Having reached age 70 earlier this year, Chief Judith S. Kaye must, under New York law, retire by December 31st. Yesterday, Judge Kaye gave what she called her "swan song" speech (full text available at http://nycourts.gov/). The New York Times reports that, although Judge Kaye praised Hon. Jonathan Lippman (whom she appointed Chief Administrative Judge of New York State in 1996), she did not endorse a successor. As the Times notes, Judge Kaye was the first woman appointed to be chief judge and is the longest-serving chief judge in New York history.