January 7, 2019: Associate Court of Appeals Judge Michael J. Garcia to be Honored by State Bar Association

January 7, 2019: Associate Court of Appeals Judge Michael J. Garcia to be Honored by State Bar Association

1.7.2019

By Communications Department

The Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law (TICL) Section and Trial Lawyers Sections of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) will recognize the Honorable Michael J. Garcia, associate judge of the Court of Appeals on January 16 at the NYSBA Annual Meeting.

Garcia is the TICL Section & Trial Lawyers Sections’ annual honoree. The award recognizes the devotion and accomplishment of efforts for the benefit of the bench and bar, and for inspiring administration of justice for the people of the state of New York.

Appointed and confirmed to the Court of Appeals in 2016, Garcia began his career as assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York before becoming acting commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 2002. He was appointed by President George W. Bush as assistant secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement before returning to the Southern District of New York to serve as the United States Attorney from 2005-2008.

The TICL Section will also be honoring the following individuals with awards at the NYSBA Annual Meeting:

Honorable George J. Silver, deputy chief administrative judge for the New York City courts, will receive the John E. Leach Memorial Award, which recognizes outstanding service and distinguished contributions to the legal profession as a member of NYSBA’s TICL Section. Silver is the co-chair of the Ethics and Professional Committee of the TICL Section, as well as a member of the NYSBA Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

Kelsey Shannon, Esq. of Syracuse (Lynn Law Firm, LLP) will receive the Sheldon Hurwitz Young Lawyer Award. The award is given in recognition of outstanding contribution to the practice of law in the field of insurance. Mr. Shannon is a member of the NYSBA Civil Practice and Rules Committee and Committee on Federal Legislative Priorities.

William W. Crossett IV, Esq. of Syracuse (Meggesto, Crossett & Valerino, LLP) will receive the Mary M. Russo – John Sciortino Award, which is given to a lawyer in recognition of outstanding contribution to the practice of law in the field of workers compensation. Crossett is an active member of the TICL Sections Workers Compensation Law Division.

The Trial Lawyers Section will present three former section chairs with its Distinguished Service Award: T. Andrew Brown, Esq of Rochester (Brown Hutchinson, LLP), Mark J. Moretti, Esq. of Rochester (Phillips Lytle, LLP), and Charles J. Siegel, Esq. of New York (Law Office of Charles J. Siegel).

Honoring attorneys who render extraordinary service to the public and the profession is part of NYSBA’s Annual Meeting, which each January attracts thousands of lawyers from around the state, the nation and the world. They come to meet and connect with their colleagues, and to learn from the experts in many areas of the law.

NYSBA’s 142nd Annual Meeting January 14-18 explores of current issues in the law with a presidential summit on January 16 that looks at the #MeToo movement, wrongful prosecutions and whistleblower laws. Speakers at other programs during the week include former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara; New York State Solicitor General Barbara Underwood, who recently served as the state’s first female Attorney General; Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; State Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried; and Court of Appeals Chief Judge Janet DiFiore.

For more information on NYSBA’s Annual Meeting, click here.

Contact: Brendan Kennedy
[email protected]
518-487-5541