The Town of Shawangunk Democratic Committee unanimously elected Rebecca Mantello as their candidate for town justice at their caucus on July 20. If elected, Mantello will be the town’s first female town justice. She will challenge long-time Town Justice Kevin Hunt in the general election this fall.

“As an experienced attorney presently on the town’s Police Reform Committee, Rebecca will bring knowledge and understanding to court,” said Adrienne Gelfand-Perine, chairperson for the Town of Shawangunk Democrats.

Mantello is Senior Counsel at Jacobowitz and Gubits LLP concentrating in litigation and appeals, including civil and commercial litigation, personal injury, civil rights and municipal law. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from St. Lawrence University in 2002, where she majored in psychology and Spanish. Mantello received her Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School in 2007.

If elected town justice, Mantello hopes to continue to hold virtual court cases that were brought about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve found as an attorney representing clients, that it’s much more convenient and cost effective for clients in order to be able to appear,” she said. “I think particularly for a rural county, being able to appear virtually allows for more flexibility to the courts, attorneys and litigants.”

Prior to joining the firm of Jacobowitz and Gubits, Mantello was the principal law clerk to the late Hon. Steven I. Milligram, in Orange County Supreme Court. As a law clerk, she held court conferences, assisted the judge in settling cases, performed legal research, prepared decisions for the court’s approval and acted as a confidant and advisor to the court. Mantello also worked in the office of the governor for over four years, handling matters involving Freedom of Information Law, Open Meetings Law and Personal Privacy Protection Law as well as other matters involving the public’s right to access information.

Mantello believes her experience as an appellate court attorney and principal law clerk for Steven I. Milligram prepared her to become Shawangunk town justice.

“Both of those positions really trained me in being an objective observer and really looking at both sides to see what’s the evidence in front of the court, what does the law have to say and how can we apply those facts to the law,” she said.

Mantello added that working with litigants and clients made her accustomed to negotiating cases to reach a compromise.

Over the course of her career, Mantello has earned several awards. She was named the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties Outstanding New Lawyer in 2012. Mantello was also named the Super Lawyers Upstate New York Rising Star, Appellate Practice in 2013-2015.

Mantello is a member of the New York State Bar Association. She is also a member and past president of the Women’s Bar Association of Orange & Sullivan Counties. In addition to law memberships, Mantello is a social member of the Wallkill Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Mantello is admitted to practice law in New York and Connecticut. Outside of work, she enjoys running and cooking. Mantello lives in the Hamlet of Wallkill with her husband and their young son. She believes that her experience and integrity would make her an asset to the community as town justice.

“I am an experienced attorney, having represented both individual and municipal clients, such as towns, villages and correctional facilities through all aspects of litigation,” Mantello said. “My experience with the courts has trained me to be an objective fact finder. I have mediated settlements between parties acting as a neutral voice of reason helping conflicting parties reach common ground. I will bring the experience and integrity to the judiciary that our community deserves and serve the people with dignity and respect.”