Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks Honored by New York State Bar Association for Mentoring Next Generation of Lawyers
1.6.2026
The New York State Bar Association will honor Chief Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks with its Ruth G. Schapiro Award during a meeting of its governing body at the association’s Annual Meeting in New York City on Friday, Jan. 16.
Judge Dancks is a United States Magistrate judge for the Northern District of New York. She was appointed to the federal bench in 2012, making history as the first woman in that role.
Judge Dancks has made it her mission to “pay it forward” to the next generation of lawyers – most notably mentoring more than 50 law students as externs. She has also hosted students of all ages in her courtroom, introducing them to the court system, citizenship, careers in the law, and much more.
“Colleagues and friends describe Judge Dancks as being fair, compassionate, trustworthy, energetic – and having a huge heart,” said Kathleen Sweet, president of the New York State Bar Association. “Her work to promote diversity and support women in the legal profession has enhanced so many lives.”
She serves on the Diversity Committee of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association and often writes and speaks on panels related to diversity on the bench. She is also a past president of the Central New York Women’s Bar Association. During her term, Judge Dancks established the organization’s award-winning Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Clinic.
Honoring attorneys who render extraordinary service to the public and the profession is part of NYSBA’s Annual Meeting tradition. This year’s event promises to be dynamic and informative, featuring a wide range of sessions and activities tailored to the diverse interests and needs of lawyers practicing in New York. Annual Meeting takes place Jan. 13 to 16 at the New York Hilton Midtown.
Highlights of Annual Meeting include the Presidential Gala celebrating the association’s 150th Anniversary. The gala is on Thursday, Jan. 15, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., at The Plaza Hotel. The association will honor Gov. Kathy Hochul – who is receiving the Gold Medal – and its past presidents at the gala.
The Presidential Summit, the marquee event of the New York State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, is on Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Panelists will discuss “The Case for Constitutional Failure,” focusing on whether the three branches of government have fulfilled their Constitutional duties.
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jack Rakove of Stanford University and Yale University Rule of Law Clinic Co-Director, former Assistant United States Attorney, and January 6 Prosecutor Sonia Mittal will lead this important, timely conversation. Lawrence O’Donnell, MSNOW television anchor and commentator, will moderate the discussion.
