Manton retiring from law firm

According to published reports, a change in law regarding surrogate courts has resulted in Queens lawyer Thomas Manton, who is also the head of the Queens County Democratic Organization, retiring from his Rego Park law firm.
Manton’s retirement from the firm Manton Sweeney Gallo Reich & Bolz LLP, which is located at 9525 Queens Boulevard, stems from a recent law that now says the head of a county organization, along with its executive director, cannot work for law firms dealing with the surrogate court. This is due to the influence that such positions have over surrogate court.
Repeated phone calls to Manton’s firm for comment were not returned.
For the last 20 years, Manton, a former Congressman serving from 1985 to 1999, has been heading the Queens County Democratic Organization after being initially elected to the position in 1986. Prior to that, he was a member of the Executive Committee, having begun in 1972.
As the leader of the organization, Manton was an important factor in former City Speaker Gifford Miller and current Speaker Christine Quinn being elected to their positions.
In 1963 Manton passed the New York State Bar after having received a law degree from St. John’s School of Law.