I am honored and humbled to serve as President of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, after having been sworn in by the Honorable Lisa A. Sokoloff at WBASNY’s in-person Convention. I graciously extend a special thank you to the Honorable Shirley Troutman, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, and the Honorable Deborah Kaplan, WBASNY Past President and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of the City of New York, for providing words of wisdom to each of us in their respective keynote addresses.
I would also like to thank Immediate Past President,
Dawn Reid-Green, for her dedicated service to WBASNY, for ensuring that I will have a smooth transition, for being a mentor, and my friend. It was great to finally be back in person for Convention 2022.
WBASNY is the second-largest statewide Bar Association in the State of New York and the largest women’s organization in the State. Under my leadership, we will continue to promote: the advancement of the status of women in the legal profession; the fair and equal administration of justice; and continue to act as a unified voice for our members with respect to issues of statewide, national and international significance to women generally, and to women attorneys in particular.
WBASNY’s three primary legislative initiatives for the coming year are: (1) to assure that New Yorkers continue to have reproductive autonomy over their bodies; (2) to continue efforts to see that New York State amends its Constitution to include an Equal Rights Amendment; and (3) to see that 18-B lawyers (court-assigned counsel for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney) finally receive the increase in pay that they deserve and have needed for many years.
In addition, I have created three new committees: a Torts Committee, a Business Development Committee, and a Social Action Committee. I hope the Torts Committee and the Business Development Committee will add value to our members and that the Social Action Committee will institutionalize the good work that WBASNY and its chapters do throughout the State.
I look forward to the coming year. WBASNY IS HERE FOR THE CHAPTERS, SERVING THE STATE.
Deborah G. Rosenthal, Esq., WBASNY President
