January 25, 2017: Celebrating 125 Years, Second Circuit Receives Fuld Award from Commercial and Federal Litigation Section

January 25, 2017: Celebrating 125 Years, Second Circuit Receives Fuld Award from Commercial and Federal Litigation Section

1.25.2017

By Communications Department

The Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association has recognized the 125th anniversary of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit with its 2017 Stanley H. Fuld Award.

“The Second Circuit is the ideal choice to be presented with the Fuld Award as its thoughtful and insightful opinions seek to advance commercial law in our state and to provide guidance to business and litigators regarding the legal standards under which business operates in New York,” said Mark Berman (Ganfer & Shore), chair of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section.

The award, named for the late New York State chief judge, was presented on January 25 during the Bar Association’s Annual Meeting in New York City. The award is given for outstanding contributions to the development of commercial law and jurisprudence in New York. It was accepted by Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann on behalf of the Second Circuit.

The Second Circuit was born in 1891 as part of nine newly created circuit courts. It was the first time in U.S. history that a federal court was established as a type of appellate court that sat above the federal trial courts, but below the U.S. Supreme Court.

The result has been a resounding success. The Second Circuit hears thousands of appeals annually. What began as a three-judge court covering New York, Vermont and Connecticut has grown to 13 active judges to meet the litigation demand.

“As the chief judge, I have the great privilege of serving with extraordinary colleagues—judges and court staff—who all share the objective of adjudicating cases fairly and efficiently,” said Katzmann. “The 125th anniversary project of our court is important because any institution, in the effort to do its work well, should, on occasion, reflect on its past to better settle the present and meet the challenges of the future.”

Past recipients of the Stanley H. Fuld award include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, former New York State Chief Judges Jonathan Lippman and Judith S. Kaye, and the Supreme Court of New York State’s Commercial Division justices.

The 72,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

Contact: Christian Nolan
Senior Writer
cnolan@nysba.org
518-487-5536