Fifteen New NYSBA Section Chairs Take Office

Fifteen New NYSBA Section Chairs Take Office

5.27.2021

By Brandon Vogel

Fifteen of the New York State Bar Association’s (NYSBA) sections have elevated new chairs this month to oversee efforts to improve laws, address professional development and sponsor continuing legal education courses in a variety of substantive fields. NYSBA has 27 sections, which range in size from 300 to more than 4,500 members.

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Business Law Section
Anastasia T. Rockas of New York City is the new chair of the section. A partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, she concentrates her practice in private investment funds and private equity investments.

A 28-year member of the association, Rockas most recently served as vice-chair of the section. She also is a member of the 50+ Section.

Rockas graduated from Smith College and the University of Connecticut Law School, with highest honors.

Commercial and Federal Litigation Section
Daniel K. Wiig of New York City is the new chair of the section. Wiig is corporate counsel for the New York City Housing Authority Corporate Affairs Division, where he assists in all corporate matters affecting the largest public housing authority in the North America.

A 14-year member of the association, Wiig most recently served as chair-elect of the section. He also is a member of the Corporate Counsel and Dispute Resolution sections.

Wiig graduated from St. John’s University and earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. He also earned an MBA from Fordham University.

Criminal Justice Section
David Louis Cohen of Kew Gardens is the new chair of the section. Cohen is a solo practitioner and concentrates his practice in criminal litigation in state and federal courts. He also is counsel to the New York State Assembly Committee on Codes.

A 16-year member of the association, Cohen also serves on the NYSBA Executive Committee as vice-president of the 11th Judicial District. He is a member of the Committee on Legislative Policy and the Committee on the New York State Constitution.

Cohen graduated from New York University and earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School.

Dispute Resolution Section
Ross Kartez of Uniondale is the new chair of the section. An associate of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, Kartez concentrates his practice in complex commercial dispute resolution. He also is an independent arbitrator and mediator.

An 8-year member of the association, Kartez most recently served as chair-elect of the section. He also is a member of the Commercial and Federal Litigation and International sections.

Kartez graduated from the University of Buffalo and St. John’s University School of Law.

 

Elder Law and Special Needs Law Section
Deepankar Mukerji of White Plains is the new chair of the section. A solo practitioner, he concentrates his practice in the areas of elder law, Medicaid planning, estate administration and planning, guardianships, real estate and trusts.

A 25-year member of the association, Mukerji most recently served as chair-elect of the section. He is a member of the section’s Legislation Committee.

Mukerji graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo and Fordham University School of Law.

 

Environmental and Energy Law Section
Linda R. Shaw of Rochester is the new chair of the section. A partner of Knauf Shaw, she concentrates her practice on the facilitation of brownfield projects and associated land use and cost recovery litigation.

A 29-year member of the association, Shaw most recently served as vice-chair of the section. She is a member of the section’s Petroleum Spills Committee, Legislation Committee, Hazardous Waste/Site Remediation Committee, as well as its Brownfields Task Force.

Shaw graduated from St. John’s University School of Law.

 

General Practice Section
Sarah E. Gold of Albany is the new chair of the section. A solo practitioner, she concentrates her practice in business transactions, mostly formations and contracts for non-profits and for-profits.

A 10-year member of the association, Gold previously chaired the Business Law and Young Lawyers sections. She also is a member of NYSBA’s Executive Committee and co-chair of the Committee on Law Practice Management.

Gold graduated from the University at Albany and Albany Law School.

 

Health Law Section
Anoush Koroghlian-Scott of Albany is the new chair of the section. A partner in the Health Law Practice Team at Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman, she has practiced health law in private practice and in-house at various hospitals in the New York State Capital Region.

A 29-year member of the association, Koroghlian-Scott most recently served as chair-elect of the section. She previously chaired the section’s Providers And In-House Counsel In Health Care Committee.

Koroghlian-Scott graduated from Cornell University and Widener University School of Law.

International Section
Edward K. Lenci of New York is the new chair of the section. A partner of Hinshaw & Culbertson, Lenci litigates and arbitrates business disputes, including reinsurance disputes, and defends businesses sued in class action lawsuits.

A 30-year member of the association, Lenci most recently served as chair-elect of the section. He is a member of the section’s Arbitration and ADR Committee, Insurance and Reinsurance Committee, and Latin American Council. He also is a member of the Dispute Resolution Section.

Lenci graduated from Fordham University and Columbia University School of Law.

 

Judicial Section
Acting Supreme Court Justice Denise A. Hartman is the new presiding member of the section. She has served in Albany County since her April 2015 appointment to the Court of Claims. She manages a full civil docket, which includes proceedings against governmental agencies, personal injury actions and mass tort litigation, contract and real property disputes, commercial litigation, divorces, and other matters.

A 37-year member of the association, Hartman most recently served as assistant presiding member. She previously co-chaired the Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction.

Hartman graduated from Cornell University and Syracuse University College of Law.

 

Labor and Employment Law Section
Timothy Taylor of Pittsfield is the new chair of the section. Taylor is a full time mediator and arbitrator.

A 33-year member of the association, Taylor most recently served as chair-elect of the section. He also is a member of the Dispute Resolution Section.

Taylor graduated from the University of South Carolina and Cornell University School of Law.

 

Local and State Government Law Section
Michael E. Kenneally of Albany is the new chair of the section. Kenneally is the executive director of the New York State Municipal Workers’ Compensation Alliance (Comp Alliance), a workers’ compensation group self-insurance program for municipalities and school districts throughout New York State.

An 18-year member of the association, Kenneally most recently served as chair-elect of the section. He also is a member of the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section.

Kenneally graduated from Albany Law School.

 

Real Property Law Section
Michelle H. Wildgrube of Schenectady is the new chair of the section. A principal of Cioffi Slezak Wildgrube, she concentrates her practice in elder law, estate planning and real property law.

A 28-year member of the association, Wildgrube most recently served as first vice-chair of the section.  She is vice-chair of the State Bar’s Committee on Membership. She also is a member of the Business Law, General Practice and Women in Law sections.

Wildgrube graduated from Rutgers College and earned her law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law.

 

Women in Law Section

Sheryl B. Galler of New York City is the new chair of the section. Galler is counsel to the law firm of Moskowitz & Book and a solo practitioner. She concentrates her practice in employment law, representing both employers and employees.

A 27-year member of the association, Galler most recently served as chair-elect of the section and co-chair of its annual Meeting and Programming Committee. She also is a member of the Labor & Employment Law Section’s Executive Committee.

Galler graduated from Columbia University and Columbia University Law School.

 

Young Lawyers Section

Anne L. LaBarbera of New York City is the new chair of the section. The principal attorney at Anne LaBarbera Professional Corporation, she concentrates her practice in entertainment law, media law and commercial law.

A six-year member of the association, LaBarbera most recently served as chair-elect of the section. She also is a member of the House of Delegates, as well as the Committee on Media Law and Commercial and Federal Litigation Section.

LaBarbera graduated from Michigan State University and earned her law degree from the University of Aberdeen.