Local and State Government Law Section Fall Meeting 2026

Join the Local and State Government Law Section for their Fall 2026 Meeting in Lake Placid! 

New York State Bar Association 

Local and State Government Law Section

Fall Meeting

Friday, October 9, 2026
 11:30 am – 4:00 pm

4.0 MCLE Credit(s)
 (3.0 Professional Practice and 1.0 Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection-General) 

Saturday, October 10, 2026
 8:50 am – 12:30 pm

4.0 MCLE Credit(s)
 (4.0 Professional Practice) 

Sunday, October 11, 2026
 9:20 am – 12:15 pm

3.5 MCLE Credit(s)
 (2.5 Professional Practice and 1.0 Ethics and Professionalism) 

Agenda (Day 1)
 Friday, October 9, 2026

11:30-12:00            Conference Check-in and CLE Registration

                              Olympic Center – 2634 Main Street, Lake Placid

12:00-12:10            Welcome and Opening Remarks
Chris G. Trapp, Section Chair
Greco Trapp PLLC
 Buffalo, NY

12:10-12:20            Introductory Remarks

12:20-1:10              Current Issues in Cybersecurity
Paige Ross
The Beckage Firm
 Buffalo, NY

1.0 Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection-General

1:10-2:00                Election Law Update
Henry A. Zomerfeld
Hodgson Russ LLP
 Buffalo, NY

1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

2:00-2:20                Break

2:20-3:10                Labor Law – Dealing With Difficult Employees
Alyssa L. Zuckerman
Kean & Beane P.C.
 Melville, NY

1.0 Credits in Areas of Professional Practice

3:10-4:00                2026 SEQRA Overhaul
Drew Gamils
 Riverkeeper

                              1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

5:00-7:00                Cocktail Reception and Curling
 Olympic Ice Rink

2634 Main Street, Lake Placid

Agenda (Day 2)
 Saturday, October 10, 2026

7:30-8:30                Breakfast

8:30-8:35                Opening Remarks
 Village of Lake Placid Mayor – Art Devlin

8:35-8:50                Introductory Remarks
 Taa Grays, NYSBA President

8:50-9:40                Supreme Court Update
Vincent M. Bonventre
 Professor, Albany Law School

1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

9:40-10:30              The Wild West of Municipal Prosecution:  the State’s ideal; the People’s reality
Robert Sarachan
City of Ithaca
 Ithaca, NY

Joseph Trapp
Greco Trapp PLLC
 Buffalo, NY

1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

10:30-10:50            Break

10:50-11:40            Urban Renewal and Economic Development Tools
Daniel A. Spitzer
Hodgson Russ LLP
 Buffalo, NY

1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

11:40-12:30            Battery Energy Storage Systems
Matthew A. Eldred
Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP
 Rochester, NY

Christian A.L. Gates
Kean & Beane P.C.
 White Plains, NY

1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

2:30-4:30                Activities at Mount VanderHoeven

                              (Main entrance of Mountain Pass Lodge)

Biathlon Shooting at 2:30

                              Sky Coaster at 3:30                     

4:30- 6:00               Evening to enjoy Lake Placid on your own

6:00-7:00                Reception 

                              Cambria Hotel – Outdoor Patio (Weather permitted)

Agenda (Day 3)
 Sunday, October 11, 2026

7:30-8:55                Breakfast
  

8:10-8:55                Executive Committee Meeting
  

9:00-9:10                Opening Remarks 

                               Meeting Co-Chair Trapp

9:10-9:20                Introductory Remarks
  

9:20-10:10              Home Rule: Major Questions Doctrine and Preemption
Hon. Denise Hartman
Supreme Court Justice

                                Albany County, NY

                                1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

10:10-11:00            Ethics – Attorney Discipline in New York
Steven G. Leventhal
Leventhal, Mullaney & Blinkoff, LLP
Roslyn, NY

1.0 Credit in Ethics and Professionalism

11:00-12:15            Recent Developments in Open Government
Kristin O'Neill Bergen
Committee on Open Government
Albany, NY

1.5 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Book your room today at the Cambria Hotel Lake Placid!

Booking Link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/UJ02W5 

Room rates are $207 per night (this includes Sunday night if you would like to stay until Monday for the holiday weekend).

Room Block ends September 21st, 2026

Thank You to our Sponsors!

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