The Judicial Section of the New York State Bar Association and its affiliate, The Council of Judicial Associations, is unique. The Section's members come from every jurisdiction in the state and preside in every court—Federal, Supreme, Surrogates, Court of Claims, County, Family District, City, NYC Civil and Criminal, Housing and Town and Village. The Council is comprised of leaders from each of these courts' judicial associations and representatives from many minority Bar Associations. The Council meets four times a year to conduct business important to the judiciary, and the Section's annual meeting takes place on the Friday afternoon of State Bar Week, in conjunction with the Section's annual awards' luncheon.

The mission of the New York State Bar Association's Judicial Section is to promote dialogue, interaction, collaboration and collegiality among the judges and justices in New York state and to improve and promote the efficiency, effectiveness, diversity and standing of the judiciary. The role of the NYSBA Judicial Section is critically important in advising associations on current issues and concerns important to the judiciary and the courts. For example, the NYSBA was tireless in its support and advocacy for the pay raises finally received by the judiciary, and they are avid supporters of erasing the death gamble. The NYSBA has the ability to lobby the Legislature and Governor and each year does so for stable funding for the state court system, thereby augmenting OCA's own efforts.

This year at our luncheon we will recognize four judges who represent the exemplary judicial bench that this state has. The Honorable Paul G. Feinman will receive the Distinguished Jurist Award, which honors a jurist who embodies the highest ideals of the Judicial Section and recognizes judicial excellence and extraordinary commitment to the rule of law. The Honorable George G. Silver is the recipient of the section's fourth annual prestigious Advancement of Judicial Diversity Award. Of equal importance, the Section will be recognizing the Honorable Randall T. Eng and Honorable Karen K. Peters with lifetime achievement recognition.

This year in cooperation with the U.S. National Holocaust Museum, the Section has sponsored a program at the Southern District Courthouse. The Section is also joining forces with the Family Law Section's CLE Program during Bar Week. As a section, we continue to share ideas and collaborate to achieve our common goals and fulfill our mission. Together we can do more and will do more. The Judicial Section of NYSBA looks forward to growth in our membership and hopes that every member of the judiciary will contact the New York State Bar Association for an application.

Conrad Singer has served as Village Justice in Great Neck, Judicial Hearing Officer at the Nassau County Traffic Violation Bureau, Hearing Office for the New York State Department of Education, and as a New York State Family Court Judge in Nassau County.