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New York State Bar Association Award for Attorney Professionalism
To honor a member of the NYSBA for outstanding professionalism, which is defined as dedication to service to clients and a commitment to promoting respect for the legal system in pursuit of justice and the public good, characterized by exemplary ethical conduct, competence, good judgment, integrity and civility.
Presented by: Committee on Attorney Professionalism
Contact: Richard Rifkin
Nomination Deadline: November 13, 2013
Date Presented: January 2014 Annual Meeting
Prize Awarded: Steuben glass timepiece
The Committee on Attorney
Professionalism administers the annual New York State Bar Association
Attorney Professionalism Award. We are
now seeking nominations for the Award to be presented during the NYSBA
2013 Annual Meeting in New York. Nominations must be
submitted and postmarked no later than November 13, 2013 on the 2013 Nomination Form (PDF).
Here is the Committee’s working
definition of attorney professionalism:
Attorney professionalism is dedication
to service to clients and a commitment to promoting respect for the
legal system in pursuit of justice and the public good, characterized by
exemplary ethical conduct, competence, good judgment, integrity and
civility.
The Award honors attorneys who evidence
the highest attributes of professionalism in the practice of
law: attorneys who have labored in
“the vineyard” and are especially valued by their clients
and their colleagues. Therefore, rather
than a lifetime achievement award, this particular honor relates to
professionalism in the actual practice of law. Background
letters from clients, other attorneys and judges have provided a full
picture for the reviewing committee in the past. Your nomination should, as inclusively as possible, specify how
the nominee has demonstrated the following attributes:
a) Dedication to service to clients and
always acting in the best interests of the client;
b) Civility:
behaving to all with courtesy, consideration and respect;
c) Exemplary
ethical conduct: endeavoring at all times to fulfill the spirit, and not
just the requirements, of the NY Rules of Professional
Conduct;
d) Competence: keeping abreast of
the latest developments in his or her area of practice;
e) Good judgment: providing client
service consisting of discerning opinions and advice based upon
knowledge, experience, moral as well as legal considerations;
f) Mentoring, educating and assisting other attorneys;
g) Integrity: always exhibiting
soundness of character, fidelity, honesty and fairness.
Please keep in mind, in
considering your nomination, that there are other awards honoring
service to bar associations and pro bono
activities. In this Attorney
Professionalism Award, the New York State Bar Association seeks to honor
a person who exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism in the
actual practice of law. Prior award
recipients include Barry Kamins of Brooklyn (2000),
Lucille Fontana of White
Plains (2001), Carlton Thompson
of Binghamton (2002), Anne Reynolds Copps of Albany (2003), James M. Conboy of Albany (2004), George J. Nashak, Jr. of Glendale (2005), Terrence M. Connors of Buffalo (2006) Frank E. Yannelli of Garden City (2007), Peter V. Coffey
of Schenectady (2008), Jill M. Cicero of Rochester (2009), Mark A. Longo
(2010) of Brooklyn, James P. Bessette of Malone (2011), Christopher T.
McGrath of Garden City (2012) and John Ferrara of Monticello (2013). The
nomination package for all of the past recipients included letters from
their clients, which were extremely helpful in the selection process as
we learned more about each nominee.
Previous Award Recipients
Return to Awards List
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