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October 16, 2024Area’s Largest Law Firm Announces New Partners and of Counsel
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, the Capital Region’s largest law firm, has announced that John M. Czajka has joined the firm as partner and John F. Wirenius has joined as of counsel.
Czajka, who spent the last 15 years in New York State government service, most recently serving as General Counsel to the New York State Police, will join the Litigation and Government Relations practice groups. Wirenius is the immediate past Chair of the New York State Public Employment Relations Board and will join the Labor & Employment and Litigation practice groups.
Czajka, who has over 19 years of criminal and civil investigatory and litigation experience having served in various capacities in both the private and public sector, also brings to the firm extensive legislative and policy making experience as a former Albany County Assistant District Attorney, Assistant Counsel to the Governor, General Counsel of the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, and most recently as General Counsel of the New York State Police. While Counsel at the NYSP for the past five years, Czajka served as the chief legal officer responsible for providing legal and ethical advice to the NYSP Superintendent and the more than 4,000 sworn and non-sworn NYSP personnel. During his tenure with the Troopers, Czajka was also responsible for managing the drafting of proposed legislation, implementing policy and legislative initiatives, coordinating and managing all State Police involved litigation, managing labor and employment issues, and advising the agency and the Governor’s office on the legal, regulatory, administrative, and legislative matters facing the agency.
He is a graduate of Union College and in 2004 earned his law degree from Albany Law School and his MBA from Clarkson University. He is a resident of Guilderland.
Prior to joining Whiteman Osterman & Hanna’s Litigation and Labor and Employment practice groups, Wirenius served as the chair and presiding board member of the NYS Public Employment Relations Board, an independent neutral state agency that decides disputes involving the Public Employees’ Fair Employment Act, State Employment Relations Act, and Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act. He also served as deputy chair and general counsel of the PERB, as deputy general counsel of the New York City Office of Collective Bargaining, and as associate counsel of New York State United Teachers.
Wirenius is a graduate of Fordham College and earned his law degree from Columbia University School of Law. He is a resident of Albany and Brooklyn.
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna was founded on the intersection between government and the private sector, and the pair’s experience serving two governors, among other roles in government, will further strengthen this rich tradition.
