News & Articles

On April 23rd, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the NYS Bar Center (One Elk Street in Albany), please join the Friends as we celebrate the legacy of Judge Cardona's good works and present the second annual Hon. Anthony V. Cardona Award in recognition of the service individuals and organizations do on behalf of children and families in need.  This year's award recipients are Margaret Diggs, Albany County Youth Bureau Director, and WMHT for its Ready to Learn early literacy skills program and its support of the Center’s programming.
The Children’s Center at Albany County Family Court serves over a thousand children each year, providing a safe haven and nurturing environment for children while their caregivers take care of court business. Your support is needed to continue the valuable services of the Center and to further the Center's mission. Donation levels: $45 (Friend), $75 (Sponsor), and $100 (Patron).  For additional information, please call Margaret Vella at 439-6001. Thank you.

IABA’s ANNUAL DINNER
The Italian American Bar Association’s Annual Dinner (a.k.a. Judge Caruso's Dinner) will be held on April 25, 2013 at the Rotterdam Elks, 1152 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12306.  Cocktails will be at 6:00 PM and the dinner commencing at 7:00 PM.  The Hon. Richard T. Aulisi will receive the Hon. Anthony V. Cardona Award.    The cost for members is $40; Non-members $50 and Students, $25.  Please make checks payable to the Italian American Bar Association and mail to Jean Mahserjian, 1741 Route 9, Clifton Park, NY 12065.  Please RSVP to Jean at 383-1182 or jmm@jeanmahserjian.com or italianamericanbar@gmail.com or to the Hon. Vito Caruso at 285-8415 or vcaruso@courts.state.ny.us.   

CLE SEMINAR
Sneeringer Monahan Provost Redgrave Title Agency, in association with First American Title Insurance Co. is hosting a seminar entitled “Ethical Considerations in Real Estate and Title Insurance” on March 21st at 8:15 am presented by Antonio Vozza with a panel including Nicholas Ihnatolya and Robert Sneeringer at the NYS Nurses Association.  Please RSVP to Jessica Collette at jcollette@smprtitle.com no later than March 15th.

CDTLA
The Capital District Trial Lawyers Association will be presenting a CLE entitled “Litigating Assisted Living Claims” on March 21st at 11:50 am at the Italian American Community Center.  Speaker will be Sean Doolan and the fee to attend is $25 for members and $35 for non-members.  Please contact Thomas Mortati at 862-1386 or tom@bsmhlawfirm.com no later than March 15th.

COURT OF APPEALS JUSTICES TO CONVENE AT ALBANY LAW
Justices from the New York State Court of Appeals will convene to discuss the court's procedure and inner workings for the Albany Law Review's Seventh Annual Chief Judge Lawrence H. Cooke State Constitutional Commentary Symposium on March 21, 2013.  Participating justices for the event, titled "The New York Court of Appeals: The Untold Secrets of Eagle Street," will include:  Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, Judge Victoria Graffeo,  Judge Susan Read,  Judge Robert Smith,  Judge Eugene Pigott, Jr., and Judge Jenny Rivera.  "The New York Court of Appeals: The Untold Secrets of Eagle Street," free and open to the public, will be held in Albany Law School's Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom on Thursday, March 21, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information, contact Michelle Mallette, Albany Law Review editor for state constitutional commentary, at mmallette@albanylaw.edu or Professor Vincent Bonventre at vbonv@albanylaw.edu or 472-5856.

RCBA
The Rensselaer County Bar Association will be holding their Annual Meeting and Dinner – Honoring 50 Year Members on June 20th.

NOMINATIONS WANTED
The NYSBA Committee on Lawyer Referral Service is seeking nominations for the 2013 Angelo T. Cometa Award.  The award recognizes any individual or group in NYS demonstrating an extraordinary commitment toward advancing the goals of the Lawyer Referral and Information Service to assist the public in obtaining information about available legal services and providing referrals to private attorneys as needed.  Nomination deadline is February 19th and the award will be presented on April 5th at the House of Delegates Meeting in Albany.  For an online application, please contact www.nysba.org/cometaaward.

