6 | New Year 2022 | BAEC Bulletin those wrongfully prosecuted (and persecuted). Bill may be best remembered for having argued People vs. Uplinger , the groundbreaking Court of Appeals case that struck down New York statutes outlawing consensual sodomy. A plaque in Allentown commemorates Bill’s work, and UB School of Law recently held a symposium on People vs. Uplinger , which still shines light through the darkness. The Minority Bar Association of WNY has been a source of light for me this year. At our Bar Association, we applaud the MBA’s Criminal Justice Task Force, which assumed a lead role in pushing for police reform in Buffalo, exposing outdated and prejudicial practices to the light of day. I am also grateful to know the lawyers of color, younger now than me, that I have had the opportunity to collaborate with as your President, as they work for justice not only in the larger community, but also in our own legal community. These attorneys often work quietly, behind the scenes, passing the baton of justice from one person to the next, as if in a relay race. I view them as people of light, especially in these times of darkness and I glad to know them and appreciate the time they spend with me. At the risk of leaving someone out, Sarah Washington, Sam White, Jenna Metzger Kimura, Larry Waters, Jamila Lee, and Stephanie Calhoun are but a few of the candles shining in the darkness that are I on my mind as I write this letter. There are many more. 2021 has brought me considerable light personally and professionally. I settled two significant wrongful death cases, one for a widow with three elementary school-aged girls, and one for a man who lost his wife, business partner, and soulmate. I hope that I have brought them some light in their darkness. Our house looks peaceful from the outside. White with black shutters and a red door, the house seems as if it belongs in a Norman Rockwell painting. But inside, you will find rows of medication bottles, special foods for dietary problems, and those ubiquitous pads for urinary issues – and that’s just for the dogs. In recent years, the human occupants have all struggled, too. After some detours, both of our children are doing well, and they are theoretically off the payroll. My wife, Linda, retired from D’Youville this semester, and she is actively planning the rest of our life together. Still, don’t float me out on the iceberg just yet. The last source of light for me — dare I say it? Do I risk the jinx? I again find light in the Buffalo Bills. As I stood in the stadium formerly known as the Ralph (I
can’t say Highmark) after the Monday night football loss to the Patriots, another failure in a seeming lifetime of frustration, I vowed to swear off the Bills. My dad took me to my first game at age six. I wrote about the Bills in my college expository writing class. I have had my own season tickets (pre-Jim Kelly) since 1986. I named my son after O.J. Simpson. But I was done. The win in the second game against the Patriots last week restored my faith. It was the team’s most significant victory in over twenty-five years. If Josh Allen doesn’t exude light, I don’t know who does. Even the darkness of the loss to the Chiefs cannot extinguish Allen’s light. Allen’s light will shine through our community for years to come.
Happy New Year and More Light! •
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