Our Bureau
New York
A law firm partner Vikram Singh Vilkhu has been elected as the Brighton Town Judge, making him the first Sikh judge to be elected in the state’s history.
“When he came to America, people couldn’t even pronounce his name,” Vilkhu said. “My father, coming to this country where no one knew him, no one notices him, sees his last name in front yards now. He’s sitting with two state senators, a county executive, etc. Say what you want about this country but that is remarkable. That is remarkable,” Vilkhu gave special thanks to his father.
Vik, as he is fondly called, is the lead trial attorney at Rochster-based law firm Relin, Goldstein, and Crane LLP. “I am proud to be the first Indian American trial judge elected in upstate [New York]’s history and the first Sikh [judge] elected in New York State’s history,” he said in a statement issued by Senator Jeremy Cooney, an Indian American politician from the state of New York. Cooney represents the 56th district of the New York State Senate which covers the Town of Brighton.
Vik graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Emory University in 2001 and a Juris Doctorate degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2005. While in law school Vik was awarded the prestigious William Wallace Award as the finest trial advocate in the graduating class and served as President of the school’s award-winning Trial Team.
Born and raised in New York, Vik is the eldest son of Sarbjit and Ravinder Vilkhu, two Indian immigrants to the US. Vik is a lifelong Democrat actively aiding candidates running for judicial and political office. He lives in Brighton with his wife Abbie and two children Sammy and Sebby.
