BAEC Bulletin - November/December 2024

| November/December 2024 | BAEC Bulletin

BAEC Bulletin | November/December 2024 |

2024-2025 JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

COMMITTEES OF THE BAEC

Our Committees are an integral part of the Association. We are incredibly thankful to our Committee Chairs for the hard work and time they put into their Committees. We are also grateful to all our members who participate in these Committees, striving to improve and strengthen the legal profession.

Dear Members and Friends: I would like to acknowledge the extraordinary work of the BAEC Judiciary Committee, the work of which spanned about 10 months this year. Under the exceptional leadership of Chair Dan Killelea and Vice Chair Jim Harrington, this is a Committee comprised of members with diverse political affiliations and professional backgrounds to en- sure a fair process for judicial candidates supported by all political parties. The investigations that Judiciary Committee members conduct are time-consuming and require patience, ob- jectivity and confidentiality. The results of their work represent the BAEC membership’s voice in educating the public about members of our legal community who will lead all of us in the pursuit of justice should they join the judiciary. We are very fortunate to have such a high-quality judiciary in western New York and I am very proud of the BAEC Judiciary Committee’s contribution to the process that makes this possible. Thank you, Dan, Jim and all of the Judiciary Committee members for your very hard work over the past year. Hap- py Holidays!

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE Chair: Katie L. Kestel Martin

The Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee educates attorneys and the public about alternative processes that exist for the resolution of disputes without resorting to litigation, and the resulting benefits and/or risks of using any such ADR procedures. This goal is accomplished by CLE programs sponsored annually by the committee, by public education programs, and by various special projects. APPELLATE PRACTICE COMMITTEE Chair: Erin A. Tresmond | Vice Chair: Robert C. Brucato, Jr. The Appellate Practice Committee focuses on the advancement and identification of issues of concern to members of the bar who are engaged in appellate practice in state and federal courts. The Awards Committee is tasked with accepting nominations and selecting recipients for awards for the Bar Association of Erie County’s two major awards events: Law Day and the Annual Awards Celebration. The awardee selections this Committee makes are then presented to the Board of Directors for approval. BY-LAWS COMMITTEE Chair: Michael A. de Freitas The By-Laws Committee provides interpretations of the By-Laws of the Association and drafts proposed amendments at the request of the Board of Directors. AWARDS COMMITTEE Chair: Gayle T. Murphy The CLE Advisory Committee oversees continuing legal education programs for the Erie Institute of Law. The Committee monitors and evaluates programs to ensure that high quality, effective and timely programs are offered to meet the professional education needs of lawyers in Western New York, and works to maintain the Institute’s position as the primary provider of CLE in the surrounding legal community. COMMERCIAL LITIGATION AND BANKRUPTCY LAW COMMITTEE Chair: Kevin R. Lelonek | Vice Chair: Thomas D. Lyons The Commercial Litigation and Bankruptcy Law Committee deals with current substantive and procedural issues concerning bankruptcy law and the bankruptcy courts and commercial and business litigation in both state and federal courts. The committee provides ongoing legal education to its members in these areas, and each year also presents both a Noonday lecture and a CLE seminar on current topics. The committee also serves as a liaison for the local bar to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York. CLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dean: Lisa M. Patterson

Lauren E. Breen BAEC President

2024-2025 JUDICIARY COMMITTEE DANIEL M. KILLELEA, CHAIR JAMES P. HARRINGTON, VICE CHAIR

Mark D. Arcara Paul A. Bender Laurie Styka Bloom Michele A. Brown Vicky-Marie J. Brunette Melissa A. Cavagnaro Ryan P. Crawford Robert J. Cutting Cecile Mathis Dorliae Spencer L. Durland James W. Grable, Jr. James P. Harrington Daniel M. Killelea Thomas F. Knab Terri L. LoTempio Joseph Matteliano

Hon. James A.W. McLeod (ret.) Timothy P. Murphy Hon. John F. O’Donnell (ret.) Gregory V. Pajak

Brian K. Parker Mark J. Peszko Scott M. Philbin Kelly E. Riley Meghann N. Roehl John K. Rottaris Kristopher M. Sigeti Pauline Costanzo Will Keisha A. Williams

COMMITTEE ON EMINENT DOMAIN AND TAX CERTIORARI Chair: Mark R. McNamara

The Committee On Eminent Domain and Tax Certiorari updates members on changes in the law and procedures in the fields. The committee invites guest speakers to meetings and produces periodic CLE seminars for Bar members.