WWBA February 2021 Newsletter - M

♥ SPECIAL ISSUE IN RECOGNITION OF HEART HEALTH MONTH ♥ 

Westchester Women’s Bar Association 

FEBRUARY 2021 

s the Westchester Women’s Bar Association 

once again “Goes Red” for heart 

health awareness, the Wellness Committee 

offers these seven practical tips for a healthy 

heart: 

♥ 1MOVE MORE 

MOVE MORE 

The CDC suggests that we Move More, Sit Less 

and get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity 

aerobic activity once per week plus muscle strength 

training two days per week. Here’s how: 

❏ Take more walks (added benefit of changing 

your scenery and getting fresh air!) 

❏ Take movement breaks during work 

❏ Do online workouts – Zoom or otherwise, there’s 

a lot out there! 

♥ 2CHOOSE MORE HEAR 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 


WWBA 

news 

www.wwbany.org 

SEVEN TIPS FOR HEART HEALTH 

Jennifer Johnson and Susan Mills Richmond 

Wellness Committee Chairs 

A 

CHOOSE MORE HEART T HEALTHY FOODS 

❏ Eat less saturated fats, more fruits and veggies. 

❏ Prepare your meals in advance so you don’t make 

decisions out of desperation and convenience. 

When the Inadmissible is 

Admissible in Criminal Trials 

(page 4) 

An Interview with 

Amanda K. Rieben 

(page 5) 

WWBA Book Club Thrives 

on Zoom 

(page 8) 

Upcoming Events 

(page 10) 

continued on page 6 ➥ 

SAVE THE DATE 

WWBA BOARD OF 

DIRECTORS MEETING 

February 3, 2021 

LEADING LADY LAWYER 

SERIES: WHAT THE 

“HACK?!” 

February 17, 2021 

28 DAY STEP 

CHALLENGE 

Entire Month of February! 

FREE ZOOM CARDIO 

KICKBOXING CLASS 

Sundays in February 

Westchester Women’s Bar Association News 

PRESIDENT’S 

MESSAGE 

February is 

American Heart 

Month and Go 

Red for Women 

(sometimes referred 

to as Red 

Dress Month). In 

the doldrums of 

winter, and in the 

Hon. Lisa 

continued doldrums 

of the pan- 

Margaret Smith 

demic, we should celebrate good 

health, and work toward continuing 

heart health for ourselves and our 

loved ones. 

The day to Go Red for heart 

health is the first Friday in February, 

which is February 5 this year. Elsewhere 

in this newsletter you will see 

that members of your Executive Committee 

have gone red in anticipation 

of American Heart Month! Even if 

you are working from home and only 

seeing folks on Zoom (if that), we 

encourage you to wear red on at least 

one day in February, as a reminder 

of the importance of protecting our 

heart health. If you do so by February 

10, please forward a photo of 

yourself wearing red to Jill 

Oziemblewski and Jen Robinson 

(jill_oziemblewski@yahoo.com, 

jrobinson72487@gmail.com) for inclusion 

in the March newsletter. National 

Wear Red Day is intended to 

raise awareness for American women 

to know that their number one health 

threat is heart disease. 

WWBA is encouraging all of our 

members to engage in healthy accontinued 

on page 3 ➥ 

Page 1 

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

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WWBA Member Newsletter 


Published Monthly by the 

Westchester Women’s 

Bar Association, a Chapter of 

the Women’s Bar Association 

of the State of New York 

~ 2020/2021 Officers and Directors ~ 

President HON. LISA MARGARET SMITH 

President-Elect AMANDA C. FRIED 

Vice Presidents 

NATANYA L. BRIENDEL JENNIFER GRAY JACQUELINE HATTAR 

Treasurer 

ELIZABETH Z. MARCUS Recording Secretary ELIZABETH Z. MARCUS 

Corresponding Secretary JENNIFER ROBINSON 

Immediate Past ast President 

ANGELA MORCONE GIANNINI 

Elected Directors Westchester Board 

KIM BERG LISA M. DENIG CARLA GLASSMAN 

ANNETTE HASAPIDIS JILL OZIEMBLEWSKI 

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

LUCIA CHIOCCHIO DEBORAH FARBER-KAISER ANN M. McNULTY 

SHARI GORDON ANGELA MORCONE GIANNINI 

ADRIENNE ORBACH SUSAN MILLS RICHMOND JANEEN THOMAS 

Executive Director ELISABETH CAMPOS 

© Copyright 2020 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: Jennifer Robinson • Designed and Printed by IPM Media Group, Inc. (516) 809-0501 

