posted May 22, 2013, 5:33 AM by Pete Weinman
Richmond County Bar Association
Thomas Hall, 51 Thomas Hall, a partner at Hall & Hall, handles commercial, corporate and real estate transactions as well as loan modifications. He earned his J.D. from Vermont Law School and was admitted to the New York bar in 1988. His goals for the 500-member bar group include working with the judiciary on Staten Island to ensure a smooth transition into the new courthouse, expected to open over the summer; enhance member benefits by partnering with businesses providing services useful to attorneys and clients; establish a program to help new attorneys meet their 50-hour pro bono requirement for bar admission; and continue helping Staten Island residents and business owners facing legal challenges related to Hurricane Sandy. He will be installed on June 20. Other officers are Christopher Fitzpatrick, president-elect; Daniel Marotta, vice president; Christopher Caputo, secretary; Allyn Crawford, treasurer.
Bronx County Bar Association
Steven Baker, 49 Steven Baker is a partner at Baker, McEvoy, Morrissey & Moskovits handling personal injury defense and municipal law. He earned his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1993. His goals for the 1,000-member group are to help the judiciary clear a court calendar backlog to ensure equal access to justice for Bronx residents; expanding the bar group's CLE program, including lunch-hour offerings; increasing mentorship for young lawyers; and increasing the group's more casual social activities. He takes office on July 1. Other officers are Samuel Braverman, first vice president; Lester Rodriques, second vice president; William Peterman, secretary; Corey Sokoler, treasurer; Daniel Cassidy, financial secretary. Brooklyn Bar Association
Andrew Fallek, 56, Andrew Fallek is of counsel to Joseph Fallek, P.C., where he handles commercial litigation, complex personal injury and insurance matters. He graduated from Vanderbilt Law School and was admitted in 1982. His goals for the 2,000-member bar group include expanding CLE programs, particularly those concerning the legal needs of Brooklyn's growing community of artist and entrepreneurs; along with developing trial court procedures to meet the needs of today's trial practitioners. He will be installed on June 12. Other officers are Rebecca Woodland, president-elect; Arthur Aidala, first vice president; Frank Seddio, second vice president; Aimee Richter, secretary; David Chidekel, treasurer. Queens County Bar Association
Joseph DeFelice, 64 Joseph DeFelice is a solo practitioner working on criminal, immigration, appellate and family law cases. He was admitted to the bar in 1974 and graduated from St. John's University School of Law a year earlier. His goals for the 2,000-member bar group are to reach out and build participation among younger lawyers, including law students at St. John's Law and City University of New York School of Law. He also wants to modernize the group's website and help provide resources for solo practitioners and small firms to keep their practices profitable. He was installed on May 2 and takes office on June 1. Other officers are Joseph Carola, III, president-elect; Paul Kerson, vice president; Gregory Brown, secretary; Jennifer Gilroy-Ruiz, treasurer. Subscribe to New York Law Journal You must be signed in to comment on an article New York Law Journal May 22, 2013
For the full story, click HERE |
posted May 2, 2013, 5:49 AM by Pete Weinman
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updated May 2, 2013, 5:51 AM
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The rejuvenation of Staten Island’s civic and cultural hub in St. George has mainly focused on ambitious plans to build the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, an outlet mall, boutique hotel, retail shops and condos, all steps away from the ferry terminal.While shovels have yet to break ground for those projects, construction is winding down on another development key to the area’s revitalization — a sprawling court complex. Work on the five-story, $230 million, state Supreme Court building — the borough’s first new free-standing courthouse in 80 years — is slated to finish this summer. An exact date is still being finalized. Several months ago, the state Dormitory Authority, which is overseeing construction, had projected a June completion date for on-site work, but has backed off that estimate. Remaining tasks consist of coating exterior metal, installing flooring, wall coverings, furniture and equipment, as well as painting and other finishing touches, said an agency spokesman. Officials said the building should be ready for move-in before autumn. “We’re very excited about the courthouse opening,” said Thomas A. Sipp, president of the Richmond County Bar Association. “We’re practicing law now in cramped courtrooms. This is something that’s much needed. It’s better for the litigants. It’s better for the attorneys. The community has been under-served.” Sipp noted that several Supreme Court courtrooms are currently shoehorned into offices at 130 Stuyvesant Pl., the same building that houses the county clerk’s and district attorney’s offices. The 182,000-square-foot environmentally and energy-friendly complex will hold both the civil and criminal terms of state Supreme Court. It will also contain Criminal Court, which will move from Targee Street in Stapleton. The transition will significantly upgrade Criminal Court’s dated facilities and expand Supreme Court’s resources, said Justice Judith N. McMahon, Staten Island’s administrative judge. Those improvements will be a boon to everyone who enters — litigants, criminal suspects, lawyers and spectators — aiding, and, in many cases, hastening proceedings, said court officials. “This is an incredible opportunity for Richmond County,” said Judge McMahon. “This is a huge advantage for our Richmond County constituents.” For the complete story, click HERE. 
