Report of President Domenick Napoletano to the House of Delegates of the New York State Bar Association – April 5, 2025
4.5.2025
Good morning. It is great to see everyone here at the Bar Center. It has been my honor and privilege to serve as President of this great association, the largest voluntary state bar in the nation. As President I always remembered that when I spoke, I spoke on behalf of all of you, our members, and our noble profession.
Buongiorno. È bello vedere tutti qui al Bar Center. È stato un grande onore e privilegio per me servire come Presidente di questa grande associazione, il più grande ordine forense statale volontario della nazione. Come Presidente ho sempre ricordato che quando parlavo, parlavo a nome di tutti voi, i nostri membri e la nostra nobile professione.
I said those words in Italian, because I, like many Americans, am a proud first-generation Italian-American. We are a nation of immigrants, and it is the beautiful mosaic of our different cultures and languages that give our great nation its enduring strength and endless opportunity.
It is the diversity of our Association, and this House of Delegates, with members from Brooklyn to Buffalo, conservative and liberal, prosecutors and defenders, new lawyers and long-established lawyers, that gives strength to our policies and positions. When a report with recommendations comes through our hard-working sections and committees and is debated and approved by this House of Delegates, we have positions that are vigorously vetted, balanced and educational. And when the policies of our Association have come under attack, I spoke loudly and clearly on behalf of our Association.
In recent months we have addressed – on five separate occasions – Executive Orders that target our profession, our judges, or the policies that this House has approved.
We have spoken out in support of our constitutional principle of birthright citizenship, which is close to my heart because I grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Brooklyn and I am the son of immigrant parents.
We have decried threats to judges, because they must be free to do their jobs without fear or favor.
We have advocated for the right to counsel for noncitizens because they don’t know the grave consequences of representing themselves or that pleading guilty in criminal proceedings might result in their deportation.
In every case in which we have spoken out, we base our statements on policies that have been approved by the House of Delegates. Our positions are respected by our elected representatives and the nation’s legal community because they are well conceived, balanced, and they don’t merely react to the news of the day. But most of all, it is because of you – the members we represent – that our positions are so well-respected.
And when it comes to membership, as most of you know, the Association has undergone a sea change in our membership structure this past year. I want to thank Michelle Wildgrube who has co-chaired the membership committee since 2022 and who has served on that committee since 2014, including a five-year term as vice chair.
Michelle has led the most necessary and transformational – but least glamorous – initiative in recent association history. Michelle served with two different co-chairs, first Clotelle Drakeford and currently Helen Naves. Michelle’s work has been dedicated to the long-term betterment and sustainability of the association. She has presented at every Executive Committee and House of Delegates meeting since 2022. Michelle and the membership committee have diligently persisted in the face of skepticism and uncertainty. Michelle stayed focused on making this membership transition successful for all members and our sections, never seeking personal credit for her often-thankless work. I want to thank all the members of the membership committee, and especially Michelle and Helen who will be presenting later this morning, for all they did to put the future of this association on a successful path.
The new membership model has also led to more members participating in our educational programming. I want to cite just two of many examples to make that point. Just a week ago, more than 500 attorneys attended a CLE on immigration law as this legal landscape changes. We also hosted a program on the rule of law and what that means in the present political climate. More than 300 attorneys attended.
We have been to the state Capitol to speak to our legislators about our legislative priorities including easing burdensome notary requirements, expanding e-filing and increasing assigned counsel rates.
We collaborated with three other bar associations and IOLA to prevent the state’s seizure of millions of dollars from the IOLA Fund, so that indigent New Yorkers are not denied access to justice.
We have submitted an amicus brief urging the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to keep unproven claims against New York attorneys confidential until after a determination of wrongdoing and discipline. That is what the law requires, and that system has been in place for the past 80 years. As we all know, making false or unproven allegations public damages the reputation of lawyers and hurts their clients. I want to thank former PJ of the first department Rolando Acosta, and his law firm Pillsbury Winthrop, for writing and filing the amicus on behalf of our association.
We have encouraged Chief Judge Wilson and the Office of Court Administration to develop a challenging bar exam on state law that will inspire law students to be prepared to analyze issues they will encounter as New York lawyers.
A good first step would be to urge law schools to reinstitute a mandatory New York practice course to help ensure that new attorneys have a comprehensive understanding of how our state’s legal system works. Our Task Force on the New York Bar Examination submitted three reports to the House of Delegates with recommendations along these lines and all these reports have been approved. We continue to advocate for a rigorous examination that requires an understanding of New York law in order to practice law in New York State.
We addressed these issues because they impact our members, our profession and the public we are privileged to serve.
Undoubtedly, I have had a full calendar. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I have traveled throughout the state attending nearly 100 events within the past 300 days to address issues facing our members and the legal profession. I met with the Chief Judge Wilson and other esteemed judicial members on a panel that listened to testimony from civil legal services organizations from throughout the state. I have spoken with local and affinity bar groups to discuss how we may further strengthen our partnerships. I have met with young lawyers and ABA President-Elect Michelle Behnke to gain a better understanding of their concerns and have had discussions with the UK Attorney General and members of the Georgian Bar Association, the Milan Bar Association and the Law Society of England to find common ground so we may strengthen our collective voice.
I have always believed that the members of the New York State Bar Association are among the most talented and dedicated legal professionals in the country and throughout the world. However, these past 10 months have further heightened my appreciation of your skill and your devotion to improving our system of laws and creating a more equal, and just, society. Your integrity, input, advice and thoughtful counsel have helped me throughout this year.
I want to thank the sections and committees for all their efforts to help better serve our members. I relied on you because of your extraordinary talent and commitment to our association, and because I wanted to engage our newest members so we could capitalize on fresh ideas and opinions.
Looking ahead, we must ensure that our newest members have the tools to propel our profession and society forward. The stronger our association is the stronger our voice will be on behalf of our profession. That is why I am so grateful for the work we have done over the last year to promote the Association’s new membership model, to provide even greater membership benefits to lawyers.
I will confidently hand over the gavel to Kathleen Sweet who will take over as President on June 1 knowing that you’ll be in good hands under her leadership. Kathleen, thank you for your collegiality and unwavering support throughout the past year. I look forward to our ongoing work.
I would also like to thank Immediate Past President Richard Lewis, President-Elect Designee Taa Grays, Treasurer Susan Harper and the entire Executive Committee and you the House of Delegates for supporting me during my term.
And while we have accomplished so much, there will always be more to do. So, I’m glad that I’m leaving the association in good hands.
I would like to acknowledge my wife Fran and children, Alexis and Nicholas, for their never-ending support, and my beautiful grandchildren – Sofia and Everitt.
Finally, I want to thank every member of our marvelous staff for everything they have done.
Thank you.
