Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce cites ‘shapers of Brooklyn’s new century’

Chuck Otey's Pro Bono Barrister

September 12, 2018 By Charles F. Otey, Esq. Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Rick Russo. Eagle photo by Andy Katz

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Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Acting President Rick Russo (right) and Investors Bank Senior Vice President & Regional Manager Ana Oliveira are being lauded on the success of the recent Building Brooklyn initiative highlighting the “Shapers of Brooklyn’s New Century.” Among those singled out were architect Adam Meshberg and Dean Marchi of Grand Staff Development.

Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association to “Mix & Mingle” with Kings Jurists

The Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA) is planning its second Young Lawyers Committee speed networking event, to be held on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. at Brooklyn Bar Association headquarters, 123 Remsen St.

BWBA spokeswoman Jennifer Fiorentino issued the invitation on behalf of President Carrie Anne Cavallo, urging newer barristers to “come hear from a diverse group of judges about their practice areas, career paths, words of advice and more. You will also have the opportunity to break off into smaller groups and have one-on-one time with each judge.”

Speed networking, perhaps inspired by the speed dating fad of several years ago, has become a very useful method to bring younger members into direct and positive contact with sitting jurists, enabling them to become better acquainted with those who rule from the bench.

Those taking part will have an opportunity to mingle with some of Kings County’s most respected jurists. Kings County Supreme Court Civil Term Hon. Genine Edwards will moderate the event with a distinguished panel that includes Hon. Sylvia Ash, Kings County Supreme Court Civil Term; Hon. Lillian Wan, Court of Claims, New York County; Hon. Cheryl Gonzalez, supervising judge, Housing Court, Kings County; Hon. Miriam Cyrulnik, Kings County Criminal Term; and Hon. Rachel Adams, Kings County Supreme Court Civil Term. Please RSVP to Fiorentino at [email protected].

Cavallo is joined by a talented slate of officers, including President-Elect Meryl Schwartz, Vice President Natoya L. McGhie,
Vice President Angelicque Moreno, Vice President Derefim Neckles, Treasurer Susan Mauro, Recording Secretary Sue Novick Wasko and Corresponding Secretary Deborah Johnson.

When Rule of Law Is Challenged, Is it Right to Anonymously Attack the Offender?

No president in memory — even the ethically challenged Richard M. Nixon — has ever actively come out and used his office to attack our system of jurisprudence or to carelessly slander judges as has President Donald Trump.

Whether you agree with his politics or not, it’s hard for any lawyer to defend or even rationally debate in favor of his continuing reckless assault on our rule of law, which has held this republic together since 1776.

Many former and even current government officials have publicly disagreed with Trump’s provocative pronouncements. Some have questioned his capacity to serve, noting that he seems to have little interest in learning how an administration works, and his unwillingness to listen to the advice of those who clearly have a better grasp of the facts than he does.

Yet, since he seems to have a stranglehold on a block of vociferous Republicans whose number — though in the minority — is sufficient to present primary challenges to those who head our Senate and House of Representatives. Trump feels free to ignore the laws that bind us as a nation.

Lindsey Graham Betrays Two of His Colleagues

So, is it any wonder that a senior member of Trump’s administration finally, in desperation and with the right amount of cunning, chose to blow the whistle in a damning letter leaked to The New York Times?

This desperation may be due in part to the pathetic acquiescence to Trump’s vicious whimsy on the part of Sen. Lindsey Graham. The Carolina senator, who postured at Sen. John McCain’s funeral as a friend and political soulmate of a true American, stood by as McCain’s character and military service were shockingly demeaned by a shallow fellow who won five deferments due to alleged bone spurs.

Graham betrayed McCain as he turned traitor on another former Senate colleague, Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Although usually a reliable toady to Trump’s demands, Sessions was enough of a lawyer to understand that he had to recuse himself from the investigation into Trump’s criminal relationship with another sociopath, Vladmir Putin.

Trump and his minions have called the senior official a coward and berated the Times for protecting his identity. To the contrary: one day when Trump has been banished under the rule of law, this partnership in patriotism will be more than justified.

Had any official admitted his or her true identity, FOX News would have worked night and day to expose the writer’s every personal detail and potential flaw. Instead, the nation — with the exception of “FOX & Friends” — has been able to focus on the truth and the desire of the author to speak out on behalf of our treasured rule of law.

Kings Inn of Court Kicks off 18th Season Sept. 25

Led this year by President Victoria Lombardi, the Kings County American Inn of Court will hold its first CLE-accredited session of the season Sept. 25, with a team headed by Hon. Joanne Quinones and Anthony Vaughn.

In keeping with tradition, the panel leaders will help present a program that exemplifies the everyday legal and administrative problems in our modern-day law firms. Following the practice of the ancient London Inns of Court, the Kings chapter is composed of pupilage groups and, on Sept. 25, guests will include Justin Blash, Shantae Johnson, Jeffrey Miller, Brooklyn Bar Association Executive Director Avery Okin, Joy Thompson and Kerry Ward.

Inn Administrative Director Lucy DiSalvo advises that a gourmet buffet will be served to members beginning at 5:30 p.m. prior to the beginning of the program.