Five leading attorneys and one “promising” law student will be honored at the 10th annual Above the Bar Awards on June 2 at Elisabeth Haub School of Law, formerly Pace Law School, in White Plains.
The event features a cocktail hour reception and a program honoring recipients chosen by a panel of judges chose winners in five categories: Pace Setter, Most Socially Conscious Attorney, Leading Attorney Under 40 and Most Promising Law Student.
The event is sponsored by the Westchester County Business Journal, Elisabeth Haub School of Law and Citrin Cooperman. Additional sponsors include The Bristal Assisted Living, The Kensington, The Westchester Bank, Westchester County Bar Association and Westchester Women”™s Bar Association.
“As the publisher of the Westchester County Business Journal, which covers local businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs, we are acutely aware of the important role attorneys fill in both public and private sector transactions,” said Dee DelBello. “That”™s why we helped create the Above the Bar Awards. It”™s meant to give recognition to the outstanding attorneys in our county who scrupulously provide expert legal counsel to their clients. Congratulations to our 2016 awardees.”
The winners:
- Dolores Gebhardt, recipient of the Pace Setter Award, is a partner at McCarthy Fingar LLP in White Plains. She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association”™s Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction.
- Barbara Finkelstein, recipient of the Most Socially Conscious Award, is CEO of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. Among other organizations, she is a member of New York Chief Justice Janet DiFiore”™s Permanent Commission on Access to Civil Legal Services in the state.
- Neil Rimsky, recipient of the Leading Trusts and Estates Attorney Award, is co-chairperson of Cuddy & Feder”™s Trusts, Estates & Elder Law Group. Rimsky is admitted to the Council of Advanced Practitioners of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and serves on the board of the New York Chapter of NAELA.
- James L. Hyer, one of two recipients of the Leading Attorney Under 40 Award, is a partner at Bashian & Farber LLP in White Plains. He is involved in numerous organizations, including Lambda Peer Support Services and Westchester Bar Association.
- Eon Nichols, also a recipient of the Leading Attorney Under 40 Award, is a partner and vice chairperson of the Real Estate Group at Cuddy & Feder LLP. Nichols serves on numerous boards, including the board of governors of the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester and African American Men of Westchester.
- Erica Danielsen, recipient of the Most Promising Law Student award, graduated from Elisabeth Haub School of Law this month. Danielsen has accepted a position at the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County, where she will start her career as a criminal defense attorney.
The keynote speaker for the event is Surrogate”™s Court Judge Brandon Sall. Sall intitally was appointed Surrogate of Westchester County by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and was elected to the same judicial post last year. He previously was a partner at White Plains law firm Gellert & Rodner.
Gary M. Karlitz, practice leader of valuation services at Citrin Cooperman, will serve as master of ceremonies for the event.
“My goal when we were creating the Above the Bar awards was to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the top lawyers of Westchester County for their contribution to the profession and to the community,” said Alan G. Badey, managing partner of Citrin Cooperman”™s White Plains office. “It is an honor to be celebrating the winners of the 10th annual event ”“ congratulations to all of the winners and nominees on this well-deserved recognition.”
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the school”™s White Plains campus on North Broadway. To register, visit www.westfaironline.com/abovethebar. For more information, contact Danielle Brody at dbrody@westfairinc.com or 914-358-0757.
