NAWJ RESOURCE BOARD MEMBER BERNICE LEBER TO LEAD NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION

June marks the beginning of NAWJ Resource Board member and Arent Fox partner, Bernice K. Leber's term as President of the New York State Bar Association, the largest voluntary bar association in the US (72,000 members). In addition, she currently serves as a director of the New York Bar Foundation; member of the Corporate Board Selection Committee of the Financial Women's Association; First Vice-President from First District to the New York State Bar Association Executive Committee and House of Delegates; member of the Executive Committee of the Intellectual Property Section of the New York State Bar Association; and member of the Finance Committee of the State Bar Association. She is also former chair of the New York State Bar Association's Commercial and Federal Litigation Section (1997-1998) and Past Chair-Elect of the Section; past Chair of the Subcommittees on Discovery, Appellate Practice, Federal Judiciary; and past member of the Courts of Superior Jurisdiction (1995-1998), Committee on Judicial Administration, and the Civil Courts Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Bernice K. Leber's practice concentrates on the prosecution and defense of complex civil business disputes, with an emphasis on those involving securities, financial and intellectual property.

The Nelson Award was established as a tribute to the late L. Clair Nelson, who served as a Council member of the Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division. He contributed his loyalty, time and extraordinary talent to American Bar Association activities and held numerous leadership positions within the ABA. The Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the ABA by a government or public sector lawyer, and all government and public sector lawyers are eligible nominees. The Division considers an individual's specific extraordinary accomplishments as well as sustained superior contributions to the ABA over a number of years.

The Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division's mission is to serve the nation's public lawyers. By promoting integrity and excellence among public advocates, providing meaningful services not obtainable elsewhere, and by highlighting the extraordinary work of public lawyers, the Division works to enhance the position of public lawyers and create camaraderie and pride within the public sector. The Division is dedicated to providing representation within the ABA for government and public sector lawyers who make up one eighth of the legal profession.