E. Stewart "Stu" Jones, Jr. is a former attorney from Troy, New York.[1] E. Stewart Jones, Jr. is the third generation in the Jones patriarchy to have had practiced law with notoriety, after father E. Stewart Sr. and grandfather Abbott.[2][3] E. Stewart Jones, Jr. was the second Jones to attended Williams College, after his father, where he majored in American History and Literature.[4][5]
According to the Troy Record, "Jones [was] the only New York lawyer outside of two in New York City to be elected to the four most exclusive national organizations recognizing select trial lawyers’ accomplishments: the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Inner Circle of Advocates, the International Society of Barristers and the American College of Trial Lawyers...Jones has been listed in the Best Lawyers of America since the inaugural list in 1983 and [was] listed in six separate categories." [6]
Stewart Jones was also Fellow at each of: the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, the American Bar Foundation, the New York Bar Foundation, the Federal Bar Foundation, and the Litigation Counsel of America.
Jones represented former Washington County, New York supervisor William L. Nikas in 1994 against allegations of corruption in negotiations for the construction of a trash burning plant.[10]
In what was highly dramatic situation in Albany, New York politics, Mr. Jones zealously represented J. Michael Bosley, a top Aide and counsel to former speaker of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver, against accusations of rape in August of 2003.[11]
In 2013, Jones represented the family of Clement Clarke Moore in a dispute over who wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas, a poem published anonymously in 1823 by the Troy Sentinel.[14] The courtroom drama reached national audiences when a Hallmark movie was made about the case 'Twas the Night Before Christmas," as a follow-on to the play “The Trial Before Christmas.” [15]
Jones successfully defended Joseph Bruno in 2014 in retrying corruption charges that could have lead to two years of jail time.[16]
Jones also represented former state Assemblyman William Scarborough (politician) to ensure his sentencing, a Democrat from Queens who resigned and pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges in 2015.[17] This legal representation resulted in Scarborough being sentenced to federal instead of state prison .[18]
Community service, philanthropy, recognitions
Jones served as co-chair of the Capital District Community Gardens’ Urban Grow Center campaign.[19]
Jones served as chairman twice of the Albany Law School board of trustees, where he was awarded a trustee gold medal. Stewart and his wife Kim endowed nine scholarships at six different schools and for research at a regional cancer center.[20]
In the summer of 2024, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department disbarred Jones in what was described as a rare split court decision in favor of accepting his application to voluntarily resign from legal practice.[22][23] Mr. Jones admitted to misappropriation of client funds, improper bookkeeping and commingling of funds.[24]
Jones was described as being "the gold standard for the local bar" by longtime friend and top attorney William Dreyer.[25] In response to the end of his former mentor's legal career, notable Capital Region Criminal Defense Attorney George LaMarche said, "He has the support of this legal community."
In a show of that support, well-known Capital Regional criminal defense attorney Mike McDermott said of his colleague that saying Mr. Jones "was a legend, an icon in this profession, is not a hyperbole." And, in reference to young attorney's watching Mr. Jones trying a case, Mr. McDermott said, "it's almost like a group of painters staring up through the scaffolding to get a glimpse of Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel -- I mean he was that much of a craftsman and a master of the art of advocacy" [26]
Additionally, members of the non-legal community wrote letters to the editor of the largest regional newspaper, the Times Union (Albany), in his defense.[27][28]
Publications
Jonakait, R. N., Baer, H., Jones, E. S., & Imwinkelried, E. (1998). New York Evidentiary Foundations. LexisNexis.
Garcia, M., Getnick, M. E., & Rosenblatt, A. M. Remarks in Honor of Professor David D. Siegel.................... 391 Connie Mayer Judith S. Kaye E. Stewart Jones, Jr.
- The Law Dragon, 500 Leading Plaintiffs Lawyers (Law Dragon Magazine, Volume rr, Issue II, January/February, 2007).
- Top 25 Attorneys in the Hudson Valley (New York Super Lawyers - Upstate Edition - from initial edition in 2007 through current edition).
- Top 10 Lawyers in Upstate New York (Hudson Valley to Buffalo) (Super Lawyers Magazine - Upstate New York Edition - from initial edition in October 2007 through current edition; (Top Point Getter in Upstate New York-2007, 2016 (second in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2015)).
