WWBA April 2018 Newsletter

Westchester Women’s Bar Association

APRIL 2018

WWBA

WWBA General Membership Meeting

Presents Perspectives on Sexual

Harassment in the Workplace in the

Wake of #MeToo

Tanya Briendel

T

he Spring General Membership

Meeting was held

the evening of March 22,

2018 at the Elisabeth Haub School

of Law at Pace University. Fifty

people attended an excellent presentation

entitled “Perspectives on

Sexual Harassment in the Wake of

#MeToo.“ The esteemed panel consisted

of the Honorable Lisa M. Smith,

District Court for the Southern District

of New York, the Honorable Linda

Jamieson, Supreme Court

Westchester County, Kim Berg, Esq.,

Gould & Berg, LLP, Susan Corcoran,

Esq., Jackson Lewis, P.C. and was

moderated by Sara Kula, Esq.,

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

APRIL 2018

WWBA Participates in

Read Across America

(page 4)

An Interview with

Hon. Larry Schwartz

(page 7)

Litigation Tip: E-filing

Reaches Appellate Division

(page 9)

Upcoming Events

(page 12)

continued on page 5 ➥

General Membership Meeting Panel

Susan Corcoran, Esq., Hon. Linda Jamieson,

Hon. Lisa M. Smith, Kim Berg, Esq., and Sara

Kula, Esq.

SAVE THE DATE

RESOLVING FAMILY

DISPUTES

COLLABORATIVELY

April 17, 2018

McCarthy Fingar, LLP

White Plains, New York

Westchester Women’s Bar Association News

news

www.wwbany.org

JURY SELECTION

AND RACE

April 24, 2018

Keane & Beane, P.C.

White Plains, New York

WWBA ANNUAL DINNER

June 6, 2018

Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club

Mamaroneck, New York

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

I saw the first,

purple crocus valiantly

pushing itself

heavenward in my

front yard yesterday

and I could not

help but feel a

glimmer of hope

that this gray and Lisa M. Denig

difficult winter

might just be behind us at last. Funny,

how these smallest and most fragile

of spring flowers are the first to muster

up the energy and strength to burst

from the hardened soil and bring

with them the exuberant message of

spring.

This thought quickly reminded

me of the recent book read and discussed

by the WWBA Book Club –

“Sisters In Law: How Sandra Day

O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Went to the Supreme Court and

Changed the World.” Justice

Ginsburg, who turned 85 years old

on March 15, 2018, could not be

any tinier and often appears frail and

fragile, but, oh, the power and exuberance

she brought to her work as

an attorney advancing women’s

rights and, now, as a Supreme Court

Justice, ensuring that those rights are

not trampled.

It was inspiring to read about her

prodigious body of work at the ACLU

and her unflagging determination to

constantly “push the envelope” in her

quest for equality. While most of the


Page 1

The Westchester Women’s Bar Association is a Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York

WWBA Member Newsletter

APRIL 2018

Published Monthly by the

Westchester Women’s

Bar Association, a Chapter of

the Women’s Bar Association

of the State of New York

~ 2017/2018 Officers and Directors ~

President LISA M. DENIG

President-Elect KIM BERG

Vice Presidents

AMANDA C. FRIED JENNIFER L. GRAY HON. LISA M. SMITH

Treasurer

ANGELA MORCONE GIANNINI Recording Secretary NATANYA BRIENDEL

Corresponding Secretary ELIZABETH Z. MARCUS

Immediate Past ast President

SUSAN EDWARDS COLSON

Elected Directors Westchester Board

GAIL M. BOGGIO HÉLÈNE CÔTÉ LONYA A. GILBERT

SHARI R. GORDON ADRIENNE J. ORBACH

State Directors Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York

ROBIN D. CARTON KITLEY S. COVILL SUSAN EDWARDS COLSON

DONNA E. FROSCO MARIAN GENIO THERESA A. GIROLAMO

ANNETTE G. HASAPIDIS JANE SILVERMAN

Executive Director ELISABETH CAMPOS

© Copyright 2017 Westchester Women’s Bar Association. All rights reserved.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) only and do not reflect the official position of the Association.

