2004-2005
Section Chairs
Business Law Section - Christopher
D. Jagel, Esq.
Criminal
Justice - J. Raymond
Brown, Esq.
Family
Law Section - Steven
Levitsky, Esq.
Litigation
Section - Paul
V. Nunes, Esq. & Honorable
Robert J. Lunn
Real
Estate Section - Gerald
G. Antetomasso, Esq.
Tax
Section - Don
H. Twietmeyer, Esq.
Trusts
& Estates Section - Anthony
T. Lee, Esq.
Young Lawyers Section - Amy
L. Varel, Esq.
COMMITTEE
& SECTION DESCRIPTIONS
Members are appointed to a committee only after their membership
dues for the current year are paid. It is the responsibility of
all substantive committees to present
educational programs for attorneys through the MCBA's Academy of
Law.
Academy of Law: Responsible for the coordination
of all CLE programming for the MCBA, the development of programs
in cooperation with the committees and sections of the MCBA, and
the development of basic, intermediate and advanced CLE programs.
Arbitration:
Investigates fee disputes; provides fee arbitration to attorneys
and their clients through arbitration panels comprised of attorneys
and non-attorneys; responds to questions regarding fee matters when
submitted to the Committee.
Bankruptcy: Serves as liaison with Bankruptcy Court;
provides a forum for discussion of practice and procedures in Bankruptcy
Court; sponsors educational opportunities for attorneys; and reviews
procedures and makes recommendations to the Bankruptcy Court on
issues which affect practitioners in Bankruptcy Court.
Bankruptcy
Court Website
Communications:
Helps the MCBA communicate with its members and the public in a
manner that provides useful information , enhances pride in the
legal profession and promotes a positive image of the practice of
law.
Corporate Counsel
Disability,
Labor and Employment Law: Provides education and information
to attorneys interested in disability, labor and employment law;
reviews pertinent legislation and makes recommendations to the Trustees.
Elder Law: Provides a forum and educational programs
for attorneys interested in Elder Law issues; reviews pertinent
legislation and makes recommendations to the Trustees; works with
community organizations who share common interests in subject pertaining
to the elderly.
Environmental Law: Provides a forum for attorneys
working in the environmental law area; presents educational programs;
reviews pertinent legislation and makes recommendations to the Trustees;
works with community groups who share mutual interests.
Ethics: Issues formal and informal opinions in
response to written requests from attorneys; reviews proposed changes
to the Code of Professional Responsibility; educates attorneys as
to ethical issues of which they should be aware in their daily practice.
Send Ethics inquiries to Robert D. Croog, Esq., Ethics Committee
Chair.
House/Finance & Audit: Responsible for the
oversight of the financial health of the Association; develops an
annual budget for the Trustees' approval; makes recommendations
regarding financial policies; develops a long range financial plan
for the MCBA; reviews programs and activities as they affect the
finances of the Association.
Intellectual Property: Conducts educational programs
and discussion groups for the lawyers in the several disciplines
comprising the law of intellectual property; establishes an outreach
program for local businesses, academic institutions and the community
at large, focusing attention on important new developments in intellectual
property law.
Judiciary: Evaluates candidates for judicial office
and makes recommendations on candidates to the Trustees; provides
an annual evaluation of sitting judges.
Lawyer Referral Service
Lawyers
Concerned for Lawyers
Lawyers for Learning: Serves as liaison to the School 29
project; encourages attorney involvement in School 29; administers
the annual Tools for Schools project.
Member Benefits: Develops new member benefits based
on the interests of the members and reviews current benefits on
a regular basis and proposed benefits from companies in the community.
Membership: Designs and implements membership recruitment
and retention programs; hosts quarterly new member breakfasts; hosts
focus groups of members and non-members to assess member needs.
Memorial: Hosts an annual Memorial Service at the
Hall of Justice which honors deceased members of the Association
and causes memorial resolutions to be written and read at the annual
service.
Municipal Attorneys: Provides a forum for attorneys
who practice in the public sector; provides educational opportunities
for public sector attorneys and the bar in general on issues such
as municipal law, planning and zoning, etc.
