The Legal Aid Society held its 143rd Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 9 at Fordham Law School. Members of the staff were recognized for their service and dedication to the organization and its clients.

The Orison S. Marden Awards were created in 1976 during The Legal Aid Society’s centennial year to recognize the excellence of the staff and to honor the memory of Mr. Marden, a partner at White & Case who served as a Director and Chairman for many years.

The Orison S. Marden Award for Core Staff was presented to Juan Alonzo, Paralegal II, Criminal Appeals Bureau. Daniel Hsiung, who works in the Low Income Tax Clinic, received the Orison S. Marden Staff Attorney Award. Barbara Bryne, recently retired Supervising Attorney in Queens CDP, and Anne Callagy, Director of Government Benefits for the Civil Practice, received the Orison S. Marden Manager Awards.

Eric Baretto, a member of the Core Staff for 28 years, was recognized with the Core Staff Orison S. Marden Award posthumously. Reginald Haley, Supervising Attorney in Brooklyn CDP, was awarded the Orison S. Marden Manager Award posthumously.

The Sandra Scott Memorial Award honors the memory of a beloved Chief Financial Officer who lost her battle with cancer in 2016. Jennifer Lewis, Talent Acquisition Manager, was presented with this year’s award.

Each honoree was the subject of a video tribute, which can be viewed in the playlist below.

Members of the staff who are celebrating their 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th and 50th anniversaries with The Legal Aid Society were also honored:

25 Years
Ruthlyn C. Belnavis, Faith Bland, Jeffrey C. Bloom, Vilma Roxanne Clerge, Johari L. Commodore, Patricia I. Davis, Susan Epstein, Denise M. Fabiano, Lisa C. Farray, Nidia Guadalupe, Lawrence T. Hausman, Michelle L. Jacobs, Brian T. Lamb, Susan E. Light, Jose L. Martinez, Luisa Melian, Joyce Murphy, Kenwyn M. Nelson, Christopher P. Pisciotta, Michael P. Ruben, Louis S. Sartori, Cheryl Thompson, Liliana K. Vaamonde, Paul M. Wiener

30 Years
Myra Alcarese, Gary A. Alexicon, Marianne T. Allegro, Lynda Augente, Elizabeth R. Black, Carmen G. Burgos, Abida S. Chaudhry, Thomas J. Cleary, Maria C. Colon, Melanie D. Dearth, Lisa R. Edwards, Jana G. Ertrachter, Kenneth L. Finkelman, Cheryl E. Fisher, Joseph Fitzpatrick, Frances A. Gallagher, Laureen Garcia, Jonathan R. Garelick, Judith A. Goldiner, Robert W. Harold, Peter L. Hart, LaSalle Jones, Peter H. Jones, Robin Karasyk, Steven Douglas Levine, Robin Levinson-Zalewski, Armando Lopez, Jocelyn G. Martinez, Edward D. Mc Carthy, Richard A. Meyerson, Katherine E. Mullen, Eileen Murphy-Zadoff, Linda Norona, Oona O’Flaherty, Diane H. Pazar, Georgia Y. Rattray-Gray, Magda I. Rosa-Rios, Deborah Fox Rush, Elana J. Silberman, Barbara Stock, Frances H. Thomas, Beth A. Unger, Edwin Vega, Jason C. Wohlford

35 Years
Carmine Annunziato, Daniel S. Ashworth, Susan C. Bahn, Bruce Friedman, Alan R. Gordon, Lauren K. Headley, Karen Marsha Kalikow, Scott A. Rosenberg, Susan Sternberg, Jackie Walker, Dale A. Wilker

40 Years
Emily Kitay

45 Years
Ana Cecilio, Marshall Green, Stephen P. Pokart, Clark E. Simpkins, Ramon Willoughby

50 Years
Robert Peck

This event was graciously hosted by Fordham Law School and Dean Matthew Diller, an alumnus of The Legal Aid Society Civil Practice and a member of the Board of Directors.

View photos from the 143rd Annual Meeting here.