Editor-in-Chief: Elizabeth Z. Marcus • Designed and Printed by IPM Media Group, Inc. (516) 809-0501

2017-2018 WWBA Committee Chairs

S T A N D I N G C O M M I T T E E S

By-Laws ............................................. Hélène Côté, Anna L. Georgiou

Corporate & Commercial ........................ Lisa M. Bluestein, Eva David

Criminal Law ....... Kitley S. Covill, Lisa M. Denig, Hon. Sandra A. Forster

Families, Children & the Courts ........... Shari R. Gordon, Joy S. Joseph,

Lauren Morrissey

Grievance/Ethics ............................ Kitley S. Covill, Deborah A. Scalise

Judicial Screening ............... Hon. Sandra A. Forster, Loren I. Glassman

Judiciary .......... Hon. Delores Scott Brathwaite, Hon. Linda S. Jamieson

Lawyering & Parenting .......... Joelle M. Burton, Jana Kosberg-Kleidman

Legislation ................................................. Angela Morcone Gianinni

Matrimonial .......... Robin Carton, Dolores Gebhardt, Lonya A. Gilbert

Annual Dinner ......... Robin D. Carton, Lisa M. Denig, Jennifer L. Gray,

Jennifer N. Netrosio, Katie Wendle

Annual Dinner Souvenir Journal .............................. Andrea Friedman

Appellate Practice ....................... Lisa M. Denig, Hon. Mark C. Dillon,

Hon. Sondra M. Miller, Hon. Robert A. Spolzino

Archive & Historian ..................................................... Susan L. Pollet

Awards .................................................. Elizabeth Barnhard, Kim Berg

Deborah Farber-Kaiser

Bankruptcy ................... Susan Mills Richmond, Wendy Marie Weathers

Breast Cancer Awareness ...................................... Adrienne J. Orbach

Collaborative Law ............................. Kathleen Donelli, Lynn J. Maier,

Hon. Sondra M. Miller

Community Outreach ... Deborah A. Scalise, Hon. Lisa Margaret Smith

Continuing Legal Education ..................................... Ann M. McNulty

Construction ........................................... Aisling Brady, Sushmita Roy

Diversity in Membership ........... Jacqueline Hattar, Stephanie Melowsky

Domestic Violence ........... Natanya L. Briendel, Beth Levy, Audrey Stone

Education Law ....................... Adrienne J. Arkontaky, Julie P. Passman,

Susan Mills Richmond

Elder & Health Law & Reproductive Rights ....... Elizabeth A. Cumming,

Shari R. Gordon, Moira Laidlaw

Employment Law ................................................ Kim Berg, Sara Kula

Environmental & Land Use .......... Lucia Chiocchio, Anna L. Georgiou,

Jennifer L. Gray, Katherine Zalantis

Gender Dynamics ...................................... Hon. Terry Jane Ruderman

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

A D H O C C O M M I T T E E S

Membership ............................................... Sherry Bishko, Hélène Côté

Networking ............................................ Arin Liebman, Suzanne Volpe

New Lawyers ................................... Elizabeth Z. Marcus, Katie Wendle

Professional Development ......... Susan Edwards Colson, Adam J. Krim,

Stephanie Melowsky

Programs .......................................... Natanya Briendel, Amanda Fried

Public Relations ............................... Joelle M. Burton, Jennifer L. Gray

Real Property ................................... Allyson Magliery, Michelle Murphy

Sponsorship .......................... Susan Edwards Colson, Lucia Chiocchio

Taxation ....................................................................................... TBD

Trusts & Estates ........ Gail M. Boggio, Nancy J. Rudolph, Karen J. Walsh

Golf & Tennis Outing ................................................................ TBD

Holiday Party and Boutique ...... Dolores Gebhardt, Jennifer N. Netrosio

Immigration .............................................................................. TBD

Insurance Law ........................................................................... TBD

Intellectual Property .............. Elizabeth M. Barnhard, Donna E. Frosco,

Theresa O’Rourke Nugent

Judgment Enforcement & Collections .............. Christopher T. Bonante,

Daniel F. Florio, Jr.

