Thomas J. Spota ’66
District Attorney
Suffolk County, New York
“Follow Your Moral Compass and Live Your Life, including Your
Work Life, With Passion”
Growing up in New Hyde Park and attending Chaminade High School in
Mineola, Thomas J. Spota aspired to be an agent for the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Recognizing that a law degree
was a coveted credential for a prospective agent, Mr. Spota applied
to, and was accepted to, numerous law schools
nationwide. He chose St. John’s Law for its reputation and
proximity to his family and the New York City job market. Mr.
Spota’s career path ultimately did not include a position with the
FBI, but his pursuit of justice remained undeterred.
For two decades, Mr. Spota worked as a Suffolk prosecutor under
District Attorney Patrick Henry. During this period, Mr.
Spota honed his skills as a prosecutor applying the legal lessons
learned from St. John’s Law Professors Charles M. Sparacio ’34 and
David D. Siegel ’58. It was during this tenure that Mr. Spota
began to give consideration to running for office as District
Attorney for Suffolk County – a municipality with a population and
geography larger than many states in the United States.
In 2001, Thomas J. Spota defeated fellow St. John’s Law alum, and
three-time incumbent James M. Catterson Jr. ’58, to become the
District Attorney for Suffolk County. In his ten years in
Office, Mr. Spota has been diligent in fighting: corruption, the
distribution of child pornography, mortgage and consumer fraud,
bias and hate crimes, gang-related activities and an on-going war
on drugs. Mr. Spota attests on the Suffolk County District
Attorney’s website, “that his office strives to enforce the law
with temperance and without malice, to seek the truth and not just
convictions, to serve the Law and not fractional purposes and to
approach all of these tasks with humility and respect.” These
words serve as a fitting inspirational statement for any practicing
trial attorney, but also serve as the foundation of daily practice
for the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office consisting of 185
attorneys and a $35 million dollar budget.
A self professed “grinder” during Law School, Mr. Spota
acknowledges that, “St. John’s Law instills a great work ethic upon
the student body. You need to work hard and be prepared to
succeed. With that said, success without compromising one’s
integrity is fundamental.” Mr. Spota distinctly remembers his
first exam at St. John’s Law and the importance of focus and
preparation relative to the practice of law – the exam was
delivered by Professor G. Robert Ellegard ’36 the day after
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The class was
reminded that many things happen during a trial that are outside of
your control but being prepared for trial is ultimately within your
control. Needless to say, Mr. Spota has proven that he was
prepared for his exams, and subsequent trial work.
Reflecting upon his almost five decades of practicing law Mr.
Spota reminds recent graduates, “Graduating from St. John’s Law
School is not easy. Graduation means that you have mastered a
skill set that is rooted in critical thinking. These skills
that you learned at St. John’s Law may be applied in a multitude of
situations and create a panacea of opportunities. The job
market is tough but stay true to your moral compass while living
your life with passion. Being an attorney is a wonderful
profession that comes with tremendous responsibility to your
clients and the community.”