New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 3
Melissa Dara Kessler
Suffolk University Law School alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 2008, registered office in Hillsborough, NJ. This established record's status, address, and registration history come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 2008
- Admitted
- 18
- Years in bar
- 4599973
- NY reg #
The record in one line
Melissa Dara Kessler has held an active New York bar license for 18 years - admitted in 2008, longer-tenured than 38% of the state's currently-active attorneys.
- 18 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #15 of 18
- by tenure in Hillsborough office peers
- Law school
- Suffolk University Law School
Data updated September 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Melissa Dara Kessler carries New York bar registration 4599973, an established, active practitioner in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 3, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Arlen Law Firm, located in Hillsborough, NJ, ZIP 08844. Educational background: Suffolk University Law School (1,115 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
With an established practice on record, Melissa Dara Kessler 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 Dara Kessler was admitted in 2008, giving 18 years on the New York register.
18 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
18 Top 62% higher than 38% 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 · September 2026
Tenure among Hillsborough, NJ office peers
Hillsborough, NJ carries only 18 NY-registered attorneys with an admission year on file; Melissa Dara Kessler is #15 by tenure in that small local set. See the Hillsborough attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #15
- City cohort
- 18
- Local percentile
- 78th
- Admitted
- 2008
Nearest tenure peers in Hillsborough
- Sheetal Markan admitted 2009 · 17 yr
- David Paul Brook admitted 2003 · 23 yr
- Bilal Hill admitted 2013 · 13 yr
- Deborah Ellen La Mond 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 September 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How Melissa compares to fellow Suffolk University Law School alumni
Among the 916 Suffolk University Law School graduates in the New York register, Melissa Dara Kessler is longer-tenured than 63%.
18 years vs. Suffolk University Law School alumni
Years since admission - 916 NY-registered alumni of this school
18 Top 37% higher than 63% of 916 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 · September 2026
Suffolk University Law School's active-bar rate
Of Suffolk University Law School's 1,115 alumni in the New York register, 80% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 2008 admission class today
Of the 9,683 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 2008, 68.4% are still "Currently registered" today, above the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 4599973
- Year Admitted
- 2008 (18 yrs · senior)
- Judicial Department
- 3
- Next Registration
- Feb 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- Arlen Law Firm
- City
- Hillsborough, NJ
- ZIP Code
- 08844
- Phone
- (908) 212-7660
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Melissa Dara Kessler'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 Suffolk University Law School alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 2008 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (2008), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 2008 whose listed office city differs from Hillsborough, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for Melissa Dara Kessler: closest NY bar admission year outside NJ, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~19 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~2008)
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 Dara Kessler'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 Kessler licensed?
Melissa Kessler is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Melissa Dara Kessler admitted to the bar?
Melissa Dara Kessler was admitted to the bar in 2008.
Where did Melissa Dara Kessler go to law school?
Melissa Dara Kessler attended Suffolk University Law School.
What company does Melissa Dara Kessler work for?
Melissa Dara Kessler is associated with Arlen Law Firm in Hillsborough, NJ.
Is Melissa Dara Kessler in good standing?
Yes, Melissa Dara Kessler 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.