Litigation ...................... Angela Morcone Giannini, Jacqueline Hattar

Kimberly Sheehan

Long Range Planning ................ Carla D. Glassman, Linda Markowitz

Ann M. McNulty

Mediation ............................ Amy Carron Day, Hon. Sondra M. Miller,

Lauren S. Morrissey, Abby Rosmarin

Network of Bar Leaders ............................................. Donna E. Frosco

Pace Board of Visitors ................................................ Gail M. Boggio

Past Presidents ........... Jane Bilus Gould, Mary F. Kelly, Linda Markowitz

Practice Management .............. Jamieson L. Keiser, Jennifer N. Netrosio

Wendy Marie Weathers

Pro Bono ........................................... Marian Genio, Natalie Sobchak

Social Media .............. Hélène Côté, Kristen Motel, Jennifer N. Netrosio

Technology/Website .......... Donna E. Frosco, Theresa O’Rourke Nugent

WCA Board Delegate ............................................ Anthony Morando

WWBA Foundation President ..................................... Susan S. Brown

WWBA Representative Director to the WCBA Board .. Dolores Gebhardt

Page 2


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President’s Message

from page 1

“Too often women –

especially those of us

who hover around

five feet tall – are

immediately judged

to be meek and frail

and must work

doubly hard to be

taken seriously

whether it be in the

courtroom or in other

phases of our very

complicated, very

demanding lives”

nation is now quite aware of what a

powerhouse she is, I wonder if, early in

her career, her small stature lulled opposition

attorneys into a sense of false

complacency! She is my first inspiring

“crocus” of this spring.

In last month’s column, I briefly mentioned

the group of young gymnasts

who stood to face their abuser at the

sentencing proceeding after he was

convicted of sexually assaulting them.

Nearly 200 young women, most of

whom barely stood five-feet tall, conjured

up the bravery and courage to

tell their stories and urge the judge to

hold the defendant responsible for the

damage he had done.

Rachel Denhollander, the first

woman to accuse Larry Nassar of sexually

abusing her, implored the Court:

“How much is a little girl worth?” Aly

Raisman, the Olympic gold-medal winning

gymnast, stopped several times

during her speech to glare defiantly at

Nassar, refusing to cower in the presence

of the man who had repeatedly

hurt her. These petite heroines are also

like the tiny crocuses in my yard, bravely

throwing off the dark and heavy soil of

shame and confusion and, perhaps


Editor’s Note

“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.”

Making Dates and Getting Published

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

❑ Deadline for newsletter submissions is the 12th of the month prior to publication (submissions

received after the deadline are subject to the discretion of the editor).

❑ Send submissions as email attachments to Elizabeth Z. Marcus at elizabeth.z.marcus@gmail.com.

❑ Articles should be 1,000 words or fewer. Remove all pagination, headers, footers or other

formatting, other than bold, underline or italics. Authors are encouraged to submit photographs

for publication with their submissions and include a short biographical statement with

their submissions.

❑ Materials submitted allow the WWBA a limited copyright and full permission to reprint the

material in any WWBA publication or on its website without additional consent.

❑ Photographs must be high-resolution (150 dpi or more) and the subject and all persons in

each photograph must be fully identified.

PROGRAM SCHEDULING

❑ First visit the WWBA website: www.wwbany.org and click on the calendar at the home page to

view scheduled programs. Conflicts in scheduling will be assessed on a case by case basis, with

priority for early submissions.

❑ Contact Elizabeth Z. Marcus at elizabeth.z.marcus@gmail.com to schedule a WWBA sponsored

or co-sponsored program, including committee meetings, CLE programs, etc.

❑ Once you have reserved the date with Elizabeth Z. Marcus, proceed with planning your

program and creating your flyer.

❑ Flyers must be approved by the Programs Committee. In advance of the 12th of the month,

please send your flyer to the Program Committee Co-chairs for review and copy the Executive

Director. Once approved, please send your final flyer to the Executive Director, Elizabeth Z.

Marcus and the President for publication on the website calendar and the newsletter calendar.

The final flyer will also be emailed to the membership.

❑ We will also consider publicizing programs from outside organizations that may be of interest

to our members.

❑ Post-event: You may report on the success of your program and provide photographs of the

speakers and participants that can be included in an upcoming newsletter. Send your submission

to Elizabeth Z. Marcus, following the guidelines above.