2020-2021 WWBA Committee Chairs 

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

By-Laws ................................................................................... Kim Berg 

Corporate & Commercial .......................... Lisa M. Bluestein, Virginia Trunkes 

Criminal Law ................... Elizabeth Gazay, Hon. Sandra A. Forster, Amy Puerto 

Families, Children & the Courts .................... Joy S. Joseph, Lauren Morrissey 

Amanda Rieben 

Grievance/Ethics .......................................................... Deborah A. Scalise 

Judicial Screening ..................... Hon. Sandra A. Forster, Kimberly C. Sheehan 

Judiciary .............................................................. Hon. Linda S. Jamieson 

Lawyering & Parenting ................................... Joelle M. Burton, Jennifer Gray 

Legislation ............................. Natanya L. Briendel, Angela Morcone Giannini 

Matrimonial .......................................... Robin D. Carton, Dolores Gebhardt 

Lonya A. Gilbert, Andrea Friedman 

Annual Dinner ............... Robin D. Carton, Amanda Fried, Andrea B. Friedman, 

Jennifer L. Gray, Jennifer Netrosio-Johnson, Hon. Lisa Margaret Smith 

Annual Dinner Souvenir Journal .................. Andrea B. Friedman, Allison Sloto 

Appellate Practice .......... Lisa M. Denig, Hon. Sondra M. Miller, Heather Gushue 

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

Awards ....................................... Elizabeth Barnhard, Deborah Farber-Kaiser 

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

Breast Cancer Awareness ............... Adrienne J. Orbach, Hon. Sandra Forster 

Collaborative Law ........ Kathleen Donelli, Hon. Sondra M. Miller, Lynn J. Maier 

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

Construction Law ................................................................... Aisling Brady 

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

Cyber Law ....................................................................................... TBD 

Diversity and Inclusion ........................ Jacqueline Hattar, Stephanie Melowsky, 

Janeen Thomas 

Domestic Violence ....................... Marian Genio, Beth Levy, Stacey Neumann 

Education .................. Allison Morris, Julie P. Passman, , Susan Mills Richmond 

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

Moira Laidlaw 

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

Environmental & Land Use ........................ Lucia Chiocchio, Jennifer L. Gray, 

Katherine Zalantis 

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

Holiday Party and Boutique ........ Dolores Gebhardt, Jennifer Netrosio-Johnson 

Immigration .............................. Karin Anderson Ponzer, Elizabeth Mastropolo 

Insurance ........................................... Michelle Kolodny, Julie A. Mickiewicz 

Intellectual Property ............................ Elizabeth M. Barnhard, Theresa Nugent 

Judgment Enforcement & Collections ..... Daniel F. Florio, Jr., Michael Giannini 

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

Rebecca McCloskey 

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

Membership ............................... Sherry Bishko, Marian Genio, Kristen Motel 

Networking ...................................................................................... TBD 

New Lawyers ..................................................... Katie Wendle, Kristen Motel 

Professional Development ............. Susan Edwards Colson, Stephanie Melowsky 

Programs ........................................... Natanya L. Briendel, Amanda C. Fried 

Public Relations ................................................................... Lisa M. Denig 

Real Property ................. Anne R. Aicher, Allyson Lanahan, Robbin E. Sweeney 

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

Deborah Farber-Kaiser, Marian Genio 

Taxation .................................................................. Patricia Rusch Bellucci 

Trusts & Estates ...................................... Lonya A. Gilbert, Nancy J. Rudolph, 

Karen J. Walsh 

Long Range Planning ..................................... Lisa M. Denig, Linda Markowitz 

Mediation ..................... Hon. Sondra M. Miller, Abby Rosmarin, Lisa M. Denig 

Mentor ................................................................ Kim Berg, Sherry Bishko 

Past Presidents ..................................................... Angela Morcone Giannini 

Practice Management ............................................... Wendy Marie Weathers 

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

Social Media ....................................................................... Kristen Motel 

Technology/Website ................................. Donna E. Frosco, Theresa Nugent 

Wellness ........................... Jennifer Netrosio-Johnson, Susan Mills Richmond 

Women in Leadership ................................................... Adrienne Arkontaky 

WWBA 

Representatives 

Network of Bar Leaders ................................................... Angela Morcone Giannini 

Pace Board of Visitors .............................................................................. Lisa Denig 

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

WWBA Representative Director to the WCBA Board ....................... Dolores Gebhardt 

WBASNY Judicial Screening Committee .. Lisa M. Bluestein, Gail M. Boggio (Alt.) 

WBASNY Nominations Committee .............. Lisa M. Bluestein, Gail M. Boggio (Alt.) 

