New York Women's Bar Association, 132 East 43rd Street, #716, The Chrysler Building, New York, NY, 10017-4019
Message from the President


Our Extraordinary Members

After a long, cold and snowy winter that necessitated many schedule changes for meetings and programs, it is wonderful to welcome spring. In anticipation of the new season, our Committees have had a burst of energy, resulting in great programs and events, many of which feature our own extraordinary members.

I am so excited to have as the honoree at our Award Dinner on May 8 our long-time member and friend, Hon. Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. To ensure we have a full opportunity to hear from Justice Sotomayor, the Award Dinner will not include our induction of 2014-2015 officers or other traditional elements (which will be postponed to September). Instead, the program will be entirely devoted to a “Conversation with Justice Sotomayor.” This will be the last major event of my presidency, which ends on May 31st, and I know it will be magnificent.

We are very excited about the slate of nominees for next year’s Officer, Director, and Delegate positions for NYWBA. First Vice President Yacine Barry-Wun has been nominated to serve as 2014-15 NYWBA President. Ms. Barry-Wun is a distinguished attorney in the New York State Courts Access to Justice Program. She has previously served as a Committee Chair, Director and Officer. Among other accomplishments, she has served for the past two years as Board Liaison to our Committee Chairs, which has given her the opportunity to learn every aspect of the Association’s business. She is a terrific person, and she will be a superb President.

We are also excited to work with the 2014-15 WBASNY Officers (listed on p. 3), who will be elected by the 18 Women’s Bar Chapters in April. Congratulations to incoming WBASNY President Irene V. Villacci (Nassau County Chapter), and to all of the candidates, including especially our own Amy Saltzman, who has been nominated to serve as WBASNY Vice President.

The elections will be held at our Annual Membership Meeting on April 24, and members will also hear reports on the “State of the Association.” The newly-elected candidates will take office at the beginning of our new fiscal year, on June 1, 2014.

As noted above, to avoid a conflict with the Award Dinner on May 8, the congratulatory celebration for our new Officers, Directors and Delegates will take place at a gala being planned for September this year. (Look for more info about this event later this Spring.)

As it happens, April 24 will be a very busy day. In addition to our Annual Meeting & Elections, two other major events will be held that evening – a “Musical Tribute to Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin,” presented by the New York County Lawyers’ Association Foundation (see notice, pp. 1 & 4), and the NYWBA’s annual Ethics CLE program (see notice, pp. 1 & 7). It is unfortunate to have such stellar programs on the same evening, but we are making sure that the Association will be well represented at all of these events.

The NYCLA Foundation tribute on April 24 honoring Justice Ellerin should be a great affair. Her career as a jurist is legendary1. We know that there will be a strong contingent of NYWBA members at the NYCLA Foundation event in support of Justice Ellerin and in recognition of her accomplishments. On a personal note, we were all saddened when Justice Ellerin’s husband of sixty years, Milton H. Ellerin, Esq., passed away in March. The Board was honored to make a charitable contribution in his memory.

The Ethics CLE Program on April 24 will also be a great event, thanks to Ethics Co-Chairs Nicole Hyland and Hon. Barbara Jaffe and the expert presenters (see notice, p. 7). This CLE will be held immediately after the Annual Meeting & Elections, and at the same venue. Attendees will earn 1.5 Ethics CLE Credits, and all NYWBA members will be able to attend for FREE.

This year’s WBASNY Convention will be from June 6 through June 8, with a pre-Convention kick-off dinner scheduled for June 5 (see notice, p. 6). On June 6, long-time member Hon. Phyllis Gangel-Jacob will receive WBASNY’s prestigious Marilyn Menges Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the Women’s Bar and the rights of women, including as a Founder of WBASNY and during her more than 20 years on the NYWBA Board of Directors. I plan to attend to honor her, and I hope that many of our members will be present to share in our pride for her accomplishments. On June 7, our own Amy Saltzman will be sworn in as Vice President of WBASNY. If you have come in the past, I hope to see you there again. If you have never been to a convention, make this one your first. It is a great opportunity to network, get CLE credit, and have loads of fun.

