Photo: June 19, 2018 at 60 Centre Street from left to right: Matthew Skinner, Executive Director, Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission; Hon. Rosalyn H. Richter, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department; William J. Thom, Founder of Lambda Legal; Hon. Marcy L. Kahn, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department; Rachel B. Tiven, CEO, Lambda Legal; Hon. Paul G. Feinman, Associate Judge, New York Court of Appeals; Hon. Deborah A. Kaplan, Administrative Judge, Supreme Court, New York County, Civil Term; Hon. Michael R. Sonberg, Acting Justice, Supreme Court (retired).
The Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission of the New York Courts commemorated the 45th anniversary of two landmark New York Court of Appeals decisions that allowed for the first time an openly gay man to be admitted to practice law in the state of New York and allowed Lambda Legal to incorporate as a legal assistance corporation. The Court’s decisions, In re Kimball, 33 N.Y. 2nd 586 (1973) and In re Thom, 33 N.Y. 2nd 609 (1973), were commemorated in the event, The Day the Court of Appeals Made Pride Possible in New York, held in the rotunda of the New York County Supreme Court Building at 60 Centre Street.
Photo: June 12, 2018 at Kings County Supreme Court: Hon. Karen Lupuloff, Supervising Judge, Family Court, New York County, Member of Failla Commission.
Appellate Division Justice Marcy L. Kahn, Co-Chair of the Failla Commission, spoke at the event and commented: “To those of us who remember the days when there were no openly LGBT lawyers or even law students, and no public interest law firms committed to securing equal rights for LGBT people, these judicial milestones are a poignant reminder of what the old ‘normal’ was, and how remarkable the pace of change has been in our own lifetimes. The Failla Commission takes pride in recognizing these historic rulings and honoring the groundbreaking work of William Thom and others in breaking down the barriers to full equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
William Thom, who was the founder of Lambda Legal and later became the first openly gay judge in New York, was honored during the ceremony.
Photo: June 18, 2018 at the Delaware County Court from left to right: Hon. Gary Rosa, Family Court, Delaware County; Hon. Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald, Administrative Judge, Sixth Judicial District; Hon. Elizabeth Garry, Presiding Justice, Appellate Division, Third Department; Michael Laliberte, President, SUNY Delhi; Matthew Skinner, Executive Director, Failla Commission.
Throughout the month of June, the Failla Commission and its legal and court system partners have scheduled Pride Month events in White Plains, Brooklyn, Central Islip, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Delhi, Kingston and Queens focusing on such topics as the protections afforded to LGBTQ youth; expressions of pride in the LGBTQ community; developments in LGBT employment discrimination; and advances in transgender rights.
Photo: June 14, 2018 at the Syracuse University College of Law from left to right: Kayla Arias, Committee Chair, Onondaga County Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee; Matthew Skinner, Executive Director, Failla Commission; Hon. Joanne M. Winslow, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, Failla Commission Co-Chair; Jeff Unaitis, Executive Director, Onondaga County Bar Association; Hon. Mary Anne Doherty, Supervising Judge, Syracuse City Court, Failla Commission Member; James Williams, Special Projects Managing Attorney, Legal Services of Central New York; Milo Primeaux, Esq., Failla Commission Member; Michael Violando, Esq., Failla Commission Member; and Michael Klein, District Executive, Fifth Judicial District.