WWBA November 2019 Newsletter - M

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○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ WWBA AND JALBCA HOLD JOINT PROGRAM Hon. Sandra A. Forster WWBA and JALBCA (Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert) held a joint program on October 30, 2019 at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains. This was the third year in a row that the program was held. The program was introduced by Judge Sondra Miller who had established the JALBCA with Judge Judith Kaye in 1992. Judge Miller explained how the need for breast health created a desire to set up an organization to help women. Dr. Alisan B. Goldfarb is a breast cancer doctor who lectures at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Goldfarb discussed the statistics for getting breast cancer. She highlighted what factors can increase the risk of breast cancer, namely smoking, estrogen intake and obesity. Other risk factors include genetic inheritance, certain foods, alcohol, too much exposure to the sun, living in the metropolitan area and viruses. In sum, she stated that no one is 0% or 100 % at risk. She did emphasize that on should have mammographies on a regular basis. Dr. Randy Stevens is the Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the White Plains Hospital Center for Cancer Care. She discussed the importance of having breast exams, mammographies, 3D mammographies, ultrasound and breast MRIs. She analyzed the pros and cons of each test, but stressed the importance of early detection. She stated that not taking a test because a woman states that she had the test last year is insufficient to Caption: (left to right) Hon. Sandra Forster, Angela Morcone Giannini, Hon. Sondra Miller, Dr. Randy Stevens, Dr. Alisan B. Goldfarb protect her from risks. Dr. Stevens said that women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for breast cancer and require an ultrasound to analyze the thick white mass that is part of the breast. She discussed the age recommendations for tests which should begin at age 40 and should continue every year, despite New York State’s recommendation for a test every two years. Both doctors were very gracious and took time to answer everyone’s question. Their presentations were informative and provided insight into current testing changes and requirements. ◗ Jamie O’Connell Wealth Director 701 Westchester Avenue White Plains, NY 10604 T 914 299 3050 F 955 498 2839 jamie.o’connell@bnymellon.com www.bnymellonwealth.com A Leader in Serving the Legal Services Community. That’s Sterling. Expect the highest caliber of personal service and banking expertise. Expect extraordinary. Contact banking professionals experienced in serving your unique needs at 914-367-9000, or email team556@snb.com Larry McElroen, Senior Managing Director Michael Henderson, Senior Managing Director Anthony Forgione, Managing Director Moira Kiernan, Managing Director Luis Rivera, Associate Managing Director To learn about Sterling’s full suite of services, visit snb.com. Member FDIC Page 6 Westchester Women’s Bar Association News
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ An Interview with Amy Puerto Susan L. Pollet Chair of the Archive and Historian Committee Q: When did you join the WWBA, and why did you join it? A: I occasionally attended events hosted by the WWBA in the past, but officially joined a little over a year ago. It was important to me to network with other women similarly situated and to share my experiences and knowledge with women starting their legal careers. Q: Which WWBA activities have you been involved in? A: I am the co-chair of the criminal law committee. Q: Please tell our members about your legal career. A: I began my career in the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office right out of law school. When I started, I worked in the Appeals and Special Litigation Division writing motions, as most ADA’s do. Next, I worked in the Grand Jury and Local Courts Division in branches in Mount Vernon, Yonkers, and Northern Westchester. After that, I worked in the Career Criminal Bureau of the Superior Court Trial Division prosecuting felony cases. In 2007, I became the Deputy Chief of the Domestic Violence Bureau in the Special Prosecutions Division where I prosecuted domestic violence and child abuse cases, and supervised other attorneys doing the same. After several years, I began to explore other professional opportunities and in January of 2016, joined Westchester County Court Judge Helen M. “It pleases me to see that for the most part, the legal community of Westchester County offers more professional opportunities to women than ever before.” Blackwood as her Principal Court Attorney. Since 2018, Judge Blackwood has been designated as an Acting Supreme Court Justice handling civil matters, and in 2019, Acting Surrogate Judge. Additionally, she is one of the two Youth Part judges in Westchester County under the recent Raise the Age legislation, so I’ve really learned so much more than I ever expected to in this role. Q: In your experience, how has the landscape changed over the course of your legal career, if at all, for women law students and women lawyers in Westchester County. A: While in law school, I interned at a personal injury law firm, the DA’s Office, and for a Kings County Court Judge. During that time, as well as in the early part of my career, I felt like I was surrounded by men everywhere I went. About half way through my career, that seemed to change. I started noticing the moments when there were more females in the courtroom than men – the judge was a woman, the prosecutor (me) was a woman, and the defense attorney was a woman. Those were memorable moments for me and now they occur quite frequently. I’m proud to say that today, there are more women on the Westchester County Court bench than men – this was not the case when I began my legal career. It pleases me to see that for the most part, the legal community of Westchester County offers more professional opportunities to women than ever before. Of course, there’s always progress to be made, and I think the existence of the WWBA is instrumental in attaining that equality. Q: What are your other community activities when you are not practicing law or contributing to the WWBA? A: I have been every active in the PTA at my children’s schools and volunteer in their extracurricular activities as much as possible. I’m also a member of my town’s Democratic Committee, as well as the Democratic Club. Q: How have you balanced your legal career with your family responsibilities over the years. A: Balancing work and familylife has been the biggest challenge of my career, and frankly, I’m still working on it. I am extremely fortunate to have my parents close by and have relied on them for help with my children throughout the years. Also, I have been very lucky to find excellent care-givers for my children. I believe that a supportive partner and good, reliable help are the keys to making it all work. Surprisingly, as my children got older, they needed me more, not less, Amy Puerto which is not what I expected. As they say, little children, little problems, big children, big problems, and that is definitely true! One of the reasons why I left the DA’s Office when I did was because I was struggling with balancing my job, particularly trying cases, and handling all of my family responsibilities. My current position allows me to balance my career and my family much better and still offers me the professional fulfillment I need. Q: What advice would you like to give to women lawyers entering the legal profession. A: A very dear friend and colleague of mine once advised me that you can have it all, just not at the same time and I’ve never forgotten those words. If you choose to have a family, don’t be afraid to take a step back from your career or make a change in your career to simplify things. There’s absolutely no shame in making that choice, despite what you may be feeling. Opportunities will be waiting for you when you’re ready to find them. ◗ Westchester Women’s Bar Association News Page 7
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WWBA November 2019 Newsletter - M

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