Philip Montante was initially appointed as a U.S. Immigration Court Judge by former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh in 1990. He first served on the United States Immigration Court in Miami, Florida, then in Orlando, Florida, and later in Buffalo, New York.
In 2019, he was appointed Assistant Chief U.S. Immigration Court Judge for the Western District of New York. In 2020, he was elevated once again by the U.S. Attorney General to the position of United States Appellate Immigration Judge. In 2001, he was also selected as Chairman of the Federal Executive Board in Buffalo.
Prior to his judicial appointments, he was in private practice from 1975 to 1990. During this time, he was certified by the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court as a Circuit Court Mediator. From 1975 to 1976, he served as a Special Assistant Florida Attorney General before being appointed Chief Municipal Court Judge for the City of Margate, Florida, from 1976 to 1977.
From 1971 to 1975, he held various positions in the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida, including Assistant State Attorney and Chief of the Consumer Fraud and White-Collar Crime Division of the State Attorney’s Office. In this capacity, he also served as a special consultant to the Governor’s Commission on Organized Crime.
In 1975, the Governor of Florida appointed Mr. Montante to a four-year term as a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, where he first served as Secretary and later as Chairman. From 1983 to 1985, he was Chairman of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee 17(C).
From 2001 to 2008, he was appointed to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, and he later served again as a member of the Commission from 2018 to 2021. The Commission operates within the Executive Office of the President at the White House.
He is a member of the Florida, New York, and Washington, D.C. Bar.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I decide cases as a United States Appellate Immigration Judge on a full-time basis.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Thinking out of the box.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Medical discoveries that extend the duration of and the quality of life.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
A strong work ethic, which was instilled at an early age in life.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Be patient… it’s golden.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Life really begins in earnest after 50.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Remain and stay strong… always. The word “quit” is not in my vocabulary.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Pull in, reflect, then go forward assertively.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Persist in what you believe in.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
By adopting the belief that failure is merely giving up trying.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Research sources.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Reagan: The Life
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Reruns of Frasier and M*A*S*H.
Key learnings
- Introspection
- 20-20 Hindsight
- Self-Reflection
- Critical Self-Analysis
- The ability to look at one’s self honestly.