5th Annual Trial Lawyers Section Awards
The NYSBA Trial Lawyers Section is pleased to share that the recipients of our annual awards have been selected. Their outstanding contributions to the legal profession and the broader community will be formally recognized at the Awards and Networking Reception during the NYSBA Annual Meeting.
Award recipients will be officially announced at the event. Please join us as we celebrate excellence across the legal and judicial fields.
Awards & Networking Reception
Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Location: New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Room: Sutton South, 2nd Floor
The reception is complimentary, and guests are welcome.
Guests not attending CLE programs may select the Annual Meeting 2026 Non-CLE Meal Function Only option.
2026 Award Honorees
Selected in 2025; Presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting
Justice Irma Vidal Santaella Memorial Award for Excellence in the Courtroom
Angélique Moreno, Esq.
Peter C. Kopff Trial Advocacy Award
Christian J. Soller, Esq.
Betty D. Friedlander Award for Trial Excellence
Hon. Deborah H. Karalunas
Betty D. Friedlander Award for Trial Excellence
In recognition of a distinguished career marked by excellence in trial practice, demonstrating the highest quality of trial skill and conduct, and showing a commitment to professional growth, echoing the legacy of Betty Friedlander.
The Betty D. Friedlander Award for Trial Excellence was established by the Trial Lawyers Section to honor Betty Friedlander, one of the first female trial lawyers in upstate New York. Her pioneering career spanned over 18 years in private practice, where she handled cases ranging from personal injury to criminal defense and matrimonial/custody matters. Following her successful tenure in private practice, Betty served two electoral terms as County Court/Family Court Judge.
Throughout her career, Betty was deeply engaged in legal education and mentorship. She directed the Cornell Legal Aid Clinic, contributed to various NYSBA and OCA programs, and mentored numerous young lawyers and law students. Remarkably, even after mandatory retirement from the bench at age 70, she continued practicing as a trial lawyer into her 90s.
The award aims to recognize individuals who have substantially practiced as trial lawyers in state (or federal) courts in upstate New York (outside New York City). Qualifying candidates demonstrate excellence in the cultivation and utilization of trial skills, including courtroom practice, case preparation, client and collegial relations, litigation strategy, and ethics. Additionally, candidates exhibit a strong commitment to excellence in trial practice through professional engagement, writing, advocacy, teaching, or mentoring.
The Honorable Deborah H. Karalunas obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University in 1978 and graduated cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law in 1982. At the College of Law, Karalunas was a member of the International Law Review, Moot Court and Justinian Honor Society. Following law school, Karalunas clerked for United States District Court Judge Howard G. Munson in the Northern District of New York. In 1983, Karalunas joined the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King in Syracuse, New York where she later became a partner. In 2002 Karalunas was elected to serve as a Supreme Court Justice in the 5th Judicial District. She presides over a panoply of civil cases including commercial, personal injury, medical malpractice, intellectual property, constitutional and environmental. In 2007 Karalunas was appointed Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court, Commercial Division, Onondaga County, and in 2017 she was appointed to the New York State Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions. She is Chair of the 5th Judicial District Women in the Courts Committee and the 5th Judicial District Library Board.
Justice Karalunas is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Central New York Women’s Bar Association, the Onondaga County Bar Association, and the Armenian Bar Association. In addition to leading various committees and sections, Karalunas served on the Board of Directors of the Onondaga County Bar Association and the Central New York Women’s Bar Association. She was President of the Central New York Women’s Bar Association, Presiding Member of the Judicial Section of the New York State Bar Association, Trustee of the Onondaga County Bar Foundation, and President of the Association of Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Karalunas teaches New York Civil Practice at Syracuse University College of Law. She was the Editor of the Judicial Dispatch and author of a chapter in the treatise Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts. Karalunas serves on the Curriculum Committee for the New York State Judicial Summer Seminars, is a longstanding faculty member of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Trial Academy, and lectures frequently on many substantive law and trial practice topics.