WBASNY Awards Committee ............................................................ Deborah Scalise 

WBASNY Health Law/Reproductive Rights Committee ........................... Shari Gordin 

WBASNY Fundraising Committee .................................................. Andrea Friedman 

WBASNY ERA/Women’s Civil Rights Committee ..... Kim Berg, Susan Mills Richmond 

WBASNY Labor and Employment Law ....................................................... Kim Berg 

WBASNY Legislation Committee .................................................... Natanya Briendel 

WBASNY LGBTQ+ Committee ...................................................... Adrienne Orbach 

WBASNY Domestic Violence Committee .............................. Susan Pollet, Alayne Katz 

WBASNY Press and Public Relations ................................ Angela Morcone Giannini 

WBASNY Children’s Rights ...................................................................... Joy Joseph 

WBASNY Long-Range Planning ..................................................... Linda Markowitz 

WBASNY Professional Ethics, Discipline and Practice Committee ...... Deborah Scalise 

WBASNY Diversity Committee ........................................................... Janeen Thomas 

9th Judicial District Representative .................................... Angela Morcone Giannini 

Page 2 

Westchester Women’s Bar Association News

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President’s Message 

from page 1 

“[The] WWBA is 

encouraging all of 

our members to 

engage in healthy 

activity as often as 

possible during the 

month of February, 

in hopes that good 

habits will be instilled 

and will continue.” 

tivity as often as possible during the 

month of February, in hopes that good 

habits will be instilled and will continue. 

You should have seen in the email blast 

over the past few weeks an invitation to 

participate in a step competition, and/ 

or attend one or more fitness classes during 

the month of February, with an eye 

toward improving our health. The step 

competition is a self-reported process, 

allowing members to count their steps 

daily (if you have an iPhone there is a 

daily step counter in the health app, I’m 

sure most other phones have similar step 

counters, or you can install an app for 

that purpose), on March 1 add up the 

steps you took each day during February, 

report your total to me at 

lisamsmith@rocketmail.com, and we 

will announce the winners in March. 

There will be prizes for the top steppers!! 

This is a self-reported number, and the 

effort is in the interest of your heart 

health, so please be honest when you 

report your numbers. The top steppers 

will be reported and congratulated in a 

future newsletter. Rest assured, no number 

is too low, every step you take will 

be a step toward improved health. 

We all know that in addition to concerns 

over heart health, the pandemic 

remains a very real health concern, so 

please remember to stay safe and 

healthy in ways that we know work to 


Editor’s Note 


“We do not have to become heroes overnight,” Eleanor once wrote. “Just a step 

at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it 

appears, discovering that we have the strength to stare it down.” 

~ Doris Kearns Goodwin, on Eleanor Roosevelt 

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 Jennifer Robinson at secretary@wwbany.org. 

❑ 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 Jennifer Robinson at secretary@wwbany.org to schedule a WWBA sponsored or cosponsored 

program, including committee meetings, CLE programs, etc. 

❑ Once you have reserved the date with Jennifer Robinson, 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, Elisabeth Campos 

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 Jennifer Robinson, 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 

Jennifer Robinson, Corresponding Secretary and Newsletter Editor-in-Chief: secretary@wwbany.org 

Natanya L. Briendel, Programs Committee Co-Chair: tanyabriendel@gmail.com 

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

Hon. Lisa Margaret Smith, 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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Deadline for all ads is the 12th of the month prior to publication. Ads are subject to space limitations. 

Contact Jennifer Robinson at secretary@wwbany.org for any questions regarding advertising. 

Page 3

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WHEN THE INADMISSIBLE IS ADMISSIBLE IN 

CRIMINAL TRIALS: Completing the Narrative 

Honorable David S. Zuckerman 

Acting Justice of the Supreme 

Court 

The Court of Appeals has 

Spoken. 

On March 3, 1970, Ralph 

Acevedo robbed a woman at 

knifepoint inside an elevator. 

Indicted for robbery and related 

charges, he went to trial before 

Bronx County Supreme Court 

Justice Nathaniel T. Helman. 

During the trial, the prosecutor 

elicited, over defense counsel’s 

objection, that, after the robbery, 

Acevedo forced the complainant 

to accompany him to 

the roof of the building where 

he raped her. Counsel argued 

that, since Acevedo had not 

been indicted for the rape, any 

testimony about it was inadmissible. 

Judge Helman permitted 

the complainant to testify about 

the rooftop rape. Defendant was 

convicted and the Appellate 

Division affirmed without opinion. 