A d v e r t i s i n g R a t e s

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Contacts

~ Melinda Gates

Elizabeth Z. Marcus, Corresponding Secretary and Newsletter Editor-in-Chief: elizabeth.z.marcus@gmail.com

Natanya Briendel, Programs Committee Co-Chair: nbriendel@law.pace.edu

Amanda C. Fried, Programs Committee Co-Chair: afried@cartonrosoff.com

Lisa M. Denig, President: president@wwbany.org

Ann M. McNulty, CLE Chair: ann.m.mcnulty@morganstanley.com

Elisabeth Campos, Executive Director: executivedirector@wwbany.org

Quarter Page Display Ad



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WWBA PARTICIPATES IN READ ACROSS

AMERICA DAY IN YONKERS

Jacqueline Hattar, Esq.

The WWBA celebrated Read Across

America Day on March 2, 2018 at the

Eugenio Maria de Hostos MicroSociety

School in Yonkers, New York.

It is a pre-kindergarten

through eighth grade school

with over 600 students located

in southwest Yonkers,

and its minority enrollment is

approximately 97 percent of

the student body. The volunteers

included Shari Gordon,

Stephanie Melowsky

and Julie Passman.

The staff, students and

parents who compose the

community at the Hostos

School are dedicated to providing

an atmosphere in

which excellence and equality

in education are valued

and achieved by every stu-

dent so that they become

productive members of our

multicultural society.

The Westchester chapter

was one of the first

WBASNY chapters to participate

in the Read Across

America program in the Yonkers

Public School approximately

11 years ago. During

the course of their involvement

in this program,

the chapter has donated

books, t-shirts and school

supplies. We look forward

to participating in the Read

Across America program

next year. ◗

Shari Gordon and Julie Passman

Julie Passman

Page 4


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Perspectives on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

from page 1

DelBello Donnellan

Weingarten Wise &

Wiederkehr, LLP.

Ms. Berg commenced

the substantive portion of the

evening with an overview of

the process from a plaintiff’s

perspective. She was followed

by Ms. Corcoran who

spoke about best practices

for employers. Judges Smith

and Jamieson participated

in both presentations with

updates on recent case law

and provided practical sug-

gestions for case resolution.

The panel had created

several fact patterns to use in

their presentations, which

were referred to by the speakers

throughout the evening.

The audience was actively engaged

and asked numerous

questions throughout the two

hour presentation covering

such issues as whether to bring

a matter in federal or state

court, when an action is time

barred and what types of recovery

are available to victims.

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General Membership Meeting March 22, 2018

THE WWBA PAINTS THE TOWN!

On January 18, 2018, the WWBA’s Networking Committee hosted “Paint Night” at

Muse Paint Bar in White Plains. The event brought WWBA members together for a

fun-filled night of networking. It was indeed a masterpiece!


Page 5

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Magistrate Judge:

NEVER BE “TOO BUSY” TO BE A MENTOR

“Be on the lookout for opportunities to mentor

others, and take them when those opportunities

arise. Rather than make excuses, such as thinking,

‘I’m too busy,’ or ‘This could be a waste of my time,’

realize that the opposite is more likely to be true.”

Christian Nolan

Judge Lisa Margaret

Smith, United States Magistrate

Judge for the Southern

District of New York, says you

can never be too busy to

mentor someone else.

“Be on the lookout for

opportunities to mentor others,

and take them when

those opportunities arise,”

said Smith. “Rather than

making excuses, such as

thinking, ’I’m too busy,’ or

’This could be a waste of my

time,’ realize that the opposite

is more likely to be true.

Moreover, even if the

mentoring opportunity does

not bear fruit, you likely will

not have lost anything but a

few minutes of your time.”

Smith recalled an unexpected

mentoring experience

last fall.

“When I was attending

family weekend at my

daughter’s college, I happened

to overhear a mom

talking to another parent

about her daughter, named

Kathryn. She was a senior at

the college, majoring in legal

studies with a minor in

computer and digital forensics,”

Smith explained.

“As I unashamedly listened

in, I learned that

Kathryn was pursuing a career

focusing on e-discovery,

and particularly the need for

effective communications

between forensic professionals

and legal professionals.

I, too, have an interest in e-

discovery, and I thought I

might be able to help her. I

spoke to her mother, and

very shortly thereafter

Kathryn and I began a correspondence,

the highlight

of which was her creation of

a survey which I was able to

distribute to a number of legal

and forensic professionals

involved in e-discovery.”

