A Note From The President...

Twenty five years ago, the WNY Chapter was started with the determination of a small group of women. The WNY Chapter has continued to thrive due to the hard work and dedication of the women who have come before me. As I take over as the 25th President I pause to think of and acknowledge these women. I have served on the Board of Directors in various capacities since shortly after I was admitted in 2003. The women I have served under, and even those I did not but have come to know through this organization, have unknowingly mentored me and guided me. I have had the opportunity to serve with Melissa Nickson, Karen Richardson, Lisa Mueller, Hilary Banker, Kelly Philips, and most recently, Marybeth Priore. These women are just a few of the women who laid the groundwork for a successful organization and continue to live the mission of WBASNY.

I am pleased to say that the WNY Chapter has now expanded to include more than 300 members. Though we are not yet the biggest chapter across the state, I have no doubt that we will be with enough hard work and dedication. In following in the footsteps of the presidents before me, I am dedicated to expanding our membership further, and strive to reach 350 for this membership year.

In continuing to live up promoting the mission of WBASNY and serving our membership, the Board of Directors and Committee Chairs have already been meeting to develop plans for the upcoming year so that we can provide quality education and social programs for the members. This year, we are fortunate to have Liza Callahan, Esq. of Goldberg Segalla as our CLE Liaison. Liza already is working with our Board members to develop ideas for new and interesting programs of interest to younger and experienced attorneys alike. We intend to continue to offer the Chamber Chat program with the help of Karen Richardson. Additionally, we intend to plan a host of networking opportunities, and continue into our third year of coordinating a self defense class for the members.

Already I need to thank all of the Board members who are hard at work writing articles and planning events. Thank you to Bridget O’Connell for planning WBASNY’s New Year Happy Hour at Just Vino. Thank you to all of who stopped in to express the appreciation to Marybeth Priore for her hard work during the past year and to wish me luck on my upcoming term as President. Additionally, we will be presenting various articles throughout the year based on the new changes to the ethics rules, and I thank Molly Mallia, Elisha Burkart, and Deanne Tripi for assisting with this undertaking. A special thanks to Melissa Foti and the 25th Anniversary Committee who have been working diligently to plan the 25th Anniversary and Installation Dinner scheduled for September. I encourage everyone to come out and celebrate at our Black and White Party!

When I think of the silver 25 year anniversary mark, I think of tradition. However, with tradition comes change, and change is needed in order to for all of us to grow personally and professionally. The WNY Chapter is no different. One new change that I would like to highlight for this year was the decision to add a new member category entitled “Sustaining Member.” There is no minimum number of practice years required to become a sustaining member. For the annual member dues of $150.00, a Sustaining Member can gain free admission to all WNY chapter events, with the exception of the Installation Dinner and CLE programs. Another new change coming is the rebuilding of the WNY Chapter website. We will have a new, updated look shortly, including an attorney directory and members’ benefit section where members can view job posting online. The Board is very excited over these developments, and welcome any comments and/or suggestions as to how we can best serve the membership.

As you can see, this year is off to a great start! With the support of an outstanding Board of Directors and committee chairs, I am confident that this year will be another great year for the WNY Chapter. I look forward to serving as your President, and hope to see you all at our upcoming events.

Best,
Natalie A. Grigg
President