Hoboken Assistant Corporation Counsel Alysia Proko

Talking Ed Note: Working in the Legal Department for the City of Hoboken is probably as close to hand to hand combat a legal office gets. Considering all the litigation of those looking to hose Hoboken week in and week out, it’s nothing remotely resembling a soft cushy legal position.

Ms. Proko who served Hoboken for seven years with some other fine legal staff in her time was also on occasion serving as Corporation Counsel at City Council meetings; the locale of all out war with the Old Guard council doing their absolute worst to harm the City and wreck damage at every turn in the hopes of pointing a succeeding finger.

MSV recalls an early occasion when Ms. Proko stepped in on behalf of then Corporation Counsel Mellissa Longo. As usual, the backbiting led by Mikie Squared, leader of the Old Guard Russo faction decided to make a move and engage in grandstanding on a question requiring Ms. Proko to step in and provide legal guidance.

After only a couple of minutes engaged in the battle, Ms. Proko dropped a blunt, short but sweet legal view on the matter. The question was answered but batted around with the threat of nuclear escalation hanging over the council chambers.

To a follow-up of “concern,” Ms. Proko reiterated the stated legal position and then pushed the microphone in front of her disdainfully away nonverbally dripping with, “Go ahead, make my day.”

You could see her almost daring the Council of No to take one more step. No one did. As they say in legal parlance, the matter probing for weakness on the front had been repelled along the lines of “asked and answered” following with the less than subliminal message “Go ahead and try me.”

We’re not sure what Ms. Proko thinks of horses, if anything, but this horse really dug her style.
Best to her and we should all thank her for seven years of fine service to the Mile Square City.

She didn’t do it for the hazard pay, that’s for sure.