Smith said the survey results

were to be used in

Kathryn’s senior project.

“This opportunity to

mentor a young woman in

a law-related field arose

from a chance encounter,

and has been rewarding for

both of us,” said Smith.

Smith’s remarks about

mentoring came in accep-

~ Judge Lisa Margaret Smith

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tance of the 2018 Kay

Crawford Murray Award presented

by the Committee on

Women in the Law of the

New York State Bar Association.

Smith received her award

on January 23 during the

Association’s Annual Meeting

in New York City. The award

recognizes an attorney who


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Kay Crawford Murray Award: Lisa Margaret Smith, United States

Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York, center, is the

2018 recipient of the Kay Crawford Murray Award, presented by the

Committee on Women in the Law. Patricia L. Angley and Jacqueline

Hattar, co-chairs of the Awards Subcommittee are at left and

Committee Chair Susan Harper and NYSBA President Sharon Stern

Gerstman are at right. (Photo by Richard A. Smith)

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Page 6


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An Interview with Honorable Larry Schwartz

Susan L. Pollet

Chair of the Archive and

Historian Committee

Q: Please tell us about your

legal career.

A: I began my career in the

early 1980s as an Assistant

District Attorney in the

Rockland County DA’s office.

After leaving the District

Attorney’s office, I was

a partner and principal of

Klinger & Schwartz in

Haverstraw, New York

where my practice included

criminal defense and civil

litigation.

While in private practice,

from 1998 until taking

the bench this year, I served

as a part-time assistant

public defender at the

Rockland County Public

Defender’s office. I was an

active member of the

Rockland County Drug

Court team and served on

the board of the Rockland

County Drug Court Executive

Committee. In 1993, I

became a founding partner

of Schwartz & Silverstein

LLP in New City where I

maintained a varied practice

until this past December.

Q: Why did you become a

judge?

A: The thought of becoming

a judge appealed to

me from my earliest days

as a practicing attorney.

I’ve always believed the

courtroom should be an

orderly and dignified

place where the voices of

all participants are heard.

As an attorney, I saw the

difference that reasoned

and patient judges made

in the outcome of a case. I

“My advice for new lawyers is

to find ways to distinguish

themselves and develop skills

and knowledge bases that are

unique and in demand. I also

recommend they develop

meaningful relationships in the

legal community and seek advice

from experienced practitioners.”

wanted to make that difference.

After practicing law for

over three decades, I saw taking

the bench as a unique

opportunity to embrace the

challenge of applying my legal

experience in a different

and meaningful way.

Q: What community activities

are you involved in?

A: I have been involved in

several legal and community

organizations throughout

Rockland County. I’m currently

a member of the board

of directors and former secretary

of the board for the

Rockland County Bar Association.

In addition, I am a

member of the board of directors

and former president

of Community Awareness

Network for a Drug-Free Life

and Environment (CANDLE),

a youth organization in

Rockland County. I also serve

on the board of directors of

the Rockland Conservatory of

Music.

Q: How have you balanced

your work and family life over

the years?

A: It was always a challenge

to balance work and family

life. The biggest advantage

I had was that I always practiced

in the same community

in which I lived. Even though

I often worked long hours,

the proximity of my offices

to my home frequently enabled

me to adjust my

schedule so I could attend

school events and my

children’s activities. I was always

mindful of the importance

of family and strove

to make my family a priority.

Q: What advice do you have

for new lawyers entering the

profession, and for seasoned

lawyers continuing in it?

A: My advice for new lawyers

is to find ways to distinguish

themselves and develop

skills and knowledge

bases that are unique and in

demand. I also recommend

they develop meaningful relationships

in the legal community

and seek advice from

experienced practitioners.

I also would encourage

new lawyers to join bar associations.

It’s so much more

Hon. Larry Schwartz

enjoyable to practice law as

a part of a community than

from the solitude of your office.

Seasoned lawyers

probably do not need advice

from me. But I will offer

the reminder that we should

all continue to make our

health and well-being a priority.

It is too easy to become

so engulfed in our work that

we forget to take proper

care of ourselves. The more

we neglect ourselves, the less

we can attend to the needs

of others, whether they are

clients, family, or friends.

Q: You were recently elected

County Court Judge in

Rockland County but are sitting

in Westchester. How are

you enjoying your assignment

in White Plains?

