PRBA'S NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS

Join the honorees below and our scholarship winners at the PRBA Scholarship Fund Gala Banquet - Celebrating a Tradition of Excellence - A New Generation of Leaders, on Thursday, May 13th at the Hilton NY.

Please take a moment to review sponsorship levels and take this opportunity make a contribution to the PRBA Scholarship Fund, Inc. CLICK HERE FOR THE INVITATION.

If you have any questions about tickets, a table, or for information, e-mail Catherine Torres at ctorres@prba.net  or call 212-505-6633.

We hope to see you on May 13th for an elegant black tie affair!

PRBA Board of Directors

Keynote Speaker U.S. Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez During his nine terms in the U.S. House, Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez has worked to establish himself as an effective legislator and energetic spokesman on behalf of his constituents in Illinois' Fourth District. At the same time, Gutierrez' tireless leadership championing the causes of the Latino and immigrant communities has led to greater responsibilities within the U.S. Congress and has earned him widespread acclaim throughout the country. Please click here to read more.
Judicial Excellence Award The Honorable Douglas E. McKeon New York State Supreme Court Justice Presiding for the Appellate Term, First Department Justice Douglas McKeon has just completed his fourth year as Presiding Justice of the Appellate Term for the First Department and continues his family's tradition of service to the court system. His late father, Edwin McKeon, was Chief Clerk of the Bronx Civil Court. Born, raised and living in the Bronx, Justice McKeon graduated from Lehman College and New York Law School cum laude where he attended the evening division while working full time. He was a law clerk to United States District Judges Richard A. Levet and Charles Haight. Please click here to read more.
President's Distinguished Achievement Award Luis A. Miranda, Jr. Partner, MirRam Group LLC Luis A. Miranda, Jr. is a founding partner of the MirRam Group, LLC, a New York State-based marketing and political consulting firm. Mr. Miranda, along with his partner Roberto Ramirez, assists corporations, not-for-profit institutions, and elected officials with strategy, communications, lobbying, and fundraising, with a special emphasis in the Latino market. Clients of the MirRam Groups include the New York Yankees, the YES Network, CenterCare Health Plan, United Federation of Teachers, Transport Workers Union, Visiting Nurse Services, and the Coalition for the Homeless. Please click here to read more.
Outstanding Achievement in Academia Jay Hershenson Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations & Secretary of the Board of Trustees of The City University Of New York Jay Hershenson is Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York -- the leading public urban university system in the nation. His portfolio includes the development and implementation of CUNY's external relations program, including governmental, media and community relations, marketing, communications and CUNY-TV and the administration of the Board of Trustees' agenda, meetings and records. He has served as Vice Chancellor since 1984 and has worked in senior level administrative positions for six CUNY Chancellors. Please click here to read more.
Exemplary Community Service Award Natalie Gomez -Velez, Esq. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor, The City University Of New York (CUNY) School of Law Natalie Gomez-Velez is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. Prior to her appointment with the law school, Dean Gomez-Velez served as Special Counsel to Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman of the New York State Unified Court System and as Assistant Deputy Attorney General for Public Advocacy in the administration of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Dean Gomez-Velez has also served on the Lawyering faculty at New York University School of Law, as an attorney with the ACLU and the Brennan Center for Justice, and as General Counsel to the New York City Department of Youth Services. Dean Gomez-Velez began her legal career in private practice with the law firm Richards & O'Neil. Please click here to read more.
Young Lawyers Award Rosevelie Márquez Morales, Esq. Associate of the firm Harris Beach PLLC Ms. Márquez Morales was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Her family subsequently moved to Brooklyn, New York, where she attended elementary, middle and high school. In 1999 she graduated from Barnard College Columbia University with a B.A. in Economics. In 2002 she graduated from Fordham University School of Law. Ms. Márquez Morales is a litigation associate of Harris Beach PLLC. She practices in the Mass Torts & Industry-Wide Litigation Practice Group and serves on the Medical & Life Sciences Industry Team. She focuses her practice primarily in the areas of mass tort litigation, products liability defense, health care litigation and medical malpractice defense, as well as premises liability and general liability defense. Ms. Márquez Morales also represents insurance companies in commercial, personal injury and liability claims. Please click here to read more.