Nominating
President's Commission on Access to Justice
Professional
Performance: Investigates complaints by clients against
their attorneys in matters such as delay, communications and other
performance issues; assists in educating attorneys regarding attorney/client
relations.
Public Education: Plans and implements public education
programs and community service projects; provides interactive programs
with the media; works toward a long range public education program
for the Association; assists other Committees and Sections with
public education programs.
School Attorney: Provides a forum for attorneys
who represent school districts; works with the School Boards Association
on education programs.
Senior Attorney: Provides a forum for senior members
of the bar to share information and education on issues of interest
to Committee members.
Solo/Small Firm Practitioners: Focuses on the particular
concerns and opportunities of members who practice in small firm
settings.
Tax Certiorari: Provides a forum for discussion of administrative
and court rules and the substantive law of tax certiorari and condemnation.
SECTIONS/COUNCILS
Business Law is composed of members whose practice
areas include banking and commercial law, general corporate law,
trade regulation, unfair competition and antitrust law, security
and blue sky law. The Section provides educational programs to members
and the general public, reviews legislation which might affect those
areas of practice, and serves as a liaison to agencies concerned
with or who have responsibility for regulating the practice.
Criminal Justice encompasses members from the defense
bar, District Attorney and Public Defender offices, judges from
the Criminal Courts of Monroe County and members interested in criminal
justice issues. The Section seeks to educate attorneys on criminal
justice issues, review legislation of interest to members of the
Section and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees, and to
interact with agencies who have an impact on the practice of members
of the Section.
Family Law addresses issues of importance to members
who practice in the areas of matrimonial and family law and serves
as the vehicle for education of members and the general public;
works with the court system regarding procedures and processes that
impact the profession; reviews legislation affecting practitioners;
and provides opportunities for networking and interaction among
its members.
Litigation brings together members interested in
civil litigation in both state and federal courts to address issues
and procedures in those courts; to consider and report on matters
relating to federal, state, and local rules governing the practice;
to address issues regarding personal injury matters; to review legislation
of concern to civil litigators; to sponsor legal education programs
of interest to civil litigators; and to provide networking and social
activities for members of the Section and the Association in general.
Join us today! (download membership form) This section's
subcommittees
include:
Civil Updates Subcommittee
Plaintiffs in Personal Injury
State Court Practice
Federal Court Practice
Social
Continuing Legal Education Committee
Real
Estate brings together real estate practitioners through
educational programs and occasional social activities. It interacts
with the Greater Rochester Area Association of Realtors, Rochester
Homebuilders Association, and others who work in the real estate
area to provide practice guidance, review real estate contracts
on a regular basis, and provide opportunities to share information
among its members. Please go to the Section's page for more information.
Tax Section provides a forum for discussion and
exchange of ideas and information concerning federal and state tax
laws and regulation s . The S ection sponsors continuing legal education
programs to educate general practitioners on the basic tax laws
and to provide advanced instruction to experienced practioners in
all areas of tax law. The Section also seeks opportunities to improve
and clarify the tax laws and the procedures for their implementation,
and to improve the administration of the tax law as it affects tax
practitioners and the public at large. The Section further looks
for ways to assist the community in the area of tax compliance and
tax awareness, and will implement programs to benefit such community
in this area.
Tax
Section Meeting Minutes
Trusts & Estates provides monthly educational
programs for members and other practitioners; reviews legislation
of interest to its members; holds Section member meetings to share
information on issues in the areas of Surrogate's Court practice
and procedures, estate planning, drafting wills and trusts, trust
and estate administration and estate and gift taxes; and provides
networking and social activities for its members.
Young Lawyers membership is open to members admitted
less than 10 years or under the age of 36. The Section provides
educational programs for the entire membership and monthly networking
opportunities. The Section sponsors and participates in community
service actitivies and holds quarterly meetings with a guest speaker.
Young
Lawyers Flash Newsletter
December
2004
October
2004
August
2004
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