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posted May 2, 2013, 4:44 AM by Pete Weinman
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updated May 3, 2013, 9:12 AM
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Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, an attorney with the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, was presented with the Staten Island Legal Services’ first annual “Vito J. Titone” Award for Legal Excellence. The award, presented by former Governor Mario Cuomo, was named for the Honorable Judge Vito J. Titone who retired from the New York Court of Appeals and passed away in 2005. Both Judge Ciparick and Judge Titone were originally appointed to their respective courts by Cuomo during his term as Governor.Proceeds from the Staten Island Legal Services luncheon helped raise funds for the group’s Hurricane Sandy legal support services. The awards ceremony was held on April 19 at the Staten Island Hilton Garden Inn. Judge Ciparick was also honored at the “Honoring Lady Justice” annual gala hosted by The Historical Society of the New York Courts. Also honored was former Chief Judge Judith Kaye and Judges Victoria Graffeo, Susan Phillips Read and Jenny Rivera. The gala was on April 18 at the New York Public Library. Judge Ciparick has a long history of serving the people of New York and continues to be a champion of preserving justice for all. She is on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and co-chair of the New York State Justice Task Force. In addition, Judge Ciparick was recently honored with the 2013 Excellence in Public Service Award from the New York State Bar Association and received an honorary doctorate of law degree from Hunter College. Judge Ciparick is of counsel in the Appellate and Litigation practices of Greenberg Traurig’s New York City office. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, she spent 19 years as a Senior Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, and 35 years on the bench. (PRWEB) May 01, 2013 Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10692244.htm
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1221195#ixzz2S8Prn32s |
posted May 1, 2013, 1:28 PM by Pete Weinman
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updated May 1, 2013, 1:32 PM
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ALBANY, NY (05/01/2013)(readMedia)-- Attorneys who provided legal advice to victims of Superstorm Sandy and a team of attorneys who successfully challenged a Social Security Administration policy cutting off benefits to more than 140,000 recipients are among the 20 winners of the New York State Bar Association's 2013 President's Pro Bono Service Awards.The awards were presented today at a Law Day luncheon at the State Bar Center in Albany. State Bar President Seymour W. James, Jr. (The Legal Aid Society in New York City), President-elect David M. Schraver of Rochester (Nixon Peabody) and George H. Lowe of Syracuse (Bond, Schoeneck & King) presided at the ceremony. Schraver and Lowe are co-chairs of the President's Committee on Access to Justice. "Every year, millions of New Yorkers are forced to navigate the civil justice system without legal representation. We are so pleased to recognize the attorneys whose pro bono efforts assisted low-income individuals with consumer debt, foreclosure, divorce, end-of-life decisions, government benefits, storm-related issues and other legal matters," said James. "It is our privilege to honor those who make access to justice a reality." In addition to honoring attorneys representing 12 of New York's 13 judicial districts, the pro bono awards are given to special categories of recipients including a lawyer practicing for less than 10 years or under the age of 36, a senior lawyer, a large law firm, a mid-size law firm, a small law firm, an in-house counsel, a government office and a law student. The winners are: 1st Judicial District (Manhattan) More than 140,000 older Americans and persons with disabilities collectively received more than $1 billion in retroactive benefits because of the work of the Proskauer Rose Team of Russell L. Hirschhorn, Steven E. Obus, Bettina B. Plevan and Brian S. Rauch. In the case of Clark v. Astrue, they successfully challenged a Social Security Administration policy that cut off benefits to individuals with outstanding warrants for alleged parole violations. 2nd Judicial District (Kings County) James Maleady of Staten Island (Law Office of James Maleady) volunteered with the Brooklyn Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project's disaster relief clinics in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The clinics assisted more than 150 Brooklyn residents. 