People v. Acevedo, 40 

AD2d760 (1st Dept 1972). In 

the Court of Appeals, the prosecution 

argued that the testimony 

about the uncharged 

knifepoint rape was admissible, 

inter alia, “to complete 

complainant’s narrative of that 

episode.” People v. Acevedo, 

32 NY2d 941, 942 (1973). 

The Court of Appeals affirmed 

without opinion. Id. 

On September 22, 1970, 

a woman was returning to her 

Bronx apartment when she encountered 

a stranger, Jose Luis 

Gines, in the building lobby. 

Gines followed her to the fourth 

floor where, in the hallway, he 

accosted her with a knife and 

dragged her to the roof. There, 

he attempted to rob her but, 

after searching her pocketbook, 

found no money. Indicted for 

attempted robbery and related 

“[C]ompleting the narrative can be 

added to the list of exceptions which 

have been carved out of the general 

rule [that] in determining admissibility, 

trial courts must apply the 

omnipresent evidentiary test: is the 

otherwise inadmissible evidence more 

probative than prejudicial.” 

charges, Gines went to trial in 

Bronx County Supreme Court 

before Justice William 

Kapelman. During the trial, the 

prosecutor elicited that, while on 

the roof, Gines raped the complainant 

at knifepoint. The testimony 

included “lurid and intimate 

details of the crime, such 

as penetration and ejaculation.” 

People v. Gines, 43 AD2d 538, 

539 (1973) (Murphy, J. dissenting). 

Defense counsel objected, 

arguing that the testimony 

should be precluded because 

Gines had not been charged 

with rape. 

Justice Kapelman overruled 

the objection and Gines 

was convicted of attempted robbery. 

The Appellate Division affirmed, 

id., and, in a memorandum 

decision, the Court of 

Appeals did the same, holding 

that the lurid rape testimony was 

necessary “to complete the narrative 

of the episode.” People 

v. Gines, 36 N.Y.2d 932, 932- 

33, (1975). 

These decisions, applying 

an evidentiary rationale to admit 

otherwise inadmissible evidence 

because it completes the 

narrative, stand in stark contrast 

to century-old bedrock law that, 

in criminal cases, evidence of 

uncharged crimes is generally 

inadmissible. See People v. 

Molineaux, 168 NY 264 

(1901). In support, the Court 

of Appeals teaches us that completing 

the narrative serves numerous 

functions. For example, 

it can ensure “that there are no 

gaps in the story line provided 

to the jury.” People v. Leonard, 

29 NY3d 1, 8 (2017). It also 

can simply corroborate witness 

testimony. People v. Brewer, 28 

NY3d 271 (2016) (distinguish- 

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ing corroboration evidence from 

evidence of propensity). As a 

result, completing the narrative 

can be added to the list of exceptions 

which have been 

carved out of the general rule. 

In determining admissibility, trial 

courts must apply the omnipresent 

evidentiary test: is the otherwise 

inadmissible evidence 

more probative than prejudicial. 

In Acevedo and Gines, the 

Court held that the extreme 

prejudice of rape testimony was 

outweighed by its value in completing 

the narrative. 

Applying the probative 

value vs. prejudice test, however, 

can lead to disparate results. 

In People v. Tosca, 98 

NY2d 660 (2002), the Court 

held that a police officer’s testimony 

regarding an unidentified 


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Page 4 


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An Interview with Amanda K. Rieben 

Susan L. Pollet 

Chair of the Archive and 

Historian Committee 

Q: When and why did you 

become involved in the 

WWBA? 

A: I joined the WWBA approximately 

six years ago 

when I moved from NYC to 

the suburbs and began practicing 

law in Westchester 

County. I wanted to expand 

my professional network of 

female lawyers in the surrounding 

community, and 

had heard about many others’ 

positive experiences with 

the WWBA. In the spring of 

2018, I became more involved 

in the WWBA when 

the Co-Chairs of the Families, 

Children & the Courts 

Committee, Joy Joseph and 

Lauren Morrissey, and former 

Co-Chair, Shari Gordon, approached 

me and were gracious 

enough to ask me to 

become a Co-Chair of this 

Committee. 

Q: Which WWBA activities 

have you participated in? 

A: I have attended various 

CLE, lunch and learn, and 

other educational programs 

hosted by the various WWBA 

Committees. I have also assisted 

in the planning and 

facilitation of CLE programs 

and lunch and learn meetings 

hosted by the Families, 

Children & the Courts Committee 

in collaboration with 

other WWBA Committees. 

Q: Tell us about your legal 

background. I have been 

admitted to the New York 

State Bar for over ten years. 

