Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. of Buffalo was honored with the New York State Bar Association’s Root/Stimson Award, presented by State Bar President Glenn Lau-Kee on June 21 in Cooperstown. The award, given by the Committee on Annual Award, honors an attorney for exemplary community service. “Thomas Beecher’s effective leadership and devotion to his community has … Continued

New York State Bar Association President Glenn Lau-Kee today commended the Legislature for passing a measure to create additional of Family Court judgeships, which helps address overwhelming caseloads in the courts. “Circumstances that bring a child to Family Court, such as adoption, custody or delinquency are fraught with emotion. By seeking to increase resources for … Continued

New York State Bar Association President Glenn Lau-Kee today issued the following statement after the Legislature left Albany until Monday without having passed legislation to authorize new Family Court judges.  “We are pleased that the Assembly has passed a bill to authorize 20 new Family Court judges. We are likewise pleased that the Senate has … Continued

The New York State Bar Association has named David R. Watson to serve as the next executive director of the 75,000-member Association. Currently, he is executive director of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. “We are delighted that Dave Watson has agreed to join us as executive director. He is a highly regarded bar executive with … Continued

Fifteen new section chairs of the New York State Bar Association took office on June 1. The 25 sections of the State Bar publish material dealing with their fields of expertise, much of which is not available through commercial publishers. Sections also sponsor conferences, seminars and institutes, monitor legislation and conduct studies. Each section contributes … Continued

Eleven attorneys have been elected to the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association. The 30-member Executive Committee oversees the management and administration of the State Bar within policies determined by its governing body, the House of Delegates. The new Executive Committee members are: Alyssa M. Barreiro of Binghamton, Vice-President of the 6th … Continued

Glenn Lau-Kee, a partner in the New York City law firm of Kee & Lau-Kee, assumed office June 1 as the 117th president of the New York State Bar Association. Lau-Kee is the first Asian-American president of the 75,000-member Association. He succeeds David M. Schraver of Rochester (Nixon Peabody). The theme of Lau-Kee’s presidency is … Continued

Sixty-four organizations across New York state have received 67 grants totaling $392,500, The New York Bar Foundation announced today. “The Foundation’s grant program assists non-profit organizations with the front-page issues of our communities. The need for funding for law-related projects continues to grow,” said Bar Foundation President Cristine Cioffi (Cioffi•Slezak•Wildgrube). “The Foundation is pleased to … Continued

New York State Bar Association President David M. Schraver today called on the Legislature to promptly authorize 20 new Family Court judgeships to give potential judicial candidates adequate time to gather designating petitions. While the approved state budget includes money for the additional judgeships, the Legislature still must enact a bill authorizing them. In New … Continued

Recognizing the legal challenges faced by veterans, the New York State Bar Association has extended, through November 2014, a statewide program that provides discounted legal help to military veterans. The Veteran Referral Panel program, which began in November 2013, helps veterans with a broad range of legal matters, including obtaining federal benefits, military discharge upgrades, … Continued