Office of Administrative Hearings

The mission of the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is to conduct fair, impartial and timely hearings for the professions and occupations regulated by the New York Department of State.  The OAH is mandated by law to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, and to safeguard the due process rights of current licensees and applicants for licensure.

We conduct hearings and issue decisions for current licensees and applicants for licensure.

We serve professions and occupations regulated by the New York Department of State and the general public.

Aiesha L. Hudson – Senior Administrative Law Judge

Judge Hudson has been with the Department of State since 2013 and was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge in 2017.  Prior to her appointment as an ALJ, she served as Director of the Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection.  Prior to joining the Department of State, Judge Hudson served as Assistant Counsel for the New York City Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement after teaching Legal Writing and Research at Hofstra University School of Law.  Judge Hudson began her legal career in the private sector as a litigation associate for two law firms in New York City, Willkie Farr and Gallagher LLP and Arent Fox LLP.  Immediately following law school, she served as a Federal Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Eduardo C. Robreno in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.  She earned her undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL and her Juris Doctor from University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in Philadelphia, PA.

John Kenny – Supervising Administrative Law Judge

Judge Kenny has served as an administrative law judge at the Department of State since 2017. Judge Kenny has 24 years of experience as a practicing attorney. He has worked primarily in the public sector as Legislative Counsel in the NYS Assembly, as an Assistant and Deputy County Attorney for family court matters, and as an attorney in Counsel’s Office for the Division of Licensing Services, NYS Department of State. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Northern Arizona University and his Juris Doctorate from Syracuse College of Law.  

Michael R. Guttentag

Judge Guttentag was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge at the Department of State in 2022. Prior to his appointment, he worked for the New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal where he issued orders on appeals that involved novel and complicated housing issues with significant legal and policy implications. In addition, he previously served as a New York State Workers’ Compensation Board Law Judge. He began his legal career in the private sector at the litigation and business law firm of London Fischer LLP. Judge Guttentag earned his B.S. degree cum laude from St. John’s University and his J.D. degree cum laude from Hofstra University School of Law. 

Nancy Butler

Judge Butler was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge at the Department of State in 2024. Previously, Judge Butler served for several years as an ALJ with the New York State Liquor Authority. Prior to joining State government, Judge Butler worked as attorney with the National Labor Relations Board in Cleveland, Ohio. Immediately following law school, she served as an Instructor of Legal Research and Writing at the University of Toledo College of Law. Judge Butler is a graduate of Marquette University Law School and Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Roger Schneier

Judge Schneier has served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Department of State since 1975.  In addition, he was the Chairman of the State Cemetery Board and Counsel to the Secretary of State for the State Board of Public Disclosure and the Real Estate Advisory Board.  Judge Schneier has also served as a Senior Attorney with the New York State Department of Law in the Real Estate Financing Bureau.  Judge Schneier earned a Bachelor of Arts at New York University and a Juris Doctor at Fordham University School of Law.