January 19, 2009
STATE BAR ASSOCIATION SEEKS NOMINEES FOR 2009 ANGELO
T. COMETA AWARD
ALBANY--The New York State Bar Association’s Committee on
Lawyer Referral Service is seeking nominations for the Angelo T. Cometa
Award, which recognizes individuals or groups in New York State
demonstrating an extraordinary commitment toward advancing the goals of
the Lawyer Referral and Information Service
The Lawyer Referral and Information Service assists members of the
public in obtaining information about the availability of legal services
and other agencies, and increases the public’s access to
attorneys. Ideally, nominees fulfill the award criteria by demonstrating
outstanding and long-term service to LRIS. The winner does not have to
be an attorney or a member of the State Bar Association.
“During this critical time when law firms are reducing staff
and more people are seeking the assistance of a lawyer, lawyer referral
services are busier than ever helping the public find a lawyer or
information. It’s a monumental but necessary task to help the
greater good,” said Committee on Lawyer Referral Service Chair
Rajpattie Persaud-Billette. “We are pleased to again honor those
working diligently to help the public find and receive quality legal
services.”
Nominations should include a narrative of no more than 500 words
describing the individual or group’s efforts in advancing the
goals of LRIS. Supporting materials, such as letters of reference and
articles, may be submitted. The nomination form is available on the
Association’s Web site at www.nysba.org/cometaaward.
The deadline for nominations is February 17. The award will be
presented on April 3, 2009 at the House of Delegates dinner in
Albany.
Past winners include Allen Jay Charne of New York (New York City Bar)
and Past State Bar President Angelo T. Cometa, who chaired the Committee
on Lawyer Referral Service during the LRIS’ first year in 1981. As
committee chair, Cometa was instrumental in establishing the LRIS and
increasing public access to attorneys.
The 76,000-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,
NYSBA programs and activities have continuously served the public and
improved the justice system for more than 130 years.
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