A: When I first arrived in

White Plains, I knew almost

no one. Everyone in the

courthouse who I work with,

without exception, has been

helpful and supportive. I am

also quite impressed by the

Westchester bar. I have

found almost all the attorneys

to be quite knowledgeable,

professional and helpful

to the court. ◗


Page 7

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NEVER BE “TOO BUSY” TO BE A MENTOR

from page 6

enhances diversity in the profession and

advances the professional development

of women attorneys. The committee created

the award in Murray’s honor in

2008.

Murray, who died in January, was

the former general counsel to the New

York City Department of Juvenile Justice

and was active with the State Bar

Association for many years, including

serving as chair of the Committee on

Women in the Law.

Mentoring is a Challenge

Smith said the award gives credit

to professionals who serve as active

mentors for women attorneys, “but it is

important that we support and encourage

all those who face challenges,

whether it is because of their gender, or

their race, or their sexual identity, or their

age, or their disability status, or simply

their circumstance in life.”

Smith recalled a young black man

named William who appeared before

her in court charged with a serious crime

and later pled guilty to a misdemeanor.

“William had a few stumbles, but

eventually he served his probationary

sentence, and he chose a path that led

him to attend Pace Law School, where I

came to know him again as a student

in my evidence class,” recalled Smith.

When William graduated from

Pace Law School, Smith was among

those congratulating him, but his trials

did not end there, as he struggled to

gain admittance to the Bar because of

the criminal conviction. Smith is proud

to say that William is now a full member

of the New York Bar “and that he

did so, in some small part, due to my

No Excuses: 2018 Kay Crawford Murray Award recipient Judge Lisa Margaret Smith says that

it is important that “we support and encourage all those who face challenges.”

(Photo by Richard A. Smith)

presence as a mentor in his life,” said

Smith.

“Do not give up on those you come

into contact with. Mentoring is a challenge,

but you will attain the greatest

satisfaction when someone you have

mentored achieves his or her goal, despite

the steepest odds,” said Smith.

Sharing Knowledge

Smith, who sits in White Plains, was

originally appointed in 1995 as a magistrate

judge. From 2006 to 2008, she

served as chief magistrate judge for the

Southern District.

Before her appointment to the

bench, Smith was an assistant U.S. attorney

in the Southern District of New

York from 1987 to 1995. She also

served as an assistant district attorney in

“Do not give up on those you come into

contact with. Mentoring is a challenge, but you

will attain the greatest satisfaction when

someone you have mentored achieves his or

her goal, despite the steepest odds.”

~ Judge Lisa Margaret Smith

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Kings County, where she worked her way

up to supervising senior ADA in the Appeals

Bureau. She also spent time as

an assistant attorney general in the Appeals

and Opinions Division of the New

York State Department of Law.

Smith frequently lectures at CLE and

bar association programs, with a particular

focus on e-discovery and evidence.

She is a regular participant in

events that educate children about the

courts, including Take Your Children to

Work Day, an annual program of the

Westchester Women’s Bar Association.

In addition to Murray, Smith said

she was also honored to join the ranks

of such greats as the Honorable

Sondra Miller of the Appellate Division

Second Department, and the Honorable

Jenny Rivera of the New York Court

of Appeals, as a recipient of this

award.

“Kay Crawford Murray personified

a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.,”

said Smith, “which is: ’Life’s most persistent

and urgent question is, what are

you doing for others?’” ◗

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Christian Nolan is a senior writer for the

New York State Bar Association.

Page 8


April Litigation Tip

✦ E-FILING TECHNOLOGY REACHES OUR APPELLATE DIVISION!

On March 1, 2018, all four appellate departments approved mandatory electronic filing

rules for certain appellate cases. The rules apply to cases where the Notice of Appeal is

filed on or after March 1, 2018.*

The new electronic filing rules are codified at 22NYCRR Part 1245 and Attachment A

discusses the formatting rules for the documents that are electronically filed. The new

rules also can be found at www.nycourts.gov/RULES/jointappellate/

22NYCRRPart1245-03-01-2018A.pdf.

The rules do provide for personal exemptions at NYCRR 1245.4(a)(1) and (2) for the

unrepresented litigant and exempt attorneys are defined in the rules and CPLR

2111(b)(3)(a) or (B).

