listing Riverhead, NY, Melissa Kanas is longer-tenured than 52% (local rank #186). See the Riverhead attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #186
- City cohort
- 353
- Local percentile
- 52nd
- Admitted
- 2002
Nearest tenure peers in Riverhead
- James Guthrie Bernet admitted 2002 · 24 yr
- Elizabeth Ann Creighton admitted 2002 · 24 yr
- Daniel Patrick Ginty admitted 2002 · 24 yr
- Robert V. Kerr admitted 2002 · 24 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 Golden Gate University alumni
Among the 108 Golden Gate University graduates in the New York register, Melissa Kanas is longer-tenured than 23%.
24 years vs. Golden Gate University alumni
Years since admission - 108 NY-registered alumni of this school
24 Top 77% higher than 23% of 108 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
Golden Gate University's active-bar rate
Of Golden Gate University's 141 alumni in the New York register, 58.2% currently hold "Currently registered" status, below the statewide average.
The 2002 admission class today
Of the 7,981 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 2002, 64.4% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 4036836
- Year Admitted
- 2002 (24 yrs · senior)
- Judicial Department
- 2
- Next Registration
- Jul 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- The Legal Aid Society Of Suffolk County
- City
- Riverhead, NY
- County
- Suffolk
- ZIP Code
- 11901
- Phone
- (631) 852-1650
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Melissa Kanas'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.
Same firm affiliation: The Legal Aid Society Of Suffolk County
Other NY-registered attorneys who share this firm name on the OCA register (not a geographic peer set).
Near-tenure Golden Gate University alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 2002 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (2002), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 2002 whose listed office city differs from Riverhead, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for Melissa Kanas: closest NY bar admission year outside NY, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~354 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~2002)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
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Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
Melissa Kanas'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 Kanas licensed?
Melissa Kanas is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Melissa Kanas admitted to the bar?
Melissa Kanas was admitted to the bar in 2002.
Where did Melissa Kanas go to law school?
Melissa Kanas attended GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY.
What company does Melissa Kanas work for?
Melissa Kanas is associated with The Legal Aid Society Of Suffolk County in Riverhead, NY.
Is Melissa Kanas in good standing?
Yes, Melissa Kanas 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.