3rd Judicial District (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster counties) A volunteer with the Legal Project in Albany for more than 10 years, Michelle H. Wildgrube of Niskayuna (Cioffi Slezak Wildgrube) assists the Affordable Housing Attorney Assistance Program and handles pro bono real estate closings. She also helped develop the Wills Program, which assists low-income individuals with wills, health care proxies and other end-of-life legal issues. 4th Judicial District (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington counties) Andrew S. Moses of Canton, assistant county attorney for St. Lawrence County, conducts the pro se divorce clinics for low-income clients with uncontested divorces in the county. In 2012, he taught eight clinics and assisted 35 clients in processing a divorce case on their own. 5th Judicial District (Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego counties) Anthony P. Marshall of Syracuse (Harris Beach) played a key role in launching the "Say Yes to Education" program in Syracuse. The national program is designed to remove socioeconomic barriers that prevent inner-city children from graduating high school and attending college. Syracuse was the first city in the nation to institute the program throughout an entire school district. 6th Judicial District (Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Otsego, Schuyler, Tioga, Tompkins counties) A solo practitioner, Mary Jo Long of Afton has assisted the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York with the rising number of unemployment insurance cases. In one case, she spent more than 22 hours representing a claimant over three months, including at four separate unemployment insurance hearings. 7th Judicial District (Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Yates counties) Retired attorney Michael S. Schnittman of Rochester (Lacy Katzen) has assisted more than 125 low-income clients in debt collection cases and foreclosures through the Debt Collection Advice Clinic of the Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County. 8th Judicial District (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming counties) A 20-year volunteer with the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, Matthew B. Herdzik of Buffalo, a solo practitioner, performed more than 120 hours of pro bono work on eight divorces, six bankruptcy cases and an income tax matter in 2012. Since 1993, he has closed 115 pro bono cases and donated nearly 1,200 hours of service. 9th Judicial District (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester counties) Daniel A. Schlanger of Pleasantville (Schlanger & Schlanger) spearheaded efforts to open a Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office (CLARO) in Westchester. He manages the project, which provides free legal advice to unrepresented debtors and serves as an expert at least twice a month overseeing attorneys participating in clinics. 10th Judicial District (Nassau, Suffolk counties) A volunteer with the Touro Law Center Hurricane Emergency Assistance Relief Team, Michael Aronowsky, a retired lawyer from Massapequa, has donated approximately 100 hours to the project. He trained law students, conducted research and advised callers on storm-related assistance. 11th Judicial District (Queens County) Donating more than 115 hours of service to 105 clinic visitors, Julia Maeng of Beechhurst has been a tireless volunteer with the CLARO-Queens Consumer Debt Clinic. The clinic provides free legal assistance to residents facing consumer debt issues. 13th Judicial District (Staten Island) In addition to serving as treasurer of the Richmond County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Project, Jeffrey M. Alfano of Staten Island, law secretary to Richmond County Supreme Court Justice Joseph J. Maltese, performed 60 hours of pro bono service in 2012 in foreclosure cases. Law Student Catherine Sinwell Gerlach, a third-year student at Syracuse University, chairs the law school's Pro Bono Advisory Board. She has donated nearly 600 hours to various pro bono programs. In October, she testified in front of Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman's hearing panel on access to civil legal services in support of law student participation in pro bono work. Young Lawyer Lindsay S. Moilanen of Manhattan, an associate at Kaye Scholer, has led the firm's pro bono efforts to assist transgender people through its Name Change Project. In addition, she is working on a case that will challenge the New York City Board of Health's