RCBA
Save the dates for the upcoming events for the Rensselaer County Bar Association:
March 4  Annual Memorial Service
March 7  Newly Elected/Appointed and Retired Judges Dinner (see page 2 of this newsletter for additional information)
June 20  Annual Meeting and Dinner – Honoring 50 Year Members

PUBLIC COMMENT
A letter from Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti was received with an update on the progress and anticipated future expansion of mandatory e-filing in the New York State courts (the full text of Chapter 184 can be found at www.nycourts.gov/efile).

Also received were two rules proposals for public comment:  

1.  Proposals regarding access to forensic evaluation reports in child custody cases.

2.  Proposed amendments of 22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 202.12(b) and (c)(3) and 22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 202.70(g) (Commercial Division Rule 8), requiring counsel to confer prior to the preliminary conference in cases reasonably likely to involve electronic discovery.

Comments on both proposals are due no later than Friday, March 8, 2013.  For information and submission details, Contact John W. McConnell, Counsel, OCA, 25 Beaver Street, 11th Fl., New York, NY 10004 - 212-428-2150.

NOMINATIONS WANTED
The ABA ‘s Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division is seeking nominations for three national awards designated to recognize the extraordinary achievements of public lawyers:  The Dorsey Award for Outstanding Public Defender or Legal Aid Lawyer; the Hodson Award for Public Service; and, the Nelson Award for Outstanding Service to the ABA.  Nominations due by April 8th.  For more information, visit the website at www.governmentlawyers.org or contact Kiren Jahangeer at 202-662-1023 or kiren.jahangeer@americanbar.org.

ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS
Do you sometimes feel like a fish out of water?  The Albany Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) is here to help!  The ALA is an international legal services organization, and is the only organization that is dedicated to the support of legal administrators and the enhancement of the legal management profession.  The Albany Chapter, one of over 100 chapters in the ALA, currently consists of 40+ legal administrators from firms in the Capital District. Is your firm’s Administrator a member?  Please contact Chapter President Sue Weidman of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna (518-587-7600; sweidman@woh.com), for more information. Visit us at www.albanyala.org.

RENSSELAER COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
Requests the attendance of the members of the ACBA at a dinner honoring the newly elected Hon. Debra J. Young (County Court, Rensselaer) and Hon. Catherine Cholakis (Family Court, Rensselaer); the appointment of Hon. Christian F. Hummel (US Magistrate); and, the retirement of Honorable Robert M. Jacon on March 7, 2013 at Franklin Plaza, Fourth and Grand Streets, Troy.  Please RSVP by Feb. 28th by pone to the Chambers of Hon. Edward O. Spain, 285-6159, with your choice of entrée, Seared Salmon w. Mango Salso, Chicken Picata, Filet Mignon – Chianti Reduction or Penne Primavera.  The fee is $50 and includes an open bar.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Comments from members of the bar and the public are invited as to whether the incumbent Magistrate Judge, Larry A. Kudrle, should be recommended for reappointment by the court.  Comments should be directed to Committee Chair: in care of Lawrence K. Baerman, Clerk of the Court, U.S. District Court, 100 S. Clinton St., P.O. Box 7367, Syracuse, NY 13261-7367.  Comments must be received by May 31, 2013.

MEMORANDUM TO THE BAR
Motion Practice and Conferences with Judge Buchanan Schenectady and Essex Counties
Motions should be filed and served with a return date selected by counsel for the moving party, as would normally be the case for a motion made on submission.  Motions made on consent, made without opposition, or which otherwise do not require argument will be decided by written decision and/or order.  All other motions will be set down for oral argument on at least two weeks notice to counsel.  At oral argument, most motions will receive a decision from the bench.
Conferences can be requested via RJI form, or if an RJI has already been filed, then by letter copied to opposing counsel.
If you have questions, contact chambers at 518-451-8755 or e-mail either Tom Bell tbell@nycourts.gov, or Caroline Welch cswelch@nycourts.gov.