A: Throughout my legal career 

I have practiced almost 

exclusively in the areas of 

family and matrimonial law. 

“[T]he coronavirus pandemic . . . 

has disproportionately affected 

female lawyers who are now 

acting not only as lawyer and 

mother, but also as 

schoolteacher to their children.” 

My interest in family/matrimonial 

law started in law school 

when I interned for two different 

non-profits which provided 

free legal services to victims and 

survivors of domestic violence. 

Shortly after graduating from 

law school, I pursued my interest 

in family law, and became 

a staff attorney for a non-profit 

organization based in lower 

Manhattan which represents 

parents accused of abusing 

and/or neglecting their 

child(ren). As a staff attorney, I 

litigated a variety of family court 

matters including abuse, neglect, 

custody/visitation, and 

family offense matters. While I 

loved this position, I started it 

when I was still residing in New 

York and prior to having my 

own children. Once my husband 

and I moved out of NYC 

and had our first daughter, I 

wanted more time with her. I 

continued practicing family and 

matrimonial law, first at nonprofit 

in Westchester County 

and later in private practice in 

Fairfield County. The perfect 

position then opened up at the 

Pace Women’s Justice Center 

as Supervising Attorney of their 

Walk-In Legal Clinic 

Q: Tell us about your legal 

practice, including what you 

like most about it and what you 

find most challenging? 

A: As Supervising Attorney of 

the Pace Women’s Justice Cen- 


ter Walk-In Legal Clinic, I was 

given the opportunity to help 

develop this new program. The 

Clinic was established to provide 

a safe environment away 

from the courthouse for victims 

of domestic violence, sexual 

assault and elder abuse to be 

able to meet with an attorney 

on a walk-in basis (and now 

remotely via video and telephone) 

and receive free legal 

advice. During the legal consultations, 

we help clients understand 

their legal issues, and 

when appropriate connect them 

to other PWJC programs, as 

well as community partners for 

further representation and support 

services. Through the volunteering 

of approximately 15 

pro bono attorneys, we are able 

to maximize our impact in the 

community serving approximately 

600 clients annually! 

Watching the Clinic’s growth has 

been rewarding and has allowed 

me to marry my commitment 

to public interest work with 

my legal knowledge and background 

in family/matrimonial 

law. Each client consultation 

also presents its own legal issues 

to timely research and 

analyze, which is one of the 

more challenging, but also fulfilling 

aspects of this position. 

I am grateful every day to be 

working alongside like-minded 

co-workers and pro bono attorneys, 

who share my same dedication 

to servicing the public. 

Amanda K. Rieben 

Q: How do you think the legal 

profession will change in 

this time of the coronavirus 

pandemic, and how do you 

believe it will impact women 

in the profession and in the 

community? 

A: As a working mother of 

three daughters, this question 

is particularly important to 

me. I think that the legal profession 

has already started 

and will continue to provide 

more flexibility for those who 

need to work from home. 

This is especially important for 

the working mom, who is trying 

to build their career, and 

also provide their family with 

the support and love they 

need. Unfortunately, the 

coronavirus pandemic has 

also forced many schools to 

transition to a hybrid or strictly 

remote learning model. This, 

in turn, has disproportionately 

affected female lawyers 

who are now acting not only 

as lawyer and mother, but 

also as schoolteacher to their 

children. For those female 

lawyers who do not have a 

strong support system in 

place, this may force them to 

stay at home and/or push the 

pause button on their legal 


Page 5

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SEVEN TIPS FOR HEART HEALTH 

from page 1 

3♥ REDUCE SAL 

REDUCE SALT INTAKE 

❏ Pre-made, canned, and frozen foods are notoriously 

high in sodium. Cook your food and save some 

for leftovers if you want a convenient meal. 

❏ Try not to add salt to your food, and/or add less 

than you usually do. Your taste buds may take time 

to adjust, but the heart benefits are worth it. 

4♥ DRINK MORE W 

5♥ QUIT SMOKING 

7♥ 

6♥ GET ENOUGH SLEEP 

♥ 

DRINK MORE WATER 

❏ Staying hydrated is key to heart and overall health. 

❏ Added bonus in that you will have to take more 

bathroom breaks, thus moving more throughout the 

day. 

❏ Replacing sugary drinks with water can help you 

cut calories. Maintaining a healthy weight is important 

to heart health. 

QUIT SMOKING 

Start your quit plan today. The first step may be to 

call the smoker’s quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW for 

free support. 

GET ENOUGH SLEEP 

The Cleveland Clinic has stated that sleep is an essential 

part of maintaining heart health and that if 

you do not sleep enough, you may be at a higher risk 

for cardiovascular disease, no matter your age or 

other health habits. 

