Our Honorable Harold Baer, Jr. award reception was held on May 20, 2019 at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
We were pleased to present the Honorable Harold Baer Jr. award to Hon. Bernice D. Siegal, Associate Justice of the Appellate Term, 2nd, 11th & 13th JD, Supreme Court of the State of New York. Awardee: Hon. Bernice D. Siegal

As a civil rights champion and bar association mentor to countless bar leaders, Judge Siegal exemplifies the qualities celebrated by the Judge Harold Baer Jr. award. Hon. Bernice D. Siegal stated as follows during the award presentation:

It is instructive that the founding members of the NoBL were representative of the entire city, pushing a civil rights agenda. The Founders vision for the Network was to provide support for the diverse and speciality bars and yes the county bar associations, to lend a helping hand and an introduction to the power structure so that the profession and the judiciary reflected the beautiful mosaic of our great city.

See a larger excerpt from the Judge’s inspirational presentation here.

Courtesy of Gloribelle Perez

Bar association Presidents and delegates were honored to attend a presentation of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s State of the State 2019 NYC Region, presented by Alphonso David, Counsel to the Governor. See the invitation here. The Network of Bar Leaders provides its member organizations the clout of its collective organization.

We were delighted to honor our Special Guest, Honorable Lawrence K. Marks, Chief Administrative Judge of the New York State Courts on February 19, 2019, at Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP. Many thanks to those who attended and contributed to the lively discussions.

We were delighted to install our Officers, Executive Council Members and Legislative Liaisons on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at Museum of Korean American Heritage. District Court George B. Daniels of the Southern District of New York performed the ceremony, and Attorney Barbara D. Underwood was our Keynote Speaker. Congratulations to our leaders and to President Bridgette Y. Ahn.

To see the flyer, click here.

At the Home of Our Former President, Hilary Gingold, in East Midtown, Manhattan. See here.

By consensus resolution, the Network of Bar Leaders proudly announces that it strongly supports efforts to keep our immigrant families intact. It further supports New York State Bar Association President Michael Miller’s June 20, 2018 statement on United States border policy.

Hilary Gingold, the President of the Network of Bar Leaders, stated the following:

“The importance of the family unit in American life cannot be overstated. We encourage and support efforts by decision-makers and our leaders to find ways to keep families together, so that they can thrive and continue making their contributions.”

Please see New York State Bar Association President Michael Miller’s June 20, 2018 statement below.

Statement on U.S. border policy from New York State Bar Association President Michael Miller

“The current policy of separating minor migrant children from their parents as part of U.S. border policy is cruel and heartless child abuse, it is inhumane, and it is un-American.

“Many of these children have already suffered and this policy imposes a completely avoidable trauma. Additionally, the forced separation of the children from their parents deprives both parent and child of reasonable due process and is a gross departure from the norms of a civilized society.

“The American Academy of Pediatrics has pointed out that by forcefully removing children from a parent or parents on whom they have relied throughout an arduous journey to the border, the U.S. government is engaging in child abuse that can result in irreparable harm with lifelong consequences.

“The American Medical Association has adopted a resolution opposing the practice of separating migrating children from their caregivers in the absence of immediate physical or emotional threats to the child’s well-being.

“The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has severely criticized the U.S. border policy of separating migrant minor children from their parents, calling such actions ‘unconscionable.’

“The New York State Bar Association calls upon the Trump administration to immediately cease this dangerous and inappropriate policy, which denies the children and their parents basic due process and potentially exposes the children to serious long-term harm.

“We also call upon our members to contact their representatives in the U.S. House and Senate with a simple message: Immediately enact legislation prohibiting the separation of children from their parents at the border, absent physical or emotional threats to the children’s well-being.”

A consensus resolution by the Network of Bar Leaders only reflects the views of the designated bar leaders present and voting.

— See below for a Message from Hilary Gingold re the Presidents’ Dinner

On behalf of the Network of Bar Leaders, I would like to thank all of our members for joining the Network’s Presidents’ Dinner, held on April 10, 2018 at Amata’s on East 56^th Street in New York City! It was an honor to welcome our Keynote Guest Honoree, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore of the Court of Appeals of New York to such a warm and receptive crowd of bar leaders.

The event was completely sold out, with a fabulous representation from virtually every one of our member bar associations. The meal was great and we thank the owners at Amata for their wonderful service. Please see the New York Law Journal’s coverage here and here.

After welcoming all of you to this most auspicious event, I had the pleasure of introducing Chief Judge Difiore, and presenting her with a gift on behalf of the Network. The gift has become part of a tradition from the Network to the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals: a series of books that highlight what the Network stands for: diversity and community in this amazing place we call home – New York City. Following our presentation, Chief Judge DiFiore gave a truly inspiring speech on the importance of protecting and preserving the Rule of Law; the very foundation of our Democracy.

The Network was also deeply honored to host the following members of the Judiciary as our guests: Presiding Justice Rolando T. Acosta, Appellate Division, First Department; Presiding Justice Alan D. Scheinkman, Appellate Division, Second Department; Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks; Deputy Chief Administrative Judge George J. Silver; and, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives, Judge Edwina G. Mendelson.

We also recognized those members of the judiciary who came as bar leaders representing some of our many bar member associations: Hon. Jeffrey A. Cohen, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department as President of Westchester Brandeis; Supreme Court Judge Tanya R. Kennedy as President of the National Association of Women Judges; Acting Supreme Court Judge Michael Katz as Co-President for JALBCA; Supreme Court Appellate Term Second Dept, Hon. Bernice D. Siegal as Past-President of QCWBA, Brandeis Association and The Network of Bar Leaders; and, Acting Supreme Court Judge Morgan Lancman as President of the Brandeis Association.

Thanks very much to all of you, especially our bar leaders, who attended the dinner, and to all of those who continue to support the Network of Bar Leaders. When it comes to growth and development of bar associations, as President of the Network, I keep foremost in my mind the concept that you can’t have a party without people, and as evidenced by the response we had last night, the Presidents’ Dinner was a blast! I believe that by networking, we engage one another, and in so doing, we create meaningful change.

Special Thanks goes to our sponsors for the event: our Treasurer, Michael Kohan, Esq., and the Kohan Law Group!

Warm Regards, Hilary Gingold, President of the Network of Bar Leaders

Photos from the event below and here.

Hilary Gingold, President of NoBL with Ron Katter, a member of the Executive Council of NoBL.

Eric Lesh, Executive Director, LeGal, Meredith Miller, Immediate Past President LeGal and Current VP of NoBL, Hilary Gingold, President of NoBL, Gennaro Savastano, Current President, LeGal.

Marking St. Patrick’s Day with the Brehon Law Society! President Hilary Gingold representing the Network and with the President and Board Member of the Brehon Law Society, Jennifer Frankola Crawford and Elizabeth Connolly, respectively. Always so good to see these ladies!