New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 3
Melissa Jill Needle
Whittier alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1991, registered office in Westport, CT. Decades of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1991
- Admitted
- 35
- Years in bar
- 2434157
- NY reg #
The record in one line
With 35 years on the register since a 1991 admission, Melissa Jill Needle ranks among the New York bar's most senior active practitioners, longer-tenured than 79% of the currently-active bar.
- 35 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #108 of 306
- by tenure in Westport office peers
- Law school
- Whittier
Data updated August 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Registration 2434157 with the New York bar authority has long belonged to Melissa Jill Needle, a veteran practitioner still in active 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 Needle/Cuda Divorce & Family Law, located in Westport, CT, ZIP 06880. Educational background: WHITTIER (26 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
After 35 years on the register, Melissa Jill Needle 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 Jill Needle's 35 years since admission in 1991.
35 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
35 Top 21% higher than 79% 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 Westport, CT office peers
Most of the 306 NY-registered attorneys in Westport, CT outrank Melissa Jill Needle on tenure; this record sits at the 35th local percentile (rank #108). See the Westport attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #108
- City cohort
- 306
- Local percentile
- 35th
- Admitted
- 1991
Nearest tenure peers in Westport
- Elana Carrie Bloom admitted 1991 · 35 yr
- Deborah Greenberg admitted 1991 · 35 yr
- Kevin Lester Hoffkins admitted 1991 · 35 yr
- Joseph Maya admitted 1991 · 35 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.
Whittier's active-bar rate
Of Whittier's 26 alumni in the New York register, 76.9% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 1991 admission class today
Of the 6,456 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1991, 75.3% are still "Currently registered" today, above the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 2434157
- Year Admitted
- 1991 (35 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 3
- Next Registration
- Jan 2027
Location & Contact
- Company
- Needle/Cuda Divorce & Family Law
- City
- Westport, CT
- ZIP Code
- 06880
- Phone
- (203) 557-9500
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Melissa Jill Needle'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 Whittier alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1991 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1991), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1991 whose listed office city differs from Westport, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for Melissa Jill Needle: closest NY bar admission year outside CT, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~307 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1991)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
Verify on NY Courts Attorney SearchNearby Attorneys in Westport, CT
Compare credentials side-by-side
Compare Melissa Jill Needle with similar attorneys in Westport.
Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
Melissa Jill Needle'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 Needle licensed?
Melissa Needle is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Melissa Jill Needle admitted to the bar?
Melissa Jill Needle's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1991.
Where did Melissa Jill Needle go to law school?
Melissa Jill Needle attended WHITTIER.
What company does Melissa Jill Needle work for?
Melissa Jill Needle is associated with Needle/Cuda Divorce & Family Law in Westport, CT.
Is Melissa Jill Needle in good standing?
Yes, Melissa Jill Needle 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.