♥ ENHANCE YOUR MOOD BY Y TAKING 

BREAKS 

Breaks from work, especially to go outside while it’s 

still light outside is something that our Committee has 

found especially helpful in an effort towards continued 

wellness. Also, taking short breaks to walk around 

and change the scene from your computer to elsewhere 

may also be helpful. ◗ 

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Page 6 


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○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 

An Interview with Amanda K. Rieben 

from page 5 

career. There is no easy solution 

to this problem and is 

one that many female professionals 

are currently struggling 

with. Ultimately, you 

have to find a balance that 

works for you and your family. 

Q: When you are not practicing 

law, what are your activities 

in the community pre 

and post coronavirus pandemic? 

A: When I am not practicing 

law my pre- and postcoronavirus 

pandemic activities 

continue to center around my 

children. The only thing that 

has changed is the type of activities 

we are engaged in. Prepandemic, 

we attended a lot of 

music classes and sports lessons 

indoors with many other 

children. Now all of our activities 

are mostly with our family 

and occur outdoors. We 

continue to go on a lot of family 

hikes! 

Q: How have you been balancing 

your career and family 

life? 

A: I have been able to balance 

my career with my family life 

thanks to the loving support of 

my husband, extended family, 

and amazing childcare. While 

I have had to make some difficult 

professional decisions 

along the way, whether it has 

been to shorten my commute 

or obtain a more flexible work 

schedule, it has all been worth 

it. 

Q: What advice would you 

give new lawyers entering the 

profession? 

A: Your legal career is long and 

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can lead you in many different 

directions. Spend time 

in law school and thereafter 

interacting with different legal 

professionals and learning 

about their experiences. 

If you are not a member of 

organizations like the 

WWBA, join and participate 

in their mentorship programs. 

I would also encourage law 

students to obtain as much 

hands-on legal experience as 

they can during law school 

through clinics and internships 

to help them determine 

what the right “fit” is. ◗ 

WHEN THE INADMISSIBLE IS ADMISSIBLE IN 

CRIMINAL TRIALS: Completing the Narrative 

from page 4 

“[T]he Court of Appeals has 

significantly softened the original 

prohibition to introduction of a 

defendant’s otherwise 

inadmissible uncharged crimes 

in criminal trials.” 

taxi driver’s recent encounter 

with an armed person was admissible 

to complete the narrative 

regarding why the police 

stopped a vehicle. In contrast, 

in People v. Resek, 3 NY3d 385 

(2004), the Court reversed the 

defendant’s drug possession 

conviction because the trial 

court permitted a police officer 

to testify that he stopped the 

defendant’s vehicle because it 

was stolen. The majority specifically 

rejected the dissent’s 

argument that such testimony 

was admissible to complete the 

narrative. 

In People v. Israel, 26 

NY3d 236 (2015), the Court 

employed a two-part analysis. 

First, was the evidence relevant 

to a material issue (a question 

of law)? Second, did the trial 

court properly “balance the 

probative value against potential 

prejudice?” Id., at 243. 

The latter is a matter which “lies 

within the trial court’s discretion.” 

Id. That discretion, however, 

is not without its limits. For 

example, sometimes, a trial 

court exceeds its discretion by 

admitting a large volume of 

uncharged crime evidence. In 

People v. Stanard, 32 NY2d 

143 (1973), the defendant was 

charged with perjury for lying 

to a grand jury. At trial, the 

court permitted a witness (Detective 

Serpico) to testify regarding 

the defendant’s “numerous 

acts of corruption.” Id., at146. 

The Court reversed the conviction 

finding that the quantum 

of uncharged criminal evidence 

was overly prejudicial. 

Even if a trial court abuses 

its discretion and improperly 

admits overly prejudicial evidence, 

the error does not necessarily 

mandate reversal. In 

People v. Frankline, 27 NY3d 

1113 (2016), the defendant 

was convicted of attempted 

murder for dousing the complainant 

with gasoline and trying 

to ignite it. During the trial, 

the complainant was permitted 

to testify that, one week earlier, 

the defendant had, during a 

two-day period, physically, 

mentally and sexually abused 

her; including dousing her with 

gasoline and threatening to 

light it. Though he was not 

charged with that conduct, the 

trial court permitted the testimony. 

On appeal, the Court 

affirmed, in part, on the basis 

of the trial court’s limiting instructions. 

