Dear SOCIAL Members:

I write on behalf of all of the Board members of SOCIAL to convey our sincerest hope that you and your families are healthy and managing well in this surreal environment.  We know that the coronavirus has affected all of us and members of both the bench and bar have been lost. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to all who have lost someone during this time.

Due to the unprecedented nature of this health crisis and its detrimental financial impact, and the likelihood that any in-person SOCIAL events will not occur for a significant but as yet unforeseen period of time, the Board has voted to suspend dues for the 2020-21 (April-March) year.  For those members who already paid their dues for the 2020-21 year, we will apply those dues to the next fiscal year. It is our hope that, by sometime late fall or winter, we will be able to safely resume normal activities.  In the meantime, please be advised that SOCIAL’s Board has been holding “virtual” meetings and will continue to do so to keep the organization moving forward until we can all safely meet again in person.  Thus, I will endeavor to keep you apprised of all Board activities as they unfold.

I hope that you were able to attend our first Gala on March 3rd which was, by all accounts, a huge success and likely the last time any of us gathered to socialize.  At the time, we didn’t realize that our early March celebration of St. Patrick’s Day likely was the only St. Patrick’s Day gathering that any of us attended in 2020.  More than 100 people celebrated with us that evening and a great time was had by all.  SOCIAL’s 2020 Distinguished Achievement Award was presented to the recently retired Honorable John Sweeny, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department.  Special thanks to our Events Committee - led by Allison Mosher and Kyle McGovern - for making the event unique among bar association events- with music and stories honoring our Irish heritage.  Attached are a few pictures from the event. We are already planning for next year’s Gala with the hope that by next March an event with a large gathering will be safe and appropriate.

Our Scholarship Committee has also made strides toward implementing an annual scholarship program wherein SOCIAL will award deserving students with a scholarship; although still in the formulation stage, the plan right now is to award a $1000 scholarship to a worthy high school student of Irish heritage.  Applications will be due in December and we hope that the award will be presented at next year’s March Gala.  We will provide more details about the scholarship program as the plan cements.

We also want to alert our members to recent changes in law and court policies and rules which are highlighted on the New York State Court website at https://www.nycourts.gov/. This page will be continuously updated as new changes are enacted.

Although we wish we could meet face-to-face, we will endeavor to communicate with you throughout the year, despite our inability to get together as an organization.  We wish you continued good health and hope to be able to see you soon.

Best Regards,
Colleen