While all the electronic filings are through the NYSCEF system, each department has

very specific rules and differ as to what types of cases require electronic filing. The First

Department requires electronic filing for all appeals on commercial matters originating

in the Supreme Court, Bronx and New York Counties. The Second Department requires

electronic filing of all appeals in matters originating and electronically filed in

the Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Courts in Westchester County. The Third Department

requires electronic filing for all appeals in civil actions commenced by summons

and complaint in the Supreme Court originating in the Third Judicial District and the

Fourth Department requires electronic filing of all appeals in matters originating in, or

transferred to, the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court in the Fourth Judicial

Department.

It is also anticipated that each Department will gradually increase the types of appellate

cases which require electronic filing and therefore attorneys filing appeals should consult

the new rules frequently.

Additional information specific to each department can be accessed through the following

links:

❑ 1st Dept: http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/ad1/efiling.html

❑ 2nd Dept: http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/AD2/efiling

❑ 3rd Dept: http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/ad3

❑ 4th Dept: http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/efile

* Each Department has specific rules with regard to those cases where the Notice of Appeal was filed before

March 1, 2018 and the Appeal will be perfected before May 15, 2018.

Written by Angela Morcone Giannini, Co-Chair, Litigation Committee

Other Co-Chairs: Jacqueline Hattar & Kimberly Sheehan


Page 9

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WWBA New Members

The Westchester Women’s Bar Association

proudly welcomes our newest members:

TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF OUR MEMBERS, THIS

INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE WWBA ONLY.

Chapter News and Announcements

Classifieds

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE – MOUNT KISCO

Two beautiful windowed offices for rent in professional suite.

Regular access to 2 newly renovated, large windowed conference rooms. Part-time

assistant/paralegal/billing services; receptionist; cleaning;

WiFi, copy/scan/fax; Plenty of parking; close to train. Call 914-242-7200 ◗

Become a New

Member Today

RENEW YOUR

WWBA MEMBERSHIP TODAY

FOR THE PERIOD

JUNE 1, 2017 TO MAY 31, 2018.

RENEW NOW! DON’T WAIT!

WWBA Membership includes

membership to the Women’s Bar

Association of the State of New York

(WBASNY).

January 31, 2018 is the closing date in

order to count the WWBA members

towards our certification to WBASNY and

assure our number of delegates.

Renewing before this date will allow our

Westchester Chapter (WWBA) to continue

to be a strong presence in our statewide

organization (WBASNY) while you will

enjoy its many benefits, events,

newsletter and CLE programming.

President’s Message

from page 3

unknowingly, brightly leading us into a future where their courage will most certainly

forge a better path.

And who could be tinier than our own Judge Sondra Miller! Judge Miller’s

small and wispy frame belies a strength and perseverance that dwarfs men twice

her size. Judge Miller was in the first class at Harvard to admit women and she

was also the first woman to be appointed as an Associate Justice in the Appellate

Division, Second Department.

She is one of the “Founding Mothers” of the WWBA and still works tirelessly

to advance the status of women through our organization and at the state level

through her committee work in WBASNY. Every time I see Judge Miller struggle to

reach for a microphone placed too high for her petite size, I wonder how many

judges and opposing attorneys misjudged this amazing woman. She is my favorite

“crocus” of the WWBA.

Too often women – especially those of us who hover around five feet tall –

are immediately judged to be meek and frail and must work doubly hard to be

taken seriously, whether it be in the courtroom or in other phases of our very

complicated, very demanding lives. I hope that the analogy of the crocus has

given you a bit of inspiration to set out to disprove this misconception. Burst forth,

ladies, and show your strength, your bravery and your vibrant colors of hope! ◗

Hélène Côté, Sherry A. Bishko,

Elisabeth Campos

It is easy to renew by going to the

WWBA Website at www.WWBANY.org.

You can use a credit card or

PayPal to make payment.