Id., at 1118 (Fahey, 

J. concurring). On the other 

hand, in Stanard, supra, the 

Court reversed notwithstanding 

limiting instructions. Of course, 

the limiting instruction must be 

accurate. Thus, in reversing the 

conviction in People v. Resek, 

supra, the Court noted that the 

trial court’s limiting instruction 

was an erroneous statement of 

the law. 

The above-cited cases appear 

to indicate that the Court 

of Appeals has significantly 

softened the original prohibition 

to introduction of a 

defendant’s otherwise inadmissible 

uncharged crimes in 

criminal trials. Quite often, 

that Court relies on “completing 

the narrative” to support 

its decisions. ◗ 

The opinions expressed in this article 

are those of the author. They 

do not reflect the official position 

of the WWBA or WBASNY. 


Page 7

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Chapter News and Announcements 

Announcements & Notes on Members 

❑ Wendy Marie Weathers, Esq. has recently been added as partner at Clair 

Gjertsen & Weathers PLLC, a defense firm headquartered in White Plains. Practice 

areas include real estate, bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, landlord-tenant disputes, 

wills & estates, and civil litigation. The firm represents individuals and businesses in 

the New York metro area, Long Island, Hudson Valley, and Fairfield County, Connecticut. 

Wendy brings to the firm more than 20 years of experience representing 

both institutional lenders and borrowers in all aspects of the mortgage banking industry 

and residential foreclosures. She also currently serves as the President of the 

Westchester County Bar Association. WWBA congratulates Wendy on this partnership 

position and her enthusiastic welcome at Clair Gjertsen & Weathers PLLC, and 

we wish her well. ◗ 

WWBA Book Club Thrives on Zoom 

Lisa M. Denig 

When COVID-19 hit with full force in March, most of us wondered how we might 

continue working or seeing family, but few of us gave much thought to how our extracurricular 

activities would continue. As the facilitator of the WWBA Book Club, however, 

I knew that we had an upcoming meeting and I didn’t want to cancel. 

So, just like everyone else, I quickly taught myself how to use Zoom and emailed 

the group that our Book Club date would remain on the calendar, but that we would 

pivot to a virtual setting. The Book Club members seamlessly figured out the nuances 

of conducting a (sometimes heated!) group discussion online and we didn’t miss a 

beat. 

Since then, the Book Club has met many more times, including our last meeting on 

January 11, 2021, and we are still going strong. As one of our members noted, 

meeting virtually has its perks such as not having to go out in 25-degree weather! 

The WWBA Book Club meets roughly every other month and we alternate between 

reading fiction and non-fiction. Our next meeting is March 15, 2021, at 6 P.M., when 

we will discuss “The Sea Wife,” by Amity Gaige. To receive the Zoom link, please email 

lisadenig@yahoo.com. ◗ 

Become a New 

Member Today 

RENEW YOUR 

WWBA MEMBERSHIP TODAY 

FOR THE PERIOD 

JUNE 1, 2020 TO MAY 31, 2021. 

RENEW NOW! DON’T WAIT! 

WWBA Membership includes 

membership to the Women’s Bar 

Association of the State of New York 

(WBASNY). 

January 31, 2021 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. 

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 8 


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President’s Message 

spending time safely with 

family and friends, and even 

seeking professional help 

from a therapist, psychologist, 

or psychiatrist. Cutting 

back on the use of electronic 

devices can also be very 

helpful, especially during the 

period right before going to 

sleep. See generally American 

Heart Association 

website. 

The American Heart Association 

(AHA) lists five areas 

of concern for maintaining 

heart health. The first is 

blood pressure, which 

should be at or below 120/ 

80 mmHg. Next is blood 

sugar, or blood glucose, 

which should be below 

100mg/dL from a fasting 

blood sugar test. Third is 

cholesterol, which can be 

measured by your doctor in 

a blood test. The fourth area 

of concern is body mass index, 

or your waist measurement, 

which measure your 

degree of obesity. There are 

online calculators for this at 

various health websites. Research 

reveals that the waist 

to hope ratio may be a better 

identifier of heart attack 

risk than the body mass index, 

especially in women. 

Finally is sleep. Adults require 

a minimum of seven 

hours of sleep per night; refrom 

page 3 

suppress spread of the 

coronavirus-stay isolated as 

much as possible, wear 

masks when you must go out, 

stay socially distant, wash 

your hands thoroughly or use 

hand sanitizer often. By taking 

these steps we protect not 

only ourselves and those who 

reside or work with us, but we 

also help to protect the general 

public; we can and must 

do more. The existing pandemic, 

coupled with economic 

and family worries, 

and a caustic political environment, 

leads many of us 

to suffer from anxiety and 

stress. These conditions can 

present a danger for heart 

health-according to Dr. 

