State Bar Association holds drive-through parade for new President Scott Karson

June 2, 2020 Rob Abruzzese

Scott Karson, a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, is the 123rd president of the NYS Bar Association. Photos courtesy of the NYS Bar Association

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The 123rd president in the history of the New York State Bar Association had as unique an installation as any when members of the bar held a drive-through ceremony for him outside of his house on Sunday.

Scott Karson was slated to be officially sworn in by New York State Chief Judge Janet DiFiore during a virtual installation on Monday night, but members of the Bar Association drove past Karson’s house to mark the occasion and shout some words of encouragement from their cars.

Karson, a Stony Brook resident and Syracuse University College of Law graduate, will replace Hank Greenberg as president of the statewide organization.

“The coronavirus has deeply affected NYSBA members and the entire legal community in New York State and beyond, and my leadership of the Association over the coming year will focus on addressing these impacts,” Karson said in a statement. “The pandemic has also brought to light many issues of critical importance to all New Yorkers where lawyers can make a difference, and NYSBA will continue to work to address those issues.”

Scott Karson with his wife outside of their Stony Brook, N.Y. home.

Karson is a partner at Lamb & Barnosky in Melville, N.Y., where he works as a commercial and municipal litigator. He concentrates on appellate work and has made more than 100 appeals before the state and federal appellate courts. He is also the chair of his firm’s Professional Ethics and Litigation committees.

A past president of the Suffolk County Bar Association, Karson has been a NYSBA member for over 30 years and has served for the last three years as treasurer of the association. As chair of the Committee on Courts of the Appellate Jurisdiction, he worked to clarify court rules to create a standard price for court transcripts.

As president, Karson said that he will work to ensure that the Association is deploying pro bono attorneys to provide assistance to New Yorkers who have been hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our profession has a proud tradition of providing pro bono legal services to those who are otherwise unable to afford a lawyer,” Karson said. “In this era of COVID-19, it is more important than ever that we do so.”