Legal community to celebrate Law Day
The American Bar Association announced the theme for this year’s Law Day as “Toward a more perfect union: The Constitution in times of change.”
Law Day webinar is Thursday
On May 1, the legal community will celebrate Law Day with the theme: Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100. The Monroe County Bar Association will kick off its celebration of Law Day with an online continuing legal education (CLE) program at 3 p.m., Thursday. The Bar Association is holding the […]
2019 Law Week Awards Reception
The 2019 Law Week Awards Reception was held May 2 at the Strathallan Hotel. Honorees included: Outstanding Jurist Award – Hon. Craig J. Doran The Raymond J. Pauley Award – Cynthia L. Snodgrass Charles F. Crimi Award – Janet C. Somes The Justin L. Vigdor Senior Award For Service – Connie O. Walker President’s Award […]
Awards announced for Bar Association of Erie County
The Bar Association of Erie County will honor community members on Law Day at a luncheon to be held on May 1 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Buffalo. Melinda G. Disare, president of the Bar Association, will present the awards. U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo will deliver the keynote address. The award […]
‘Law Week’ events planned by Bar Association
The Monroe County Bar Association’s year’s Law Day celebration will take place over the course of a week this year. The “Law Week” celebration will have a past, present and future theme. The “past” theme will be embodied in a Law Day CLE program on May 2. The program will focus on three cases commenced in […]
MCBA President’s Message: 14th Amendment protects Americans’ freedom
The 14th Amendment was enacted in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War. In what had been a fierce and ongoing constitutional battle between state rights and federal power, the 14th Amendment in essence made the federal courts the ultimate guardian of every American citizen’s individual rights of due process and equal protection, irrespective […]
Commentary: 14th Amendment remade Constitution, defined citizenship
Today we celebrate the Fourteenth Amendment, which has become the heart of the constitutional system within which we live and practice our profession. Our constitution (lower case because I’m talking not about the document itself but about the makeup of the nation) has not remained — nor could it have possibly remained — static throughout […]
Adolph J. Rodenbeck Award: Frank Geraci’s legal career marked by innovative programs
The spacious office of U.S. District Court Chief Judge Frank P. Geraci is filled with countless mementos of his nearly 40-year career. On one shelf are souvenirs of his beloved Boston Red Sox and another holds a sign that marked the entrance to the law practice Geraci shared with Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman. Geraci […]
MCBA Foundation’s Humanitarian Award: Thomas G. Smith honored for leadership
Thomas G. Smith developed a reputation for excellence as a trial lawyer who represented businesses, professionals, and trade associations in the courtroom. However, some of his best work — Humpty Dumpty v. The Greatwall Construction Company, for example — remains relatively unknown. More than 15 years ago, Smith and his colleagues at Harter Secrest & […]
Outstanding Jurist Award: Richard Dollinger’s writing skill complements his judicial career
If Richard Dollinger’s application to be a reporter for a major newspaper such as the New York Times had been successful, he may never have gone on to become a lawyer, a New York Supreme Court justice and winner of this year’s MCBA’s Outstanding Jurist Award. Fortunately, the 7th Judicial District judge still has plenty […]
James R. Boyle Award: Lorna Affronti finds calling as advocate for children
When Lorna Affronti began her career as a one-woman family law practice in 1998, she made a decision that has shaped her career, her life and the lives of many children: She became a member of both the Monroe County Assigned Counsel and Fourth Judicial Department’s Law Guardian panels, figuring it would be a good […]
Case Digests
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Attorney misconduct: Opinion 22-164
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Independently written bench book: Opinion 22-163
- Fourth Department – Suppression: People v. Saeli
- Second Circuit – RICO: Horn v. Medical Marijuana Inc.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Uncompensated interview: Opinion 22-159
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Uncompensated guest speaker: Opinion 22-158
- Fourth Department – Negligent performance: Rosenthal v. Syracuse University, et al.
- Second Circuit – Visual Artists Rights Act: Kerson v. Vermont Law School Inc.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Former foreclosure referee: Opinion 22-157
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – College honorarium: Opinion 22-156
- Second Circuit – Reasonable accommodation: Tafolla v. Heilig
- Fourth Department – Labor Law: Primisch v. Peroxychem LLC
Law News
- Appeals court upholds Supreme Court ruling
- Assistant district attorney appointed City Court judge by Rochester mayor
- Murder conviction affirmed despite trial judge error
- NY appeals court upholds conviction in burglary case
- Federal lawsuit reinstated against jail officer over strip search, delayed release
- Hyzon to pay $25M penalty to settle alleged fraud charges by SEC
- NY appeals court reinstates lawsuit over contract to remove snow
- Fourth Department affirms $400K judgment in contract dispute