requirement that a birth certificate can be changed only if transgender people undergo surgery. Senior Lawyer Albany City Councilman Michael F. O'Brien provides pro bono assistance to veterans through the Veterans Legal Project and the VA Medical Center Legal Clinic. In 2012, he assisted 45 clients and performed more than 100 hours of service. In-House Counsel Theresa Mohan of Manhattan (IBM) was one of the first attorneys to mobilize the legal community to send volunteers out in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. In addition to her recruiting efforts, she arranged for IBM to donate 150 technology licenses to allow ProBono.net to better coordinate its response for Sandy and future disasters. Government Office Conceived in late 2012 and launched in January 2013, the Seventh Judicial District Help Center in Rochester provides the public with legal information to better navigate the court system. The collaborative project has assisted more than 125 unrepresented litigants with a variety of civil matters, from uncontested divorces to landlord-tenant issues. Small Law Firm With just two attorneys, the Troy firm of Ehrlich & Aroodia dedicated 114 hours of service to bankruptcy cases and providing advice at bankruptcy clinics. They closed 22 cases in 2012 alone for the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York and the Legal Project. Mid-Size Law Firm The New York office of Morrison & Foerster formed the Student Loan Discharge Project with the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project. The firm took on 17 discharge cases and provided more than 750 hours of services to low-income New York City residents who incurred loan debt from sham for-profit trade schools offering degrees in auto repair and cosmetology. Large Law Firm Attorneys in the New York office of Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom devoted 57,222 hours in pro bono work in 2012, an average of 91 hours per attorney. Notable examples include assisting victims of Superstorm Sandy with Federal Emergency Management Agency applications, as well as working on 54 immigration cases. The 76,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876. -30- |
posted May 1, 2013, 10:23 AM by Pete Weinman
 Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman
NYLJ/Rick Kopstein ALBANY - Beginning today, New York lawyers must disclose on their biennial registration forms how many pro bono hours they provided and how much they made in financial donations to pro bono programs during the previous two years. The new reporting requirements of Part 118 and Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct were approved by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman and the presiding justices of the Appellate Division's four departments on April 23. Lippman's "Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services" recommended increasing the voluntary pro bono goal for lawyers in the state to 50 hours a year from 20 (NYLJ, Dec. 7, 2012). That proposal is also being implemented today. In a statement released today, Lippman praised lawyers for "selflessly" providing millions of hours each year in pro bono service to the poor. But he said the civil legal needs of low income New Yorkers are "enormous and continue to grow as a result of the uncertain economy and the recent devastation of Superstorm Sandy." "I have every confidence that the steps we take today will help increase pro bono service and narrow the enormous access to justice gap in our state," Lippman said. An announcement of the reporting requirement from the Unified Court System said pro bono service and financial contributions are "completely voluntary." According to a recent American Bar Association survey, the average lawyer in New York performs 66 hours of pro bono service each year. Increasing the state's voluntary pro bono goal to 50 hours a year would also complement a new requirement that those applying for admission in New York must have completed 50 hours of pro bono service (NYLJ, Sept. 20, 2012). All new candidates for the bar beginning in 2015 must meet that requirement. Lippman revealed the impending pro bono disclosure rule in his 2013 State of the Judiciary address in February (NYLJ, Feb. 6). Lawyers must re-register with the state every two years and pay a $375 fee in order to practice law in New York. @|Joel Stashenko can be contacted at jstashenko@alm.com. New York Law Journal May 1, 2013
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posted Apr 4, 2013, 5:52 AM by Pete Weinman
