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Contact: Jon Sullivan
Manager of
Media Services
jsullivan@nysba.org
518/487-5532
September 5, 2007
NOMINEES SOUGHT FOR 2007 RUTH SCHAPIRO MEMORIAL
AWARD
The New York State Bar Association is seeking nominees for its annual
Ruth G. Schapiro Memorial Award, which is given to the woman or man who
best illustrates outstanding efforts on behalf of issues affecting
women. The award, named after Ruth G. Schapiro, a tireless advocate for
women’s issues, honors a member of the association who makes
positive contributions in areas such as domestic violence, child abuse,
bias, health and other concerns of women in the profession and in public
life.
The Association’s Committee on Women in the Law (CWIL) named
the award to honor the memory of Ms. Schapiro, who was the
Committee’s first chair. Under Schapiro’s leadership, CWIL
established educational programs and publications for the public and for
lawyers. In 1987, the Committee issued its first report on issues
affecting women, which was a springboard for increasingly meaningful
actions that have contributed to the progress of women in the law, and
in particular, women’s issues.
“Women have made great strides in the last 20 years,”
said Taa Grays (NYC), Chair of the Committee on Women in the Law.
“Yet a number of social issues still disproportionately impact
women. We must recognize and celebrate those members who continue the
fight to ensure women attain complete equality in society.”
Nominees may be judges or attorneys, who are members of the State Bar
Association. The award will be presented at the Bar Association’s
Annual Meeting in New York City in February, 2008.
The Ruth G. Schapiro Award, given annually since 1992, was first
presented to the Hon. Judith S. Kaye, Chief Judge of the State of New
York. Other past honorees include Fern Schair, Senior
Vice-President, American Arbitration Association; Maryann Saccomando
Freedman, Past President of the New York State Bar Association,
currently with Cohen & Lombardo, PC; the Hon. Sondra Miller,
Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department; the late
Hon. M. Dolores Denman, formerly Presiding Justice of the Appellate
Division, Fourth Department; the Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin, former
Presiding Justice and Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First
Department and currently with Alston & Bird LLP; Anne Mead, retired
Bay Shore practitioner; Hon. Rachel Kretser, Judge of Albany City Court,
Criminal Part; the late Joan L. Ellenbogen, Former New York City
practitioner; Hon. Kristin Booth Glen, Judge of the Surrogates Court,
New York County; posthumously to former Chief Judge Lawrence H. Cooke;
M. Catherine Richardson, Past President of the New York State Bar
Association and retired private practitioner; Professor Eileen R.
Kaufman, Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center; Denise E.
O’Donnell, Commissioner, NYS Division of Criminal Justice
Services; Catherine J. Douglass, Executive Director of inMotion;
Professor Rhonda Copelon, CUNY School of Law, and posthumously to Edith
I. Spivack, former Assistant Corporation Counsel of the New York City
Department of Law.
The deadline for nominations is October 12. Names should be forwarded
to the Committee on Women in the Law, New York State Bar Association,
One Elk Street, Albany, NY 12207. Information can also be faxed to
518-463-8527. Additional forms can be obtained by calling 518-487-5561
or via email at sfitzpatrick@nysba.org.
The 72,000 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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