January 28, 2011
MALONE ATTORNEY JAMES P. BESSETTE WINS STATE
BAR’S 2011 ATTORNEY PROFESSIONALISM AWARD
James P. Bessette
of Malone (Fischer, Bessette, Muldowney & Hunter, LLP) was
announced as the recipient of the 2011 Attorney Professionalism
Award from the New York State Bar Association during its House
of Delegates Dinner on January 27 in New York City. Sponsored by the
State Bar’s Committee on Attorney Professionalism, the award
honors a State Bar member who adheres to the highest standards of
professionalism including an extraordinary dedication to clients, an
unwavering commitment to promoting respect for the legal system and
exemplary ethical conduct. The honoree is a role model to other
attorneys in the areas of competence, good judgment, integrity and
civility.
The committee honored Bessette
for his exceptional legal skills and unmatched integrity even under the
most challenging circumstances. Of particular note was his first case
involving a young mother and her newborn son in a family court
proceeding. Through his hard work and expert advice, Bessette
successfully resolved the case for the family, putting them on a path
forward. Today, her son is a law school graduate and a partner of
Bessette’s law firm.
Bessette, a former district
attorney for Franklin County, was cited by attorneys, judges, and the
police for his extraordinary fairness and ethical conduct that serve as
a high professional standard for all New York attorneys. He is well
regarded for his meticulous preparation, command of the law and a
peerless ability to balance zealous, skillful representation of clients
and treating legal adversaries with the utmost courtesy and
respect.
“James Bessette is a
steward of the legal profession, whose sound judgment and extraordinary
devotion to both his clients and the law are without comparison. His
exemplary conduct in a legal career that stretches three and a half
decades is a model of excellence for all of us,” said State Bar
President Stephen P. Younger of New York (Patterson Belknap Webb &
Tyler LLP). “I congratulate Mr. Bessette on receiving this
award.”
“Throughout his career,
James Bessette has been guided by the principle of always doing
‘the right thing.’ His success is evident in the genuine
respect he has engendered from the legal profession and the enormous
trust that his clients have placed in him,” said Marion Hancock
Fish of Syracuse (Hancock & Estabrook LLP), chair of the Committee
on Attorney Professionalism. “He is richly deserving of this
honor, and it is our great privilege to recognize his career as the gold
standard of integrity in our profession.”
“James Bessette has
practiced in many diverse roles during his legal career. During that
time, he has shown extraordinary integrity and civility, no matter the
client nor the situation. He also has mentored many attorneys during his
career, helping them to learn and follow his high ethical standards,
which have always guided his career,” said Derek Champagne,
district attorney of Franklin County. “This recognition is truly
deserved.”
A graduate of St. Lawrence
University and Albany Law School, Bessette is a partner of Fischer,
Bessette, Muldowney & Hunter, LLP, concentrating his practice in
personal injury law. He previously served as a member of the Third
Department’s Committee on Professional Standards.
Bessette is a member of the
State Bar’s Trial Lawyers and Torts, Insurance and Compensation
Law sections. He also is a member of the American Association for
Justice, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and the Franklin
County Bar Association, of which he served as president.
A leader in his community,
Bessette served as chairman of the Malone Community Trust and the PK
Curtain Fund. He founded both the Malone Youth Soccer Association and
the Malone American Legion Baseball Program.
Recent award winners include:
Mark A. Longo of Brooklyn (Longo & D’Apice); Jill M. Cicero of
Rochester (Jill M. Cicero & Associates); Peter V. Coffey (Englert,
Coffey, McHugh and Fantauzzi, LLP); Frank E. Yannelli of Rockville
Centre (Yannelli & Zevin); and Terrence M. Connors of Buffalo
(Connors & Vilardo, LLP).
The 77,000-member New York
State Bar Association is the official statewide organization of lawyers
in New York and the largest voluntary state bar association in the
nation. Founded in 1876, State Bar programs and activities have
continuously served the public and improved the justice system for 135
years.
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