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Proudly touting his Puerto Rican heritage, history-making Judge Raymond Rodriguez was ceremonially sworn in to the city Civil Court on Wednesday. Rodriguez, 39, a West Brighton resident, is the first Hispanic judge elected or appointed from Staten Island. "It's a great day," Rodriguez said at the ceremony, which was held in the Staaten, West Brighton. "I am so proud to be the first Hispanic judge in Staten Island history. It's really something to have this honor bestowed on me." |
posted Mar 12, 2013, 7:19 AM by Pete Weinman
posted Feb 7, 2013, 8:52 AM by Pete Weinman
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updated Feb 7, 2013, 8:52 AM
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Three Staten Islanders were among 38 judges sworn in by Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- including Staten Island's first Hispanic judge. The other two Islanders sworn in yesterday are being reappointed to their judicial posts. They are Judge Alan Meyer, the supervising judge of Richmond County Criminal Court, and Judge Joel Goldberg, acting Supreme Court justice."The judges we are appointing today not only have outstanding legal and professional credentials, they also have a thorough understanding of our city, our people, and the realities of the lives they lead," Bloomberg said in a statement. Among them is Judge Raymond Rodriguez who was appointed an interim Civil Court judge last month and will be serving in Brooklyn Criminal Court. "It feels great," Rodriguez said Wednesday when reached by phone on his way home from the swearing-in. "It was a really nice ceremony. It was great to have my family up there with me, it was wonderful." The 39-year-old Rodriguez, who lives in West Brighton with his wife and young son, said his pride goes beyond being the first Hispanic judge from the borough -- he's proud to be an Islander on the bench, too. |
posted Jan 28, 2013, 4:56 AM by Pete Weinman
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updated Jan 28, 2013, 4:57 AM
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — For his dedication to the legal profession and the justice system — and for his service to community, the Staten Island Trial Lawyers Association will honor state Supreme Court Justice John A. Fusco at their annual dinner set for Thursday in the Excelsior Grand, New Dorp.Fusco was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York in December 2007. He was previously elected Surrogate of Richmond County in November 1998 and continued to serve in that capacity until his state appointment. Previous to the position of surrogate, he served as a member of the City Council from January 1991. A Staten Island native, Fusco is a St. Peter’s Boys High School alum and earned a bachelor of science degree from St. Peter’s College. He also was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Read the entire story here:
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posted Jan 7, 2013, 5:37 AM by Pete Weinman
 EnlargeStaten Island AdvanceMembers of the New York Unified Court System delivered pizzas to the Richmond County Surrogate Court after Hurricane Sandy. In the front row, from left, are Jerry Judin, Richmond County Surrogate Court supervising attorney; Sarah Sennett, deputy chief clerk, Monroe County Surrogate Court; Elizabeth Simpson, chief clerk, Ontario County Surrogate Court; Jennifer DiLallo, of the Office of the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge; Mark Annunziata, chief clerk, Monroe County Surrogate Court, and Ron Cerrachio, chief clerk of the Richmond County Surrogate Court. In the background are court staffers.Inside out photos 1-4-2013 gallery (5 photos) Note that the crew arrived on the Monday before Thanksgiving and traveled all the way from the Rochester region, inasmuch as they had heard of the distressful conditions experienced by a number of court staffers who were affected by the superstorm's severe destruction — and set out on a journey to brighten their day. According to Ronald Cerrachio, chief clerk in the surrogate's office, the kindhearted and compassionate individuals left for Staten Island at 5 a.m. and drove seven and a half hours each way, only to visit the courthouse for a brief period for lunch before making a stop at Midland Beach — one of the hardest-hit areas on Staten Island — in order to drop off some extra pizzas to those who were busy trying to rebuild their homes. Their day concluded back in Rochester at 2 a.m. the following day.
on January 04, 2013 at 12:40 PM For the entire story, visit the SI Advance website: http://blog.silive.com/inside_out_column/2013/01/staten_island_surrogate_court.html#incart_river |
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