Justice Karalunas was the 2009 recipient of the Syracuse University College of Law Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, the 2017 recipient of the Central New York Women’s Bar Association’s inaugural Karen DeCrow Award, and a 2018 Public Service Honoree of the Armenian Bar Association. Justice Karalunas lives in Jamesville, New York with her husband, George. They have three children, Sarah (Nick), Evan (Samantha) and Brian, and three grandchildren, Julian, Alina, and Elliot.
5th Annual Award Winner :Hon. Deborah H. Karalunas
4th Annual Award Winner : Justice Joseph A. Zayas
3rd Annual Awards Winner : Christopher P. Flint, Esq., Cooper Erving & Savage LLP, Albany, New York and Justice Erin P. Gall, Supreme Court Justice, Oneida County
2nd Annual Award Winner : Hon. Laura M. Jordan, Justice of the Supreme Court, 3rd Judicial District Of New York
1st Annual Award Winner : Cynthia LaFave, Esq. (LaFave, Wein & Frament, PLLC)
Justice Irma Vidal Santaella Memorial Award for Excellence in the Courtroom
In recognition of outstanding dedication to upholding integrity, justice, and empowerment in the legal profession, echoing the remarkable legacy of Judge Irma Vidal Santaella. This award, established by the Trial Lawyers Section, honors a female litigator or judge in New York State who exemplifies excellence in the courtroom and dedication to promoting integrity, justice, and fairness.
The Justice Irma Vidal Santaella Memorial Award for Excellence in the Courtroom, established by the Trial Lawyers Section, pays tribute to the First Puerto Rican/Hispanic Female Judge elected to the New York State Supreme Court. Justice Santaella’s legacy of integrity, justice, and empowerment serves as the cornerstone of this prestigious award.
Justice Santaella, a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, broke barriers as the first Puerto Rican woman lawyer in New York. Her distinguished career spanned from serving as a Commissioner for the Human Rights Appeal Board to practicing as a commercial litigator and accountant in private practice. A staunch advocate for Puerto Rican rights, she founded the Legion of Voters, Inc., and played a pivotal role in amending the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Additionally, she co-founded N.O.W. and numerous civil rights organizations, leaving an indelible mark on the legal landscape.
The award recognizes litigators in New York State who demonstrate excellence in the courtroom and uphold the highest standards of advocacy, due process, and integrity. Recipients exhibit significant experience as trial lawyers in state (or federal) courts in downstate New York, showcasing integrity and ethical conduct in trial advocacy and/or judicial service. They are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal profession, actively engaging in professional development, community involvement, teaching, and mentoring.
This award celebrates the courageous efforts of litigators and judges who champion integrity, justice, and fairness in the legal system, embodying the spirit of Judge Santaella’s lifelong dedication to the pursuit of justice and the empowerment of the marginalized.
Award Qualifications
The nominee has:
- Significant experience as a trial lawyer or judge in New York State or federal courts in downstate New York
- Demonstrated excellence in trial advocacy and/or judicial service, displaying integrity and ethical conduct
- Dedication to achieving excellence in trial practice and/or judicial service through professional engagement, community involvement, teaching, or mentoring
- Commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal profession
Angélicque M. Moreno Esq.
Angélicque M. Moreno Esq. is a dedicated trial attorney and partner at Avanzino & Moreno, P.C., where she has proudly spent her career advocating for injured individuals and ensuring their voices are heard. She specializes in labor law, construction accidents, product liability, premises liability, negligent security, civil rights, and motor vehicle matters. Throughout her practice, she has secured numerous significant verdicts and settlements for her clients, reflecting her unwavering pursuit of justice and accountability.
A recognized leader within New York’s legal community, Ms. Moreno has held prominent roles across multiple bar associations, including Chair of the New York State Bar Association Trial Lawyers Section, First Vice President of the Brooklyn Bar Association, and Past President of both the Puerto Rican Bar Association and the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. She is deeply committed to mentorship and professional development, frequently lecturing on ethics, trial advocacy, and labor law, and working to elevate the skills and confidence of fellow attorneys.
