Event Overview
Please join us for our virtual Annual Meeting program this January. Key topics that will be covered include:
Cultural Competency: Less than one half of one percent of Americans are currently serving in the military and veterans make up only approximately 7% of the population. These factors in conjunction with the complexities of military life can make it extremely difficult for a majority civilian population to relate to the military experience/culture. An understanding of military culture with its emphasis on “mission,” “others before self” and often bluntness/aggression is essential to working with the military/veteran client.
Military Speak: The military/veteran community speaks in a labyrinth of jargon/acronyms/code which is difficult for the non-veteran to understand. This segment will explore some of the more common military terminology and provide a primer for the nonveteran lawyer working with the military/veteran client.
New York State Veteran Advocate of the Year Award Presentation: Honorable Robert T. Russell Jr. (retired) of the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court.
Faculty:
Jessica D. Parker, Esq., Committee Co-Chair and Program Planning Chair, Credit Suisse, New York, NY
Art Cody, Esq., Committee Co-Chair, Captain, US Navy (Retired), Center for Veteran Criminal Advocacy, Ridgewood, New Jersey
Roy Diehl, Lt. Col., US Army (Retired), Deputy Director, Veterans Defense Program, Albany, New York
Monday, January 24, 2022
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Faculty:
Jessica D. Parker, Esq., Committee Co-Chair and Program Planning Chair, Credit Suisse, New York, NY
Art Cody, Esq., Committee Co-Chair, Captain, US Navy (Retired), Center for Veteran Criminal Advocacy, Ridgewood, New Jersey
Roy Diehl, Lt. Col., US Army (Retired), Deputy Director, Veterans Defense Program, Albany, New York
9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Cultural Competency
Less than one half of one percent of Americans are currently serving in the military and veterans make up only approximately 7% of the population. These factors in conjunction with the complexities of military life can make it extremely difficult for a majority civilian population to relate to the military experience/culture. An understanding of military culture with its emphasis on “mission,” “others before self” and often bluntness/aggression is essential to working with the military/veteran client.
9:50 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Military Speak
The military/veteran community speaks in a labyrinth of jargon/acronyms/code which is difficult for the non-veteran to understand. This segment will explore some of the more common military terminology and provide a primer for the nonveteran lawyer working with the military/veteran client.
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
New York State Veteran Advocate of the Year Award Presentation
Honorable Robert T. Russell Jr. (retired) of the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court.
Virtual Programming Pricing
Virtual Meeting General Registration Fee
$25
Required to attend any virtual CLE programs
Note: While this program is free to attend, it does require purchase of Virtual Meeting General Registration
Jessica D. Parker, Esq.
Jessica Thaler is an experienced corporate-transactional generalist, representing individuals and companies in their formation, counseling them in their business operations and in connection with various types of corporate transactions, helping to ensure their growth and stability. She has worked with for-profit and not-for-profit, public and private entities, understanding the nuances involved with their businesses and operations.
After 15 years of practice, Jessica moved over the business side, utilizing her legal skills as a regulatory project manager for Credit Suisse where she collaborates with business and legal partners as well as tax and IT professionals to implement and manage regulatory projects. This position is a continuation of her prior role as contractor for the asset management department’s legal team.
Prior to joining Credit Suisse’s legal department as a contractor, Jessica served as the Chief Legal Officer (“CLO”) for a nonprofit organization that works to end violence in intimate relationships and combat the effects of domestic violence and human trafficking on women, men and children. In her role as CLO, Jessica advised the agency on all matters with legal implications including corporate governance, grant and vendor contracts, insurance, risk management, real estate, subpoenas, human resources, operations and policy matters, budgeting, resource development, funding support, strategic planning and external affairs. This experience matured the managerial, leadership, legal, relationship-building and organizational skills Jessica gained through previous years of experience working as a solo practitioner and for large and small law firms, serving the needs of clients in many industries.
Art C. Cody, Esq.