Page 10


○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

The Westchester Women’s Bar Association

requests the pleasure of your company

at its

ANNUAL DINNER

~ and ~

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

Our Distinguished Keynote Speaker:

HONORABLE KATHIE DAVIDSON

ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE, NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club

Mamaroneck, New York

We also welcome your ad in our Souvenir Journal:

Outside Back Cover - $1,000; Inside Back Cover - $600

Inside Front Cover - $600; Gold Page - $400

Full Page - $350: Half Page - $200; Quarter Page - $150

Please contact Andrea B. Friedman, Esq. at andrea@sarilaw.com

You can also place your ad order online at www.wwbany.org


Page 11

WWBA Schedule of Upcoming Events

COMMITTEE DATE/TIME PLACE TOPIC RSVP (also online at www.wwbany.org)

WWBA Diversity and

Litigation Committees and

NYSBA’s Committee on

Diversity & Inclusion

Families, Children, and the

Courts Committee

WCBA ADR Committee and

WWBA Collaborative Law

Committee

Criminal Law

Committee

4/9/18

Registration –

6:00 PM

Program – 6:15 –

7:30 PM

Light supper will

be provided.

4/10/18

12:30-2:00 PM

Brown bag lunch

4/17/18

12:15 – 1:30 PM

Brown bag lunch

4/24/18

Registration -

5:30 PM

Program – 6:00 –

7:00 PM

Light snacks and

beverages

provided

Board of Directors Meeting 5/2/18

5:30-7:30 PM

Wilson Elser Moskowitz

Edelman & Dicker LLP

1133 Westchester

Avenue

White Plains, NY

(Enter from the Section C

parking lot entrance/

reception area is on the

1 st floor)

Westchester County

Courthouse

9 th Floor (Conference

Room)

111 Dr. Martin Luther

King, Jr. Blvd.

White Plains, Ny

McCarthy Fingar, LLP

11 Martine Avenue

12 th Floor

White Plains, NY

Keane and Beane

Conference Room

445 Hamilton

Suite 1500

White Plains, NY

BNY Mellon

701 Westchester Ave.

White Plains, NY

“A Continuing Lecture

Series on Diversity in

the Legal Profession”

Perspectives from the

Bench and the Bar on

Diversity

CASA in the Courts:

The Mental Health

Association of

Westchester County,

Inc. (MHA) Family

Court’s Court

Appointed Special

Advocates

Resolving Family

Disputes Through the

Collaborative Process:

A Primer

One (1) CLE credit –

Professional practice

“Jury Selection and

Race: A Review of

Recent Batson

Decisions”

One (1) CLE Credit –

Diversity and Inclusion

*Pending approval

Please RSVP no later than April 5,

2018 by registering online at

www.wwbany.org

Space is limited to members of the

sponsoring organizations and

invited guests – PLEASE NO

WALK-INS

Register online by April 2, 2018 at

www.wwbany.org

Seating is limited; RSVP at

http://www.wcbany.org/events/Eve

ntDetails.aspx?id=1073351&group

=

RSVP online at www.wwbany.org

or email

executivedirector@wwbany.org

**Seating is limited, please register

early**

For questions or if you are not able

to attend contact:

Lisa Denig at

president@wwbany.org

WWBA Women in

Professional Transition

Project

5/4/18

1:00 PM

WWBA Annual Dinner 6/6/18

Cocktails – 5:30

PM

Dinner – 7:00 PM

445 Café

445 Hamilton Ave.

White Plains, NY

(Parking is available in

the garage next door;

follow signs for “office

parking”)

Mamaroneck Beach and

Yacht Club

Mamaroneck, NY

“First Fridays” with the

WWBA’s Women in

Professional Transition

Project

Annual Dinner and

Installation of Officers

No RSVP necessary

For more information go to

www.wwbany.org

Register online at

www.wwbany.org

Unless otherwise indicated, events are for WWBA members and invited guests only.

The opinions expressed by any program presenter are the presenter’s own, and do not reflect

the official position of the WWBA.

WWBA is a chapter of WBASNY, which is an approved provider of CLE credit. Full and partial scholarships for CLE programs based

on financial need are available. For information on the guidelines and procedures for applying, please contact the person running

the program. All requests are strictly confidential. All programs are for transitional credit unless the program states otherwise.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN FIND THE WBASNY WEB PAGE

AT WWW.WBASNY.ORG.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECYCLE

Connect

with

us

THE WWBA MEMBERSHIP PERIOD FOR

2017-2018 BEGINS ON JUNE 1, 2017.

PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TOD

ODAY AT

WWW.WWBANY

.WWBANY.ORG

.ORG

WWBA April 2018 Newsletter

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