Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association celebrates annual Judiciary Night

February 21, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

The Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association held its annual Judiciary Night at the Appellate Division, Second Department last month. Pictured from left to right: Hon. Connie Mallafre Melendez, Helene Blank, Hon. Matthew D’Emic, Hon. Hector LaSalle, Hon. Deborah Kaplan, Hon. Lawrence Knipel, and Meryl Schwartz.
Photos: Kimberly Castro Oliver/Brooklyn Eagle

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The Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA) recently held its annual Judiciary Night, fostering a sense of community and collegiality among local legal professionals. The event, hosted at the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department in Brooklyn Heights this January, provided a platform for members of the BWBA to interact with the borough’s judiciary.

Designed to strengthen the relationship between the bench and the bar, Judiciary Night saw the participation of a wide array of judges from the borough, who were welcomed by both administrative and supervising judges. These judicial leaders took the opportunity to introduce newly appointed judges, offering a glimpse into the evolving landscape of the Brooklyn judiciary.

The gathering allowed BWBA members to meet and engage with local judges, gaining insights into the judicial processes and developments within their courts.

From left to right: Danielle Ciraola, Hon. Dweynie Paul, Helene Blank, Victoria Serigano, Erin Peake, Hon. Cenceria Edwards, Hon. Lillian Wan, Hon. Ellen Spodek, Hon. Connie Mallafre Melendez, Hon. Sylvia Hinds-Radix, Jovia Radix-Seaborough, Hon. Genine Edwards, Karlyne Kequiere, Ashley Iodice, Nancy Ahern, Meryl Schwartz, Marea Wachsman and Susan Mauro.

The BWBA’s relationship with the local courts is deeply rooted, highlighted by the fact that numerous past BWBA presidents have ascended to the bench. This year, the connection is further emphasized as current president Jovia Radix-Seaborough, daughter of Justice Sylvia Hinds-Radix, a former BWBA president, leads the association, with Justice Cenceria Edwards, of the Kings County Supreme Court, set to follow as president-elect.

Hon. Connie Mallafre Melendez opened the evening, extending a warm welcome to all attendees, including supervising judges such as Hon. Kevin McClanahan, Hon. Amanda White, Hon. Keisa Espina, Hon. Dweynie Paul, Hon. Wavny Toussaint, Hon. Matthew D’Emic and Hon. Lawrence Knipel, who each took a moment to speak. The event also featured remarks from Hon. Hector LaSalle, the presiding justice of the Appellate Division.