The Bar Association of Erie County has announced the slate of honorees for its annual Law Day luncheon.

Awards will be presented to the following:

• Nancy Brady, Ronald DiNicolantonio and Mary Knab, Liberty Bell Award

The three are teachers at the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart, Clarence High School and St. Francis High School, respectively, who have participated as teacher-coaches in the BAEC's annual high-school mock trial program for many years.

• Frank Boccio, Justice Award

Boccio has been chief clerk of Erie County Family Court since 1961 and will be honored, said BAEC President Robert Convissar, for "exemplary service" and "discharging his duties with great humility and unfailing dedication."

• Barbara Mahoney, Special Service Award

Mahoney, scheduling coordinator for the 8th Judicial District's Martin P. Violante Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, is cited for "invaluable service and outstanding commitment to the legal community."

• James Lonergan, Police Officer Award

A detective sergeant with the Buffalo Police Department, Lonergan has worked in law enforcement for 37 years, primarily in the department's Homicide Unit. He's cited for "extraordinary investigative skills and (an) uncanny ability to obtain confessions from suspects."

• Jack Connors, Media Award

Convissar said Connors, president and publisher of Business First and the Buffalo Law Journal, was selected for his long career in publishing and for his leadership in providing "a highly relevant source of information for our legal community."

Several student awards will also be presented at the luncheon, to be held Friday, April 23, at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. New York State Chief Judge Hon. Jonathan Lippman is set to deliver the keynote address; the national theme for Law Day 2010 is "Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges."

The luncheon will begin at noon, and the ticket price is $25. Call Sharlene Hall at 852-8687 for more information.

Nomination panel posts revised rules

The Commission on Judicial Nomination has published a notice of adoption of revised rules in the New York State Register.

The revised rules are now official and binding. They modify commission rules through provisions that include formalization of a protocol for broad outreach to and solicitation of candidates; simplification of the application process; a protocol for the commission's Web site; and clarification of its voting procedure.

The Register can be accessed online at dos.state.ny.us/info/register.htm.

 

Herdzik to speak on ethics, civility

Arthur Herdzik, an officer of the law firm Chelus Herdzik Speyer & Monte PC, was selected to speak at the New York State Bar Association seminar "Introductory Lessons on Ethics and Civility for 2010" April 16 at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.

His topic will be "Civility in Everyday Lawyering: What are the Basic Lessons to be Learned?" He will also participate in a panel discussion.

UB Law task force holds clothing drive

The University at Buffalo Law School Domestic Violence Task Force is collecting gently used clothing for the "Dress for What's Next" event scheduled for April 17 to benefit survivors of domestic violence.

The task force is accepting donations of clothing and accessories appropriate for a range of employment.

Contact Natalie Munoz at buffalodvtf@gmail.com or Katelyn Murray at kjm45@buffalo.edu to arrange pick-up or drop-off of donations.

Phillips lawyer to talk on fundraising issues

Kelly Marks, an attorney with Phillips Lytle LLP, will serve as a panelist at a meeting of the Erie County Historical Federation on April 17.

She'll participate in a panel discussion on fundraising for nonprofit organizations.

At Phillips Lytle, Marks focuses her practice in the area of federal and state taxation.

FBI launches ‘Bandit Tracker' Web site

The Buffalo field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the creation of a Web site to aid area law-enforcement agencies in investigating bank robberies.

The site, bandittrackernortheast.com, features photos and descriptions of suspected bank robbers in the FBI's Buffalo, Albany and Newark divisions.

The office reports that 65 bank robberies occurred in the Buffalo Division's territory last year. Of those, 31, or 47.5 percent, have been solved.

3 area firms cited for pro bono work

The member firms of the New York State Bar Association Empire State Counsel program donated nearly 250,000 hours of free legal services in 2009. The NYSBA said that figure represents a record level of pro bono service by its members.

The work was done on behalf of indigent New Yorkers, nonprofit groups and public-service organizations, typically on cases involving child custody, immigration matters, bankruptcy and mortgage foreclosures.

Three law firms that have offices in Western New York participated in the program in 2009: Harris Beach PLLC, Hiscock & Barclay LLP and Nixon Peabody LLP.

B&T's Wicka speaks on medical experts

Kevin Wicka, an attorney with Brown & Tarrantino, presented at the Buffalo section of the New York Bar Association's continuing-legal-education seminar "Keeping Current With Automobile Litigation" March 12.

His presentation focused on strategies for the use of medical experts and evaluating damages in motor-vehicle cases.

- Compiled by Matt Chandler