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August 11, 2010

NEW YORK BAR FOUNDATION’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW SECTION FELLOWSHIP RENAMED TO HONOR MIRIAM “MIMI” MACCOBY NETTER

Deadline for Grant Applications for the $5,000 Fellowship is October 15, 2010

ALBANY – The Intellectual Property Law Section Fellowship, administered by The New York Bar Foundation, has been renamed to honor distinguished attorney and section leader, Miriam “Mimi” Maccoby Netter. The program goals for the ‘Miriam Maccoby Netter Fellowship, created and funded by the Intellectual Property Law Section,’ are to increase the representation of lawyers in intellectual property law (IPL) and to provide students with an opportunity to experience IPL practice.

The New York State Bar Association’s IPL Section Chair, Paul Matthew Fakler (Arent Fox LLP, New York), said, “The Intellectual Property Law Section owes a great debt to Mimi Netter for her singular and extraordinary contributions that have helped to advance the Section's success and growth. She has been an inspirational leader in the area of Intellectual Property Law and the Section's executive committee voted unanimously to recognize her accomplishments by renaming this Fellowship in her honor.”

Netter’s continuing overriding interests in law have been influenced by her dedication to education for all, keeping current with emerging areas of the law, and mentoring of attorneys. She has placed an emphasis on women because of their difficulty in gaining access to many areas of legal practice. She became an early member of the New York State Bar Association’s IPL section in order to share her early knowledge of IPL and to learn from others in similar situations.

“Mimi Netter is an exceptional lawyer who has worked tirelessly to strengthen the position and standing of the Intellectual Property Law Section within the legal profession," said M. Catherine Richardson (Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC, Syracuse), President of The New York Bar Foundation. "Her dedication to the law has only been enhanced by the many hours she has devoted to public service and the Greater Capital Region community. The Foundation is pleased to join the Intellectual Property Law Section to acknowledge her with this honor.”

Born in Mount Vernon, NY, Netter, a resident of Delmar, NY, is a graduate of Brown University in Providence, RI and was awarded her law degree with honors from Albany Law School where she was a law review editor. She received many awards evidencing her high academic achievements while attending school. She has been engaged in the general practice of law representing universities, colleges, corporations, individuals, and nonprofit organizations. She was afforded the opportunity to work with startup companies in developing intellectual property law and to serve on the Albany Law School Center for Law and Innovation.

Netter served as Vice President from the Third Judicial District on the State Bar’s Executive Committee and as chair of its Membership and Bylaws Committees and the Special Committee on Committees, as well as many other committees and initiatives. As a member of the Committee on Attorney Professionalism, she initiated the prestigious annually-conferred Award for Attorney Professionalism. She has been a constant promoter of diversity in the profession and its leadership. Additionally, she serves as a member of the IPL Section’s Executive Committee and as Co-Chair of its Copyright Committee.

Netter found it increasingly rewarding to assist both charitable organizations and women and, as a partial result of her efforts, she was honored with The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York’s inaugural Ruth M. Miner Award. Additionally, she has been the recipient of the Community Service Award of the Wildwood Programs; the Third Age Achievement Award in the field of law of the Senior Services Foundation of Albany; the Governor’s Award for Leadership in Lighting at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; the Special Service Award from the Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York where she was legal counsel for 18 years; and the Shining Star award from Capital Repertory Theatre. She has served as an officer and/or board member for many of these organizations. In addition, she was instrumental in obtaining funding for and promotion of the highly prized annual Kate Stoneman Award at Albany Law School, and an award given to the keynote speaker at the annual Kate Stoneman event has been named in her honor.

Public interest intellectual property organizations or charities with the need for an IPL fellow are eligible to apply for a $5,000 grant to conduct the summer 2011 fellowship. The grant application deadline is October 15, 2010. The organization will provide the fellowship to a student enrolled in a New York State law school during the 2011 spring semester at the 1L or 2L level and the fellow will assist the organization with matters relating to intellectual property law. Fellowship guidelines and a grant application are accessible at www.tnybf.org.

Founded in 1950, The New York Bar Foundation is celebrating its 60th Anniversary of providing funding through its grant making program to facilitate the delivery of legal services; increase public understanding of the law; improve the justice system and the law; and enhance professional competence and ethics. Call 518/487-5651 or email foundation@tnybf.org for more information about The New York Bar Foundation.

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Founded in 1876, 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. The State Bar’s programs and activities have continuously served the public and improved the justice system for more than 130 years. For more information, visit us at our website at www.nysba.org.