A Message From The President

Welcome to the official website of the Queens County Women's Bar Association. We are a professional organization of lawyers working to advance the status of women in the legal profession and society. Our goal is to promote the fair and equal administration of justice and to act as a unified voice for our members regarding issues of statewide, national and international significance. As a chapter of the Women's Bar Assoc. of the State of New York (WBASNY), we are a significant voice in Albany and play a meaningful role in the development of legislation benefiting women and children throughout the state and the world.

We are very proud of our Board Member and WBASNY International Rights Committee member, Fay Parris, who this year co-chaired an international event at the United Nations addressing implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 (which called for the UN to recognize as a priority women's participation in peacemaking and peace-building initiatives). Recognizing the wartime weapon of sexual violence against women present in most armed conflicts and the lack of women involvement in post-conflict initiatives, Res. 1325 was the first resolution passed by the Security Counsel that addressed the devastating impact of war on women and children. Fay and colleagues brought a diversified and intense forum to the United Nations and have established an international cry for help and resolution.

One our most meaningful upcoming events is the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk" on October 19, 2008. Please join us in this non-competitive walk from Queens Borough Hall to the Queens Mall & back. Too many people, male and female, hear the words "you have breast cancer". "Making Strides" is our opportunity to honor and celebrate cancer survivors, to educate people about early detection and prevention and to raise money to fund research and support programs. Go to http://www.main.acsevents.org/goto/qcwba to walk with, join or donate to the "Making Strides Walk" through the Queens County Women's Bar Association (team QCWBA). If you don't connect through that link, please go to http://www.cancer.org/stridesonline, click on NY, "2008 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Queens, NY" to join our team, start your own team, walk as an individual or make a safe and simple donation to this Oct. 19th event.

Judiciary Night

November 12, 2008 is our annual "Judiciary Night", Co-Chaired by the Hon. Bernice Siegal and Hon. Darrell L. Gavrin. This year we honor the Hon. Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, Senior Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals. Born in NYC, Justice Ciparick grew up in Washington Heights, graduated from Hunter College and received her J.D. from St. John's University School of Law in 1967. Appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1993 by Gov. Mario Cuomo, she remains an active and vital member of our Court of Appeals. Please join us at the Queens Theater in the Park for this wonderful evening. More details will follow.

We are also very proud to honor on "Judiciary Night" the Hon. Joseph P. Dorsa. Please join us and Justice Dorsa's wonderful family & friends as we remember and honor our dear friend.

"Judiciary Night" is also the evening we announce the winners of the annual "Faith E. O'Neal Scholarship". Faith was a beloved member of the Queens County Women's Bar Association and we are proud to maintain a scholarship program in her name and honor. Please go to the Faith O'Neal Scholarship link on this page for application details and more information.

We will sponsor/co-sponsor relevant CLE programs throughout the year, starting on Sept.22, 2008 with "Recent Developments from our Appellate Courts", to be held at the Queens County Bar Assoc., 90-35 148th St., Jamaica, NY 11435. The program starts at 5:30pm and the program and materials are FREE. (2.5 credits in Professional Practice). A tribute to Justice Kay follows with an International Buffet, the cost is $30. For more information about this program please go to http://www.qcba.org.

We are planning other CLE and educational seminars throughout the year, including a program on "Cross Racial Identification at Trials", "Teen on Teen Violence/Teen Prostitution" and "Women Personal Security Issues". If you have any suggestions for CLE Programs or other educational programs, please contact us at qcwba@aol.com. We will be updating our website and adding new features. Please check in with us again soon. We look forward to an exciting year and thank you for your support.

-Pamela Jordan, QCWBA President