The former chief judge who resigned because he improperly gave campaign advice to former Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes while sitting on the bench has joined a top city law firm, a lawyer at the firm said Tuesday.
Ex- Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Barry Kamins — who was chief administrator for the New York City Criminal Court before the Department of Investigation revealed the improper emails — is joining the law firm Aidala & Bertuna.
“We’re teaming up. We’re joining forces,” said attorney Artie Aidala.
“Barry had a lot of opportunities before him since he stepped down from the bench, and him deciding to pursue the next step of his career with me and [Marianne] Bertuna is beyond flattering.”
The DOI said Kamins shed his required neutrality when he “engaged in political activity by a sitting judge.”
The judge wrongly gave Hynes campaign advice, communicated with Hynes on cases being prosecuted by the DA’s office, and even provided Hynes with legal advice, the blistering 27-page DOI report said.
Hynes has been under investigation by state and federal prosecutors over allegations that he used asset forfeiture money to pay a political consultant since the report’s release in June 2014, but he still hasn’t been charged with any crimes.
“Barry sat in the civil term when he was a judge, so he’ll focus on civil litigation,” Aidala said.
The new firm will be called Aidala, Bertuna, and Kamins, Aidala said.