On the topic of with WBASNY, NYWBA has renewed the tradition of hosting a welcome dinner for WBASNY Officers, Chapter Delegates, and Committee members on the night before WBASNY Board meetings in New York City. We were delighted to welcome representatives from all over the state in both January and March and to mingle and bond over good food and wine.

Finally, I am pleased that 2014-2015 will be NYWBA’s 80th Anniversary year. We will kick off the celebrations in September, and hold a gala tribute to our history at our Annual Dinner in June 2015. I hope that many of you will participate in the planning of fun activities for this important anniversary. If you are interested in joining the Anniversary Committee or have ideas on events or programs, please send an email to History@nywba.org.

Jackie


1Elected to the bench in 1976, Justice Ellerin was the first woman to serve as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York State. She was also the first woman appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division for the First Department, and the first female Presiding Justice of that Court. She was NYWBA President in 1969-70, and served as President of the National Association of Women Judges and the NYS Association of Women Judges. She was also a Founder and Director of both WBASNY and JALBCA. Justice Ellerin has received innumerable awards, including the NYWBA President’s Special Award (twice); the WBASNY Betty Weinberg Ellerin Mentoring Award, which was established in her honor; the NYS Association of Women Judges Leadership Award, the ABA Margaret Brent Award, and the Florence E. Allen Award.

Archives

March 2014

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "NYWBA Reaches Major Milestone!".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2014

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Honoring Our Judiciary and Planning for the Future".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2014

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Our Struggling Family Courts".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

November 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "A Busy Fall Season".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

October 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "A Sense of Community".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

September 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "An Exciting Year Ahead!".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

June 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "A Time for Celebrating and Making Plans".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

May 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Reflecting on Our Extraordinary Year".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

April 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Fighting for Equality".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "So Much To Celebrate!".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2013

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Happy New Year".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

November 2012

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Strength in Numbers".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

October 2012

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "The Power of Membership".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

September 2012

In her President's Message, Hon. Jacqueline W. Silbermann titled her message "Our Important Mission".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

June 2012

In her President's Message, Patricia Ann Grant titled her message "Opportunities and Transitions".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

April 2012

In her President's Message, Patricia Ann Grant titled her message "Discrimination Against Women Continues".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2012

In her President's Message, Patricia Ann Grant titled her message "A New Year".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2011

In her President's Message, Gretchen Beall Schumann titled her message ""Growth, Education & Advancement".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2011

In her President's Message, Gretchen Beall Schumann titled her message "Happy New Year!".
To view the President's Message in full, click here.

November - December 2010

In her President's Message, Gretchen Beall Schumann titled her message "Season's Greetings". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

October 2010

In her President's Message, Gretchen Beall Schumann titled her message "Harvest". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

September 2010

In her President's Message, Gretchen Beall Schumann titled her message "The Benefits of Sharing". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

June 2010

In her President's Message, Gretchen Beall Schumann titled her message "In Remembrance". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

May 2010

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "Mothers and Role Models". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

April 2010

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "Spring Cleaning". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

March 2010

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "The Reality of Elder Care". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2010

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "Helping Hands". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2010

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "The New Life Balance ". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

December 2009

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "Beyond Firsts". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

November 2009

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "Finding Inspiration". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

October 2009

In her President's Message, Donna M. Praiss titled her message "Can I Give You A Hug?". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

June 2008

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff titled her message "STAND UP FOR OURSELVES AND AMERICA". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

April 2008

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about "Re-Evaluating A "Victimless" Crime". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

March 2008

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about celebrating the women in our lives. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2008

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about continuing the struggle against gender bias. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

December 2007

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about making 2008 the best year ever for the NYWBA. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

November 2007

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about the summary of results from our first annual survey on the status of women working in Manhattan law firms. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

September 2007

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about GENERATIVITY. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

June 2007

In her President's Message, Lisa A. Sokoloff spoke about how "Our Work is Not Done". To view the President's Message in full, click here.