Rachel M. Bond, system director 

of women’s heart 

health at Dignity Health in 

Arizona, “chronic stress and 

anxiety can be dangerous for 

our heart health.” Anxiety 

may trigger the release of 

stress hormones, such as cortisol 

and adrenaline, which 

can increase a person’s heart 

rate and blood pressure. 

Women are at higher risk for 

stress-related heart issues, 

according to Dr. Bond. She 

recommends finding ways 

that help you to cope, including 

engaging in meditation, 

exercise, listening to music, 

search has shown that sleeping 

fewer than six hours per 

night, or more than nine 

hours, are associated with 

poorer cardiovascular 

health. Finally, AHA recommends 

a minimum of 150 

minutes of moderate to vigorous 

exercise for adults in 

order to maintain heart 

health. If you have any concerns 

about your health, see 

a medical professional 

promptly, and do not let the 

presence of the coronavirus 

dissuade you from doing so. 

Medical professionals and 

office staff have become extremely 

careful about protecting 

their patients and 

themselves by assuring that 

they use a fully sanitized office 

space and equipment. 

AHA lists these symptoms for 

heart attacks in women: 

❑ Uncomfortable pressure, 

squeezing, fullness 

or pain in the center of 

your chest. It lasts more 

than a few minutes, or 

goes away and comes 

back. 

❑ Pain or discomfort in 

one or both arms, the 

back, neck, jaw or stomach. 

❑ Shortness of breath 

with or without chest discomfort. 

❑ Other signs such as 

breaking out in a cold 

sweat, nausea or 

lightheadedness. 

❑ As with men, women’s 

most common heart attack 

symptom is chest 

pain or discomfort. But 

women are somewhat 

more likely than men to 

experience some of the 

other common symptoms, 

particularly shortness 

of breath, nausea/ 

vomiting and back or jaw 

pain. 

If you have one or 

more of these symptoms, 

call 911 and get to a 

hospital immediately. 

Although the statistics 

may be changed by the existence 

of COVID-19, until 

recently heart disease has 

consistently been the leading 

cause of death for women. 

At WWBA we are committed 

to doing our part to improve 

heart health for all of us. 

One way to keep your heart 

healthy is to be engaged in 

your family, your work, and 

your community. WWBA is 

a part of your community, 

and we hope that you will 

continue to be engaged with 

WWBA in as many ways as 

you can. 

May we all be just a little 

healthier in 2021 than we 

were in 2020. ◗ 

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 

WWBA New Members 

The Westchester Women’s Bar Association 

proudly welcomes our newest members: 

JOANNA CACCAVO 

Student 

KAITLIN FLORES 

Student 

 


Page 9

WWBA Schedule of Upcoming Events 

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

WWBA Board of Directors 

Meeting 

2/3/21 

5:30 pm to 

7:30 pm 

Zoom 

Leading Lady Lawyers 

Program Series 

Wellness Committee 

Wellness Committee 

2/17/21 

12:00 pm to 

2:00 pm 

The Entire Month 

of February! 

Sundays for the 

month of 

February 

9:05 am 

WWBA Virtual Book Club 3/15/21 

6:00 pm 

Zoom 

Your Step-Tracking 

Device of Choice 

Zoom 

Zoom 

What the “Hack?!”: 

Data Security Issues for 

Your Firm and Your 

Clients – 1.0 CLE 

Credit in Ethics, 1.0 

CLE Credit in 

Professional Practice 

28 Day Step Challenge: 

Use your smart phone 

or watch to track your 

daily steps. Submit 

your step total for the 

month. Top steppers 

win a prize! 

FREE Cardio 

Kickboxing Class – 

Superhuman: Combat 

Cardio with Maurice 

Johnson (ACE Certified 

Personal Trainer and 

Group Fitness 

Instructor) 

Book Selection: “The 

Sea Wife” by Amity 

Gaige 

$40 WWBA Members 

$60 Non-Members registration and 

payment by 4:00 p.m. on 2/16/21; 

online at www.wwbany.org or e- 

mail 

executivedirector@wwbany.org 

E-mail WWBA President Lisa 

Margaret Smith to let us know you 

are participating at 

lisamsmith@rocketmail.com. 

Register online at 

www.superhumansoul.com with 

coupon code: WWBA 

Open to all levels. 

E-mail Lisa Denig for the Zoom 

link at lisadenig@yahoo.com 

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 

2020-2021 BEGINS ON JUNE 1, 2020. 

PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TOD 

ODAY AT 

WWW.WWBANY 

.WWBANY.ORG 

.ORG

WWBA February 2021 Newsletter - M

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