CONEY ISLAND — The Bay Ridge Lawyers Association’s courtroom enjoyed America’s favorite pastime Brooklyn-style at its annual Cyclones game outing on June 27.
The Brooklyn Cyclones locked horns with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, ultimately winning the contest 9-1. The game was the middle game of a three-game home weekend series at Maimonides Park against the BlueClaws.
BRLA President Yolanda Guadagnoli, Esq., told the Brooklyn Eagle that the event is all about “a great year-end hang with the people from this amazing organization, no pretense involved whatsoever, just a family day and a nice get-together.”
Guadagnoli will step down in September and be succeeded by President-Elect Sarah Moore, Esq.
Mario Romano, BRLA immediate past president, said that the BRLA hosts a wide variety of events. “Some of them are hits and some of them aren’t,” Romano said. “This one has just been fantastic. We have lawyers here, judges, families — everyone has a blast. Most of the people that are here today were also here last year.”
Moore called the Cyclones game outing one of her favorite BRLA events. “I like the informal nature of it,” Moore said. “It’s also a nice way to celebrate the end of a fantastic year with Yolanda as president, and I love a night watching baseball.”
Moore has been a member of the BRLA for more than a decade. “The Bay Ridge Lawyers have helped me professionally over the years, providing me with some great professional connections and some wonderful personal connections,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to making next year a great one.”
William Neri, Esq., who has been a BRLA member since 2014 and served on the group’s board, noted that the “familial atmosphere” of the event is key to what makes it a true home run.
“Events like this that transcend the profession show that we are a real extended family, actual friends and not just professional acquaintances,” Neri said. “It’s integral for our organization to have that close, tight-knit aura to it. Today is all about friendship, fellowship and fun.”
Photo: Mario Belluomo/Brooklyn Eagle
Stephen Spinelli, Esq., echoed Neri’s sentiments. “Our bar association goes beyond the practice of law,” Spinelli said. “We love to interact with each other, and a day like today reflects the camaraderie and the congeniality that we all share.”
Past President Dominic Famulari, Esq., a BRLA member for nearly 20 years, said he especially enjoys a casual gathering. “There are no formalities, programs or speeches. It’s just a superb conclusion to a terrific year.”
The BRLA, formed in 1954, consists of members who are attorneys from a range of practice areas, including criminal, civil, family and real estate law, as well as public- and private-sector practitioners. The organization, which currently has approximately 150 members, focuses on fostering collegiality, professional development and ethical practice within the local bar.
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