New York State Bar Association President Kathleen Sweet To Focus on Membership

As the next president, Kathleen Sweet knows the most important resource of the New York State Bar Association is its members.

“Unless we maintain and grow membership, the rest of it doesn’t matter,” Sweet said. “We can’t defend the rule of law, we can’t support access to justice, we can’t defend the impartiality of the judiciary if we don’t have the strength of our membership.”

With the new membership model, Sweet wants to reach members of the legal profession who may not be aware of the benefits and resources available.

“Now that continuing legal education courses, electronic forms and e-Books are included, we can market that as huge value to the leaders of large agencies and organizations that employ lawyers.”

“I think it would be a great opportunity for them to be a part of our community – whether it’s in the sections or in the association at large – to further develop and share their knowledge, skills and connections in the profession.”

She emphasized that building more bridges with the law schools can also help turn future lawyers into future members. “I certainly think it would be good to have ombudsmen for the association embedded in the law schools through the faculty and the deans.”

Honoring the New York State Bar Association’s Past and Future

Sweet served as president of the Bar Association of Erie County from 2012 to 2013, which led her to becoming a member of the New York State Bar Association’s House of Delegates. Since then, she has taken on leadership roles in the association, including co-chairing the Committee on Access to Justice for the past year.

“Serving in the House of Delegates, I developed deep admiration and respect for the leaders of our association, and I am in awe of the wide range of good work the association does,” Sweet wrote in her candidate statement.

Sweet said that among her most impactful work at the New York State Bar Association was serving on past President Richard Lewis’ Task Force on Medical Aid in Dying, which advocated for legislation that would allow terminally ill New Yorkers to choose to end their lives with dignity. The New York State Bar Association endorsed the task force’s recommendation to support the legislation in January 2024.

Another high point for Sweet was serving on past President Lewis’ Task Force on Advancing Diversity, which addressed the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina.

As she will be president during the New York State Bar Association’s 150th anniversary in 2026, she looks forward to celebrating the association’s past presidents and their accomplishments.

Sweet was also president of the Bar Association of Erie County during its celebration of its 125th anniversary. “So, my timing has been excellent,” she joked.

Support From Colleagues and Family

A lifelong resident of Western New York, Kathleen has been at the Buffalo-based firm of Gibson, McAskill and Crosby – where she is a partner – for 27 years.

“My law firm colleagues have been wonderfully supportive of me. It is no small gift from the firm – they’re sacrificing not only the value of my time and billable hours, but I’m physically not there as much,” she said.

Her practice includes the defense of medical malpractice actions and legal malpractice actions. She also represents physicians and other health care professionals subject to discipline at the institutional level and those facing state and federal investigations and actions. She is a certified mediator for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York.

Sweet lives in Orchard Park with her husband, Brian Fredericks, a recently retired civil engineer. Her daughter Caroline recently graduated from Northeastern University School of Law and plans to work for a law firm in Boston. Her son Michael has a master’s degree from the University of Virginia and works for a defense contractor at the Pentagon.

Sweet earned her juris doctorate from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and completed her undergraduate studies at Boston College. In 2004 she was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame and she recently learned that she will be inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2025.

When asked how her experience as an athlete impacted her legal career, Sweet said, “Every game, every possession is an opportunity. It is often the same with litigation and especially trial work. You have to respond and react to changing circumstances and be resilient.”

After graduating law school, Sweet spent two years as a law clerk at the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department. “I feel like I grew up as a lawyer a lot during those two years at the Appellate Division. I had exposure to a lot of different areas of law. I made good friends there and learned so much from the judges.”

Examining the Medical Indemnity Fund

During her presidency, Sweet would like to establish a task force to research and recommend how best to protect and sustain New York’s Medical Indemnity Fund, a fund for children who have experienced neurologic deficits in the context of alleged medical malpractice. “I’m hopeful to find a group of lawyers who will study it and provide data and recommendations to support continuing and protecting the viability of the Fund,” Sweet said.

Looking toward the next 12 months, the association’s 128th president said, “I want to focus primarily on growing membership and making sure the association is a professional home where people can become better lawyers. That is the core mission.”