Her contributions have been honored with multiple distinctions, including the Sybil Hart Kooper Award, City & State’s Trailblazers in Law recognition, and longstanding selection to Super Lawyers. She is especially proud to champion diversity, integrity, and fairness in the justice system — values that guide her work every day.
A graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and SUNY Binghamton, Ms. Moreno remains devoted to empowering the next generation of legal leaders and advancing access to justice for all communities she serves.
5th Annual Award Winner: Angélicque M. Moreno Esq.
4th Annual Award Winner : Hon. Sallie Manzanet-Daniels
3rd Annual Award Winner (No winner awarded in 2023)
2nd Annual Award Winner :Hon Doris M. Gonzalez, Justice of the Supreme Court, 12th Judicial District of New York
1st Annual Award Winner : Chief Judge Janet DiFiore (NYS Office of Court Administration, NYS Court of Appeals, Albany, New York)
Peter C. Kopff Trial Advocacy Award
In recognition of a career marked by integrity and adherence to the highest ethical standards.
This award, established by the Trial Lawyers Section, the distinguished career of private practice trial lawyers and judges in New York State who embody integrity and the highest ethical standards in their profession.
About Peter C. Kopff: Peter C. Kopff is a highly distinguished attorney and trial advocate who served as Chair of the NYSBA Trial Lawyers Section from 2012-2013 and received the Distinguished Trial Lawyer Award in 2017. Known for his unwavering ethics, he has extensively lectured, published on trial advocacy, mentored many lawyers, and demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
Award Qualifications
The nominee has:
- Practiced as a trial lawyer in private practice or a member of the Judiciary in New York State
- Demonstrated success in providing high-quality education, training, teaching, or mentoring
- Exhibited excellence in trial advocacy and/or judicial service, maintaining integrity and ethical standards
- Committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the legal profession
Christian is primarily a problem-solver, with an unyielding dedication to creatively and cost-effectively furthering his clients’ long-term business interests by guiding them in a manner that avoids risk and exposure. Those clients range from Fortune 500 and 1000 companies to small businesses and individuals, who serve a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution and supply, engineering, property and equipment leasing, insurance, construction, and pharmaceutical.
Christian counsels his clients on a broad spectrum of employer issues such as executive and equity compensation, employment agreements, partnership agreements, OSHA and Department of Labor issues, the enforceability of post-employment covenants, discrimination, harassment, salary disputes, and crisis management.
Christian is an accomplished litigator and trial lawyer with more than 20 years of experience successfully representing his clients across the country. He has successfully tried numerous jury trials to verdict and in that context has earned a reputation for winning seemingly unwinnable cases. Christian concentrates his practice on a mix of business, employment and personal injury litigation, involving business tort, breach of contract and fraud allegations, coronavirus-related litigation (e.g., defending colleges, universities and other institutions against tuition, lodging and/or meal reimbursement claims, public nuisance claims, distance learning differential claims, etc.), construction litigation, professional malpractice, trade secret actions, wrongful death, high-exposure toxic tort litigation, products liability, construction and labor law litigation. These matters often involve “bet-the-company” stakes, death or catastrophic injuries.
Prior to joining Hodgson Russ, Christian was associated with O’Connor Redd Orlando LLP where he tried multiple civil cases to verdict. Before that, he tried criminal cases as an Assistant District Attorney in Orange County.
5th Annual Award Winner: Christian J. Soller Esq.
4th Annual Award Winner : Hon. Joseph E. Capella, Administrative Judge, Supreme Court, Civil Term, 12th Judicial District
3rd Annual Award Winner : Hon. Suzanne Adams, Acting Supreme Court Justice, New York County
2nd Annual Award Winner :Helene E. Blank, Esq., Blank & Star, Pllc, Brooklyn, New York
1st Annual Award Winner : Kevin Hunt, Esq. (Gale Gale & Hunt, LLC)