May 2007

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reviewed this year's events. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

April 2007

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on the importance of rainmaking. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

March 2007

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on gender diversity in large law firms. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2007

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on lessons in humility. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2007

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on the benefits of dual membership in the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

December 2006

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on the importance of pro bono service. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

November 2006

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on military wives as unsung military heroes.To view the President's Message in full, click here.

October 2006

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller Teresa Schiller reflected on the importance of making our worlds larger again. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

September 2006

In her President's Message, Teresa Schiller Teresa Schiller reflected on the importance of building a network of women lawyers. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

July 2006

In her inaugural President's Message, Teresa Schiller reflected on the importance of community. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

Spring 2006

In her President's column in the Spring issue, President Christina Kallas discussed how women continue to lag behind men when it comes to earning power, and suggests that this is one more item for the legislature to address as it considers 'no-fault' divorce legislation. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

March 2006

For Women's History Month, Christina Kallas reflected upon how far we have yet to go. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2006

In her column for February President Christina Kallas asked us to consider what it is we pay attention to in our culture. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2006

In her column for January President Christina Kallas asked, "Do we (still) need a women's bar association?" To view the President's Message in full, click here.

December 2005

In her column for December President Christina Kallas discusses the Mental Health Court initiative. To view the President's message in full, click here.

November 2005

In her column for November President Christina Kallas asked us all to honor the memory of Ms. Rosa Parks by making one change. To view the President's message in full, click here.

October 2005

In her column for October in honor of Mediation Settlement Month, President Christina Kallas discusses whether mediation is an underused tool in a lawyer's toolbox. To view the President's message in full, click here.

September 2005

In her column for September, President Christina Kallas reflected upon the changes in our country since September 11th. To view the President's message in full, click here.

June 2005

In her column for June, President Christina Kallas discusses change and continuity. To view the President's message in full, click here.

April 2005

In her column in April, President Elizabeth Bryson talked about sexual politics and "women's work." She took issue with Harvard President Lawrence Summers' recent remarks implying that women are innately less suited to pursing careers in science or engineering. Such retrograde thinking is self-defeating. Mr. Summers had to apologize, and Harvard is now actively address the status of women in academia. Ms. Bryson also discussed upcoming events, including the Association's Annual Meeting, a CLE program on "Evolving Opportunities for Women' Lawyers," the Foundation's next fundraising breakfast, the WBASNY Convention, and of course our fantastic 70th Anniversary celebration on June 1st. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

February 2005

In her column in February, President Elizabeth Bryson talked about matters of life and death. She related the experiences of a friend fighting breast cancer and her mother and family addressing the loss of two brothers to AIDS several years ago, and how each circumstance, though very different, teaches us once again the importance of choosing to live life to its fullest every day. By contrast, she considers the proposal in the NYS Legislature to reinstate the death penalty, and WBASNY's brave stance in opposition. To view the President's Message in full, click here.

January 2005

In her column in January, President Elizabeth Bryson discussed the importance of taking steps to ensure that judges in New York have the appropriate qualifications and integrity to ensure the fair and equal administration of justice. She discusses pending legislation and proposed amendments to the Rules of Judicial Conduct that would have an influence on the method of selecting state court judges and the rules that would apply to candidates for judicial office in New York. Ms. Bryson was honored to chair a WBASNY Task Force to look at the proposed legislation and rule changes, and she discusses the process and proposals. She also describes the recent gala celebration WBASNY's 25 Anniversary and the wonderful presentation of the inaugural "Betty Weinberg Ellerin Mentoring Award" to Justice Ellerin. Finally, she reminds everyone of the importance of ensuring that their membership is renewed by January 31, 2005. New members are also welcome, and they can join for half-price dues starting in January! To view the President's Message in full, click here.