USN Captain (Retired) Center for Veteran Criminal Advocacy
Captain Art Cody, USN (Retired) is the Director of Criminal Programs at VAP. His military career spans over 30 years and he has served worldwide. Art began his career as an Army helicopter pilot followed by a similar role in the U.S. Navy Reserve flying for a Strike Rescue/Special Operations Squadron. He served aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in the initial response to the 9/11 attacks and was most recently deployed to Afghanistan (2011-2012) as the Staff Director of the Rule of Law Section, U.S. Embassy Kabul. As a civilian lawyer, he has represented criminal clients for over 20 years and is former chair of the Capital Punishment Committee of the New York City Bar Association. He frequently presents nationally on the defense of veterans, provides counsel to lawyers for capitally charged or sentenced veterans, and served as lead counsel in a veteran capital clemency hearing. In addition to an Aerospace Engineering degree from West Point, Cody graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School where he was the Executive Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and founded the Notre Dame Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. He is a recipient of the New York City Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award for Capital Representation, the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Humanitarian Award for Lifetime Service, and the New York State Bar Association’s 2019 David S. Michaels Award for his representation of veterans in criminal courts. His military decorations include the Navy Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Naval Aviator Badge, Army Aviator Badge, Army Parachutist Badge, and the German Armed Forces Parachutist Badge. Additionally, he received the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award for his service in Kabul.
Roy M. Diehl, Esq.
Deputy Director, Veterans Defense Program
New York State Defenders Association
Roy M. Diehl, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (Retired) is the Deputy Director of the Veterans Defense Program of the New York State Defenders Association. Roy joined the Army in 1984, was commissioned in 1998 and retired in 2015. Roy graduated from Albany Law School in 1992. His military career spans over 31 years, which included tours to Ground Zero in 2001, Iraq in 2005 with the NY Army National Guard 42nd Infantry Division and served at the Pentagon for several years. His military awards include New York Defense of Liberty “with WTC Device”, Army Meritorious Service Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4). Upon his return from Iraq, Roy held various positions including Senior Defense Counsel, International Law Officer, Domestic Support Team Chief and Operational Law Attorney.
New York State Veteran Advocate of the Year
The New York State Bar Association Committee on Veterans is awarding their inaugural New York State Veteran Advocate of the Year Award. The Committee is recognizing an attorney who has positively impacted and/or has provided exemplary services to current and retired members of the U.S. Military in New York State through Legislative and/or Legal Advocacy.
The Committee has selected Judge Robert Russell for his work in the Buffalo and Erie Counties located in New York Judicial District 8.
Judge Robert Russell is an Associate Judge for Buffalo City Court and serves by appointment as an Acting Erie County Court Judge. In January 2008, he created and began presiding over this Country’s first “Veterans’ Treatment Court.” The National Vietnam Veterans of America has awarded Russell with the Vietnam Veterans of America Achievement Medal and The National Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has awarded Russell with the James E. Dan Zandt Citizenship Award. Russell is also the recipient of the 2014 White House Advocates for Action Award, presented by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the 2015 AMVETS- American Veterans (National) Silver Helmet Award.
Russell created and presides over Buffalo’s Drug Treatment Court since December 1995. His work in the treatment court field led to his induction into the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Hall of Fame. He is also the recipient of the New York State Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals’ Leadership Award. In addition, in 2002, he established and began presiding over Buffalo’s Mental Health Treatment Court. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), an advocacy organization for the mentally ill, has awarded Russell with the Nancy D. Smith Memoriam Award.
Russell is the Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Inc., and the Past President of the New York State Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals, Inc. He also served on the National Advisory Board of the Judges’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative (JLI). The JLI is co-coordinated by the Council of State Governments’ (CSG) and The National Gains Center. He is the recipient of several Awards of Merit from the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, and the Erie County Bar Association. Community Awards include the Buffalo News 2009 Outstanding Citizen Award and the Leadership Buffalo 2010 Openness to Change Award. Russell is a graduate of Howard University Law School in Washington, DC
Honor Roll
Gary A. Horton, Esq. of Genesee County in New York Judicial District 8
Richard M. Jones, Esq. of New York County in New York Judicial District 1
Anthony Joseph Kuhn, Esq. of Niagara County in New York Judicial District 8
Susanna Laruccia, Esq. of Nassau County in New York Judicial District 10
Chad H. Lennon, Esq. of Suffolk County in New York Judicial District 10
Benjamin P. Pomerance, Esq. of Clinton County in New York Judicial District 4
Kenneth Rosenblum, Esq. of Suffolk County in New York Judicial District 10