2026 NYSBA Leadership Academy

11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.

Welcome

• Taa R. Grays, Esq., President-Elect, New York State Bar Association

Introduction to the New York State Bar Association’s Five Pillars of Leadership

• Christopher J. McNamara, Esq., Co-chair, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association

11:10 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Pillar One: Leader Identity

To effectively lead, lawyers must first gain a deeper understanding of themselves as leaders: what defines, motivates and frustrates them; what they stand for, i.e., their values; how they think about the world and themselves and others in it; and their strengths and leadership gaps that need to be developed. Other critical leadership concepts and skills covered under the Leader Identity Pillar are Leadership philosophy; Growth mindset; Emotional intelligence and agility; Resilience; Branding/Networking and Personal accountability.

Moderators

• Taa R. Grays, Esq., President-Elect, New York State Bar Association
• Matthew J. Griesemer, Esq., Partner, Hudson Valley Law Partners, PLLC

Faculty

• Yuliya I. LaRoe, JD, MBA, PCC, Founder & CEO, LeadWise Group

0.5 MCLE Credit in Areas of Professional Practice 

11:35 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

Pillar Two: Leadership Impact

For any leader to be effective in “mobilizing people around common goals to achieve concrete outcomes, at scale,” their actions must have a real impact on those they are leading. The key is to realize there is no way to do this. In fact, our ability to have an impact on others is not just one skill but a set of skills such as: Leadership (executive) presence; Influence and persuasion; Ability to have difficult conversations and manage conflict effectively; Negotiation; Gaining buy-in; Consensus building; Effective self-promotion; and building personal networks or relationship building.

Moderators

• Mirna Santiago, Esq., Past Member, Executive Committee, New York State Bar Association
• T. Andrew Brown, Esq., Managing Partner, Brown Hutchinson LLP, Past President, New York State Bar Association

Faculty

• Dr. Marissa Muoio, Academic and Program Administrator in the Office of Student-Athlete Excellence at New York University

0.5 MCLE Credit in Areas of Professional Practice 

12:05 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Break

12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Pillar Three: Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking is a type of critical thinking that helps people achieve long-term objectives, solve complex problems and overcome obstacles. Thinking strategically involves seeing the big picture and connecting the dots, planning activities and resources, and putting ideas into action. Strategic thinking skills are among the most highly sought-after leadership competencies.

Moderators

• Christopher J. McNamara, Esq., Co-chair, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association
• Vivian D. Wesson, Esq., Member, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association

Faculty

• Anne E. Collier, MPP, JD, PCC, CEO, Arudia Leadership & Management Academy

0.5 MCLE Credit in Law Practice Management 

12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Pillar Four: People Management

Help lawyers understand their own natural management style, including their innate strengths and limitations as managers.

Moderators

• Marc Aspis, Esq., Member, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association
• Catherine van Kampen, Esq., Co-chair, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association

Faculty

• Catherine Blessing, Managing Director of Human Resources, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP

0.5 MCLE Credit in Law Practice Management 

1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Pillar Five: Personal Productivity, Self-care and Peak Performance

Personal Productivity — that magical skillset that’s often portrayed as the secret to all professional and personal success — especially in the legal profession, where time is literally money. One mistake many lawyers make is thinking about productivity only in terms of time management. Time management is just one aspect of personal productivity. Time management is often about lawyers needing to prioritize more effectively, set better boundaries, or better manage sleep and physical energy. The Fifth Pillar of Leadership Development is not only about time management; it’s about identifying a mix of strategies that can help individuals achieve their own version of optimal productivity and peak performance.

Moderators

• Thomas J. Maroney, Esq., Founding Partner, Maroney O’Connor LLP, Secretary, New York State Bar Association
• Hon. Helena Heath, Albany City Court Judge (ret.), Past Co-chair, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association

Faculty

• Jennifer Clayton, LCSW, Well-Being Program Manager, New York State Bar Association
• Kimberly Wolf Price, Esq., COO, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, Chair, Committee on Attorney Well-Being, New York State Bar Association

0.5 MCLE Credit in Areas of Professional Practice 

1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Opportunities to Serve and Grow within NYSBA

• Kathleen M. Sweet, Esq., President, New York State Bar Association

2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Closing Remarks

• Christopher J. McNamara, Esq., Co-chair, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association
• Catherine E. van Kampen, Esq., Co-chair, Committee on Leadership Development, New York State Bar Association