NYSBA Announces 2021 Howard A. Levine Award Winners
10.5.2021
Karen Crandall of Schenectady, attorney for children, and Sullivan County Family Court Judge Mark Meddaugh are the winners of the Howard A. Levine Award for Excellence in Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare, the New York State Bar Association announced today.
Court of Appeals Judge Michael Garcia will present the awards at 5 p.m. Oct 6 in a virtual ceremony held by the association’s Committee on Children in the Law. T. Andrew Brown, NYSBA president, will give welcoming remarks.
“Judge Meddaugh and Karen Crandall embody the ideals that define this award: excellence in juvenile justice and child welfare. Their work, dedication and empathy have improved the lives of countless children across New York,” said Lorraine Silverman, chair of the Committee on Children and the Law. “They are richly deserving recipients.”
The award is named for retired Court of Appeals Judge Howard A. Levine (Whiteman Osterman & Hanna), the first chair of what was then called the Special Committee on Juvenile Justice. Levine served in a variety of public service positions for over 40 years, including as an associate judge on the Court of Appeals from 1993-2002.
This award recognizes the vital services of lawyers and non-lawyers who have done outstanding work to improve New York’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Award recipients are individuals who have a career history of distinguished and longstanding service in the field of juvenile justice and child welfare.
Crandall is in private practice and has been an attorney for children for more than 20 years. She was cited as an example for all attorneys for children on how to represent child-clients. Her nominators noted her ability to examine witnesses and improve the lives of her clients.
Meddaugh has dedicated his entire career to Family Court, first in private practice and then as a judge. He also is an acting justice of the Sullivan County Supreme Court in the Third Judicial District of New York. He is chair of the Advisory Committee for the Office of Attorneys for Children, Appellate Division, Third Department.
About the New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. Since 1876, NYSBA has helped shape the development of law, educated and informed the legal profession and the public, and championed the rights of New Yorkers through advocacy and guidance in our communities.
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Contact: Brandon Vogel
bvogel@nysba.org
518-487-5644
