New York State Bar Association To Honor Presiding Justices Gerald Whalen and Elizabeth Garry, 4 Other Outstanding Lawyers
12.10.2025
The New York State Bar Association will honor Presiding Justice Gerald J. Whalen of the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, and Presiding Justice Elizabeth A. Garry of the Appellate Division, Third Department, for their innovative programs encouraging young and newly admitted lawyers to pursue public service employment opportunities in New York’s rural communities.
The New York Rural Pathways Program addresses the shortage of attorneys in rural areas by placing law student interns in District Attorney, Public Defender, and Assigned Counsel offices. The students begin their internships during the summer but are encouraged to return to those communities following law school graduation. The justices are in the final stages of developing additional programs to inspire newly admitted and seasoned attorneys alike to serve in New York’s rural communities.
In its 2020 Report of the Task Force on Rural Justice, the New York State Bar Association confirmed the dire shortage of attorneys in rural areas of New York. The Task Force recommended increased pay, student loan forgiveness, tuition assistance and relaxing residency requirements for public service attorneys in rural areas.
“As rural lawyers retire, there are precious few young lawyers ready to replace them and meet the needs of these New Yorkers,” said New York State Bar Association President Kathleen Sweet. “Justices Whalen and Garry are tackling this problem, and their programs are helping to close the access to justice gap.”
The Vincent E. Doyle, Jr. Award for Contribution in the Criminal Justice System will be presented by the association’s Criminal Justice Section to Justices Whalen and Garry on Tuesday, Jan. 13, during the association’s Annual Meeting at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City.
Justice Garry will also receive the Advancement of Judicial Diversity award from the association’s Judicial Section on Friday, Jan. 16.
Martin B. Adelman Lifetime Achievement Award: Norman Effman
The Criminal Justice Section will present Norman Effman with the Martin B. Adelman Lifetime Achievement Award for his over 30 years of service in the Wyoming County Public Defender’s office. He is currently the executive director of the Wyoming County Attica Legal Aid Bureau, which protects the civil rights of the incarcerated.
Mr. Effman is a leading advocate for prison reforms such as the HALT Act, which limits the use of solitary confinement. He fights for education, medical care and due process for those in New York’s prisons. His peers know him as a voice of reason and a pillar of his community.
Outstanding Prosecutor Award: Schuyler County District Attorney Joseph Fazzary
During his nearly 28-year tenure, Mr. Fazzary has prosecuted several high-profile cases including the beating death of a Watkins Glen High School student by a classmate. In 2024, he created the Justice Center of the Southern Tier in Montour Falls. In just a year’s time, the center has assisted more than 400 victims across five counties.
Charles F. Crimi Memorial Award: Marc Gann
Mr. Gann is a highly regarded criminal defense attorney who takes on the most difficult murder and drug cases. After starting his career as a prosecutor in Nassau County, he later founded the law firm of Collins, Gann, McCloskey and Barry.
Mr. Gann leads the National Institute of Trial Advocacy program at Hofstra University Law School and serves on the faculty at Touro Law School. He teaches young lawyers the importance of treating everyone with respect and professionalism.
Michele Maxian Award for Outstanding Public Defense Practitioner: Patricia Warth
As director of the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services, Ms. Warth devotes her energy to criminal justice advocacy. She has led research on sentencing policy, mitigation investigation, prison-based programs, sex offense registration, New York State drug law reform, and the life-long consequences of a criminal conviction. She lobbies the state legislature for funding for assigned counsel for all criminal defendants in need of representation.
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 is honoring Gov. Kathy Hochul — who is receiving the Gold Medal — and is 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.
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jack Rakove of Stanford University and Yale University Rule of Law Clinic Director and January 6th Prosecutor Sonia Mittal will lead an important, timely conversation: “The Case for Constitutional Failure,” focusing on whether the three branches of government have abdicated their Constitutional duties. Lawrence O’Donnell, the MSNOW television anchor and commentator, will moderate.
For more information on NYSBA’s Annual Meeting, click here.
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