President-Elect Candidate Statement: Michelle H. Wildgrube

President-Elect Candidate Statement: Michelle H. Wildgrube

9.8.2025

By Michelle H. Wildgrube

I submit this statement to declare my candidacy for President-Elect of the New York State Bar Association. I have been a member of NYSBA since my admission to the bar. I became active in NYSBA in the second half of my career, when I was asked to serve as a District Representative for the Real Property Law Section. As District Rep, I began to study membership, thinking about membership in NYSBA and membership in Sections. I was then asked to serve on the House of Delegates and as co-chair of the Sections’ Caucus Membership Committee, which led to my tenure on NYSBA’s Membership Committee.

On these committees, I have sought ways to encourage membership, to support our members, and to grow our membership. NYSBA membership makes us better practitioners and provides much needed support to the legal community. Unfortunately, most of the attorneys practicing in New York are not members. As President-Elect, I will continue to work to change that statistic and to promote the value of membership, with an emphasis on the next generation of attorneys. I think it is important to include newly admitted attorneys in NYSBA functions and to listen to Young Lawyers, regarding their needs, as the practice of law evolves because of AI and new technologies.

Working with the Membership Committee on the new membership model, I was thrilled when it was adopted to include two Section memberships. As a former Section chair of the Real Property Law Section, I have seen how effectively the Sections advocate for our members and share invaluable practice updates and legal education. Section membership has made me a stronger practitioner. As President-Elect, my goal would be to support the Sections’ work in providing the best resources to our members through CLE, publications, and events.

I was the first woman and the first Asian-American elected to be president of the Federation of Bar Associations for the Fourth Judicial District. Founded over 65 years ago, it includes all bar associations in the Fourth Judicial District, and holds a seat on the House of Delegates. In that role, I was able to see first-hand the concerns of attorneys in rural areas.

I am committed to continuing the efforts of President Kathleen Sweet through NYSBA’s rural practice initiatives led by Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry to support attorneys practicing in rural areas of New York State. I look forward to working with Judge Garry to encourage attorneys to choose to practice in rural areas and to advocate for resources, mentors, and access to technology for these attorneys. It is my hope that we can increase the number of attorneys practicing in rural communities, to provide equal access to justice in these underserved areas.

The New York Bar Association is here for attorneys. I am prepared to listen to our membership, to keep our association vibrant and active, and to uphold our mission to support the professional success of our members and the legal community.