4 | September/October 2022 | BAEC Bulletin
Letter from the President
Ah, September in Buffalo. Many people who live here say that one of the things they love about Buffalo is that we experience four distinct seasons. Some may argue that Buffalo doesn’t experience a Spring—our long winters seem to melt into Summer, but I will save that debate for another day. I have always loved this time of year. We have many perfect days in a Buffalo summer. We also have many perfect autumn days, but each one seems to catch me by surprise and I appreciate them more. There are several signals that we have turned toward fall-- the smell of cinnamon pine cones and brooms in the vestibule of Wegmans; the need to reach for that sweater once the sun goes down. But the biggest signal of fall is the return to school. Last week, I had the opportunity to welcome the Law School Class of 2025 at one of their orientation events. The Bar Association co-sponsored a luncheon after the students had a tour of the Erie County Courthouse and heard from Court of Appeals Justice Shirley Troutman and Chief Administrative Judge Kevin Carter. It was so nice to once again collaborate with the Law School and to meet this class so early in their law school experience. We are proud to offer free membership to law students. We are certain that the students will experience the Bar Association’s offerings and community of lawyers and will transition to paid memberships once they graduate. In a couple of weeks, the Board will get together one evening and call each of those students to welcome them and to encourage them to actively engage by joining committees and attending events. We all benefit from the energy and diversity these students represent. A couple of things really struck me at this event. After Jenna welcomed our new members, she was approached by a female Asian student who told her that she had never met an Asian Woman Attorney before and that it meant so much to see someone that looked like her doing the work she aspired to do. She now has that role model as a mentor! This exchange reinforced to me the importance of the Bar Association’s focus on Diversity and Inclusion. I so hope that this student will stay in Buffalo and have a wonderful career and be another role model for future student members. In August, the Bar Association collaborated with the Minority Bar Association to hold the first Empire State Legal Diversity Job Fair. The event paired qualified diverse candidates with Western New York employers so that we can increase the representation of attorneys of color in Western New York. The event was chaired by Samantha White, President Elect of the Minority Bar Association, who said she became inspired to hold the event because she was frustrated with talking about the issues facing attorneys of color in our
JILL K. BOND President Bar Association of Erie County
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