NYSBA Awards

The following Attorneys won President’s Pro Bono Awards
from the New York State Bar Association for their work through Volunteer Lawyers Project

2019

Eighth Judicial District
David Whittemore
Buffalo, NY  

David Whittemore, an associate at Bennett, DiFilippo & Kurtzhaltz, LLP, works with the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc., concentrating on matrimonial actions.

2018

Eighth Judicial District
BenjamIn Dwyer
Nixon Peabody, LLP
Buffalo, NY
Benjamin R. Dwyer, a commercial litigator in the Buffalo office of Nixon Peabody, represents companies in the context of dispute resolution and risk mitigation. Dwyer is currently helping two activists seek asylum and previously helped two children obtain special immigrant juvenile status and permanent resident status. He also mentors firm associates with immigration matters, has represented prisoners in Section 1983 proceedings and assisted in the incorporation of a nonprofit educational institution.

2017

2016

Raymond N. McCabe, Esq.
Barclay Damon

Raymond McCabe of Buffalo (Barclay Damon) focuses his practice on employee benefit law (ERISA), not-for-profit corporation law and federal, state and international taxation.

He has volunteered to incorporate and obtain IRS recognition of tax-exempt status for several Western New York charitable organizations, including a sports-themed youth development organization, a charity that raises funds for cancer treatment and research, an inner-city non-denominational church, rural youth enrichment center, developer of a memorial skate park and an inner-city health clinic. He also helped resolve a conflict among directors of a charity, facilitating a corporate reorganization that resulted in dividing the charity into three separate entities.

He also uses his experience as an ERISA attorney volunteering to help divorcing individuals obtain the marital share of their former spouses’ retirement or pension funds. McCabe assisted in the drafting of a brief that the trial court relied on in refusing to enforce an alleged waiver of spousal rights in a pension obtained by duress and threat of physical harm.

Phillips Lytle LLP (US)
New York, NY

Pro bono work has been a priority for Phillips Lytle throughout its history. With eight offices (six in New York state), more than 180 Phillips Lytle attorneys provide legal services to the poor, disadvantaged and those in need. The firm’s work includes civil and criminal matters, and non-litigation legal assistance, ranging from matters that broadly impact communities to representation of those in need in high-volume court settings to complex individual case representations.

In 2015, Phillips Lytle attorneys in the Buffalo office devoted more than 3,300  hours of pro bono work through the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (Attorney of the Morning Program and Say Yes to Education Buffalo); for not-for profit organizations; representation of pro se prisoner plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court of Western New York; and for indigent civil appellant and petitioners before the Second Circuit.

2015

2014

2013

Eighth Judicial District
Matthew B. Herdzik Jr., Esq.

2012

Eighth Judicial District
Noemi Fernandez-Hiltz, Esq.

2011

2010

2009

2008 – Eighth Judicial District
Kenneth A. Manning, Esq.

2007 – Eighth Judicial District
Francis J. Offermann Jr., Esq.

2006 – Eighth Judicial District
James C. DeMarco III, Esq.

2005 – Eighth Judicial District
Matthew Herdzik Jr., Esq.

2005 – President’s Pro Bono Award for Law Firms
Siegel Kelleher & Kahn

2004 – Eighth Judicial District
Noralynn Dillon, Esq.

2003 – Eighth Judicial District
Peter Bergenstock, Esq.

2002 – Eighth Judicial District
Kevin M. Reedy, Esq.

2001 – Eighth Judicial District
Kevin M, Kearney, Esq.

2000 – Eighth Judicial District
Regina A. Reitz, Esq.

1999 – Eighth Judicial District
Suzanne K. Taylor

1998 – Eighth Judicial District
Sallie G. Randolph

1997 – Eighth Judicial District
Deanne Tripi

1996 – Eighth Judicial District
Christina A. Agola

1995 – Eighth Judicial District
Bertrand Bosmans

1994 – Eighth Judicial District
Fauzia Kahn

1993 – Eighth Judicial District
Louis Toth

1992 – Eighth Judicial District
Dawn Lawkowski & Alison Taylor

1991- Eighth Judicial District
Bruce Hoover

1990 – Eighth Judicial District
Ann Demopoulos

1989 – Eighth Judicial District
Sharon Bednarz

1988 – Eighth Judicial District
Alan Bozer

1987 – Eighth Judicial District
Linda Kaumeyer

1986 – Eighth Judicial District
Jeffrey Freedman

1985 – Eighth Judicial District
Margery Geyer