December 2004

In her column in December, President Elizabeth Bryson discussed the importance of speaking out and being heard. She demonstrated the value of the Association's screening of candidates for judicial office, particularly now, when the integrity of the judiciary is under attack. Because many of our members practice in solo and small firm settings, Ms. Bryson recommended that members appear before the Commission on Solo and Small Firm Practice, which is holding hearings and looking for comments, concerns and suggestions to make the lives of attorneys in these settings and their clients easier. Members should also plan to join us at several upcoming events that promise to be very exciting, including the NYWBA Foundation's Breakfast Series Speaker Event, a fundraiser scheduled for December 1st, WBASNY's 25th Anniversary Gala on December 2nd that will pay tribute to our own past President, the Honorable Betty Weinberg Ellerin, for her nearly 50 years of mentoring and service to women attorneys and judges throughout New York and across the country, and the New York Women's Agenda's Star Breakfast on December 7th. To view the President's message in full, click here.

November 2004

In her column in November, President Elizabeth Bryson celebrated all the wonderful programs and events that happened this fall, including our Annual Membership Reception. She also discussed the recent controversy with respect to screening the qualifications of candidates for judicial office in New York County, which became the subject of an article in the New York Law Journal. To view the President's message in full, click here.

September 2004

In her column in September, President Elizabeth Bryson asked members to join her in celebrating the Association's 70th Anniversary year (2004-05). Coincidentally, it was also the 25th anniversary year for the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY), which is the umbrella organization for all 16 women's bar associations across New York State. The NYWBA and its past President Joan Ellenbogen were instrumental in the formation of WBASNY, and it is a joy to see that it is flourishing. This is Beth's second term as President, and in her column she discussed the excitement of continuing programs begun last year and new programs that will begin this year. She also congratulated everyone who was involved in the wonderful year-end festivities, including our Annual Dinner and the WBASNY Convention. To view the President's message in full, click here.

April 2005

In her column for April, President Elizabeth Bryson congratulated several women who make history every day, including the 11 honorees designated for Women's History Month by the National Women's History Project and the New York City Commission on Women. She provided an update on the proposed rules that we have supported to allow asylum for women who are victims of domestic violence or other brutality that is directly or indirectly endorsed by their country's governments. Ms. Bryson also highlighted numerous upcoming events, including the NYWBA Annual Meeting and the Annual Ethics Forum, both in April, and the Women's Bar Convention in New Orleans and the NYWBA Annual Dinner, both in May. To view the President's message in full, click here. .

March 2004

In her March 2004 column, Ms. Bryson notes that NYWBA's membership has increased by over 33 percent from last year, and nearly 50% from two years ago. She praises the terrific work of NYWBA members, Officers, Board members, Committee Chairs, and others who worked on our membership drive and demonstrate why our bar association is so important, strong and vital. She also salutes two people who may not be lawyers but whose contributions are absolutely invaluable to the Association and the NYWBA Foundation - Executive Director Marta Toro and NYWBA Foundation member Denise Coleman. "Our Association is blessed with so many wonderful women and men who contribute their talents." To view the President's message in full, click here.

February 2004

In her February 2004 column, Ms. Bryson discussed the importance of mentoring and networking, especially for women attorneys. She also announces that the Association's Annual Meeting will be on April 28, 2004, when the 2004-05 officers and directors will be elected. Our gala Annual Dinner will be on May 26, 2004. At that event, awards will be presented to Linda Greenhouse, Pulitzer Prize winning author and New York Times reporter covering the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Hon. Jacqueline Silbermann, Administrative Judge of the NY County Supreme Court and Chief Administrative Judge for NYS Matrimonial Courts. To view the President's message in full, click here.

December 2003

In her December 2003 column, NYWBA President Elizabeth Bryson profiled important issues for our military, including the incidents of rape and sexual harassment at our military academies, the scourge of domestic violence, and the shameful track record of "don't ask, don't tell." She also discussed our exciting membership drive and the Reception Honoring Newly Elected and Appointed Judges. To view the President's message in full, click here.

November 2003

In her November 2003 column, NYWBA President Elizabeth Bryson discusses the importance and benefits of membership, as well as the recent visit of distinguished attorneys from Malaysia who were invited by the U.S. State Department to meet with NYWBA representatives. To view the President's message in full, click here.

NYWBA is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites, and the contents of web pages we link to may change without notice.