Kings County Criminal Bar Association brings together criminal justice community for court party

December 26, 2018 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The Kings County Criminal Bar Association holiday party brings together the different factions of the criminal justice system. Pictured from left: President Michael Cibella, Hon. Dineen Riviezzo, Hon. Miriam Cyrulnik and Hon. Matthew D’Emic. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese

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The Kings County Criminal Bar Association held the final holiday party of the season in the Brooklyn legal community and managed to pack the house at the Brooklyn Bar Association on Remsen Street last Wednesday.

The full house put a big smile on KCCBA President Michael Cibella’s face.

“Looking at how crowded this room is makes me proud, because it shows all of the great work we’ve done over these last two years,” Cibella said. “I feel like we’ve really done a great job bringing all the factions of the legal community together.

“Not just today, but at every meeting we have judges, court officers, the probation department, clerks, law secretaries, district attorneys — and that’s what this organization is all about,” Cibella continued. “The criminal justice community is better when everyone is working together even if we have different positions within the system.”

From left: Hon. Matthew D’Emic, Judge-elect Anne Swern and Hon. Danny Chun.

From left: Hon. Ray Rodriguez, Jay Schwitzman, Hon. Matthew Sciarrino Jr. and Hon. Michael Gerstein.

From left: Michael Farkas, James L. Koenig and Elaine Albenda.

Paul Hirsch, Allison Lewis and their children Oscar and Julian.

Natoya McGhie (left) and Hon. Joanne Quinones.

Clockwise from left: Hon. Ellen Edwards, Allana Alexander, Darren Fields, Frank Paone, Marienne Paone, Carmen Soto and Doris Bergmann.

From left: David Chidekel, president of the Brooklyn Bar Association; Hon. Michael Yavinsky, supervising judge of the Brooklyn Criminal Court; and John Quigley.

From left: Marianna Lowenfeld, Christopher Wright and Philip Goldstein.

From left: Andrew Reinderio; Maritza Mejia-Ming, chief of staff at the Brooklyn DA's Office; and Howard Jackson.

Cibella’s message to members during the party was simple: thank you for the support over the last two years.

“This doesn’t happen on its own,” Cibella said. “We have an active board and a great executive team that is always willing to help out. I’m excited by the new executive team and new board members who will take over next month. Chris Wright is going to be an amazing president, and he’s already got a lot of great programs lined up for next month.”

The next KCCBA meeting will take place at the Brooklyn Bar Association on Jan. 24. A new slate of officers and directors will be nominated prior to the meeting and will be voted on and installed the Thursday of that week.