Lawrence Joseph Vilardo at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New York · Federal
- Judicial service
- Active
Lawrence Joseph Vilardo
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Service record and verification
Judicial service and assignments
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York · Judge · Active · October 29, 2015–present · Assignment source ↗
Appointment and verification
- Appointment method
- Presidential appointment with Senate confirmation
- Appointing authority
- Barack Obama
- Source authority
- Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory
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Biography
Professional career
- Judge, District Court, W.D. New York, 2015-present
- United States district judge for the Western District of New York, appointed in 2015 by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate 88–0
- Founding partner of Connors & Vilardo, LLP, Buffalo, NY (1986–2015)
- Law Clerk, Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1980-1981
Education
- Harvard University — J.D. (1980)
- Canisius College — B.A. (1977)
- Canisius University
Additional information
- Private practice, Buffalo, NY, 1981-2015
- Date of birth: 1955-01-01
- handling civil and criminal litigation at trial and appellate levels
- Canisius High School
- Birth place: Buffalo, NY
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Remote appearances
Courtwide
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Recording and broadcasting
Courtwide
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Published courtroom rules
Judge and named-part rules
Published judge / part rules (4 excerpts)
See document heading and cited passage; do not apply outside the issuing part or proceeding.
Official rules document ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27
Communications with chambers
The Court requests that courtesy copies of motion papers over 50 pages be provided to Chambers. Counsel should refer to the Local Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure regarding briefing schedules (see Local Rule of Civil Procedure 7(b) and Local Rule of Criminal Procedure 12(b)).
Source page web_or_saved_captureMotion practice
Unless the Court previously provided a date, notices of motion should not contain return dates. Sur-replies will not be accepted unless ordered by the Court. The Court will schedule oral argument if necessary. Parties requesting oral argument should so state in their notice of motion or responding papers.
Source page web_or_saved_captureAdjournments
A schedule may be modified only for good cause and with the Court’s consent. Counsel may submit letter requests for an adjournment or extension of time only if the request is made at least five days before the deadline and only with the consent of opposing counsel. Otherwise, a motion for an adjournment or extension of time must be filed with the Court.
Source page web_or_saved_captureMotion practice
The participation of relatively inexperienced attorneys in all court proceedings—including conferences, oral arguments, hearings, and trials—is strongly encouraged. Of course, any attorney who appears in court should have the authority and experience necessary for the proceeding. For example, an attorney attending a scheduling conference should have the authority to commit his or her client to a schedule and should be prepared to address other matters likely to arise, such as whether the Court should schedule a settlement conference before the assigned Magistrate Judge. And when a relatively inexperienced attorney needs supervision at a court proceeding to ensure that the client is represented competently, a supervising attorney should be present.
Source page web_or_saved_captureShared court rules
Western District of New York — Local Rules of Civil Procedure
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
WDNY federal district-court civil proceedings only; not criminal proceedings or Bankruptcy Court.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Identity source checked July 25, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory · effective October 29, 2015 · Source checked July 25, 2026
View Federal Judicial Center biography ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · CourtListener / Free Law Project · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Courtwide source · HTML · Supreme Court of the United States and Judicial Conference of the United States · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Courtwide source · HTML · Supreme Court of the United States and Judicial Conference of the United States · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