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Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association wants to see lawyers in trouble get help

January 18, 2017 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
The Brooklyn Women's Bar Association hosted a CLE on Tuesday on ethics and also discussed how to get lawyers and judges with dependency issues the help they need. Pictured from left: Deborah Scalise, Sara Gozo, Hon. Theresa Ciccotto and John Urban. Eagle photo by Rob Abruzzese
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The Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA) hosted a pair of events on Tuesday including a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar titled “Developments in Ethics,” which focused on recent ethics requirement updates and provided an introduction to the Lawyers Assistance Program.

“Ethics is something that can never be reinforced enough and the part about the Lawyers Assistance Program was the most important of all because the worst thing is for an attorney who needs help to not get it,” said Sara Gozo, president of the BWBA.

Deborah Scalise, of Scalise Hamilton, LLC, was the main speaker at the CLE. She covered recent ethics updates including how the rules have changed since the four departments have made them more uniform. She also gave tips to help attorneys avoid grievance complaints.

Those tips included not negotiating fees with clients, making fees and retainers clearly stated when taking on new clients and having them sign a document agreeing to terms. She also suggested billing clients regularly to avoid conflicts.

Following the opening portion of the CLE, Scalise introduced John Urban, a member of the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Lawyers Helping Lawyers committee. The Lawyers Helping Lawyers committee is the local arm of the Lawyers Assistance Program, a statewide program designed to help attorneys, judges and law students who are affected by alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling, depression and other mental health issues.

“How many people became a lawyer because you wanted to help people?” Scalise asked rhetorically. “There has been this stigma that goes along with Lawyer Assistance because everybody is afraid to confront the issues when someone is having psychological, alcohol or drug problems. The real problem with that is that you’re not helping someone. We have to change our thinking on this. Don’t think about the stigma; think about helping your colleague.”

The BWBA also continued its Lunch with a Judge series with Justice Carl Landicino in the Kings County Supreme Court earlier that day. The program is designed to give members an insight as to how that judge got to the bench and any topics that the judge finds important.

“Justice Landicino discussed civility in the courtroom, between clients and other attorneys,” Gozo said. “Sometimes things get contentious in the courtroom and it’s important to be able to deal with that because these things can affect your case. It’s a poor reflection on you if you can’t hold it together for your client. Your adversary is your colleague.”

The BWBA has a pair of big events coming up next month including its Judiciary Night at the NYS Appellate Division, Second Department on Feb. 1st where Brooklyn’s judges are invited to come, meet with BWBA members and network in a relaxed setting over dinner.

It is also hosting a Heart Healthy event at Marco Polo Restaurant in Carroll Gardens on Feb. 16. That event is designed to raise awareness about heart disease and for every guest in attendance the BWBA will donate $5 to the American Heart Association.

 

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