The New York State Bar Association said that all seven candidates nominated to become New York's next chief judge were “well qualified” for the job, joining several other bar groups who issued similar ratings.

The nominees are Appellate Division, First Department, Justices Paul Feinman, Judith Gische, Rosalyn Richter and Troy Karen Webber; Southern District Bankruptcy Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil; Appellate Division, Fourth Department, Presiding Justice Gerald Whalen; and Eric Corngold, a partner at Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman.

Corngold and Gische were previously nominated to succeed Eugene Pigott Jr., who stepped down from the bench last year due to mandatory retirement rules. Rowan Wilson, a long-time partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, took his place (NYLJ, June 1).