Presently, BS&K attorneys and staff are actively involved in many community based activities for many organizations, including Boys and Girls' Club, CNY Food Bank, Crouse Hospital Foundation, School Boards of Education, Church Trustee, Wetlands Forum, Child Care Council, Boy Scouts of America, County Bar Foundation, YMCA, Legal Aid Society, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Local Environmental Advisory Council, American Heart Association, Local Symphony, Local Art Museum, Local University Board of Regents, United Way and Community Foundations, to name just some.

BS&K attorneys have distinguished themselves over the years by serving as New York State Lieutenant Governor, New York State Majority Leader and Legislator, New York State Insurance Commissioner, New York State Supreme Court Justices, District Attorney, President of the New York State Bar Association (on three occasions and once as the second woman elected to the post) and in many other leadership positions in local, state and federal bar associations, corporation counsel of various governmental entities, Dean of the Syracuse University College of Law, and Chairman of the Albany (New York) Medical Center, and members of the boards of directors of numerous corporations and not-for-profit organizations.

News Release
Attorney Candace J. Gomez Appointed to Board of YWCA of Syracuse & Onondaga County

Bond, Schoeneck & King is pleased to announce the appointment of Candace J. Gomez to the Board of Directors of the YWCA of Syracuse & Onondaga County.

The goal of the YWCA is to empower and advocate for women and children while helping to improve their quality of life.

Ms. Gomez is an associate in our Syracuse office and concentrates her practice in civil litigation. She is a graduate of Tufts University (B.A., with honors, 2004) and American University, Washington College of Law (J.D., 2007).

News Release
BS&K's Read Ahead Volunteer Program Highlighted in Central New York Corporate Volunteer Council's February Newsletter
Click here to read the Central New York Corporate Volunteer Council's February Newsletter.

News Release
BS&K Attorney Richard L. Weber Elected Secretary Of Onondaga County Bar Foundation

Syracuse, NY: Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC (BS&K) is pleased to announce that Richard L. Weber, was recently elected Secretary of the Onondaga County Bar Foundation. The mission of the Onondaga County Bar Foundation (the philanthropic arm of the Onondaga County Bar Association) is to improve and promote: professional ethics and responsibility; service to the public and legal community; access to the legal system for all; the administration of justice; and legal research and education. The Foundation was established in 1975.

Mr. Weber is a member of BS&K's Litigation Practice Group and is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo (B.A., magna cum laude, 1994) and the College of William and Mary School of Law (J.D., 1999).

News Release
BS&K Member David M. Ferrara Elected President Of Onondaga County Chapter Of International Association Of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO)

Syracuse, NY: Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC (BS&K) is pleased to announce that Bond, Schoeneck & King Member (partner) David Ferrara was recently elected President of the Central New York District Board of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials, Inc. (IAABO). Mr. Ferrara began his referee career while enrolled at Le Moyne College and has continued this ambition for 34 years. The Central New York District Board serves Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. The IAABO, founded in 1923, is a nonprofit service and professional organization managed by and for basketball referees.

Mr. Ferrara practices Labor and Employment Law at Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, and is a graduate of Le Moyne College (B.S., cum laude, 1977), Michigan State University (M.S.L.I.R., magna cum laude, 1978), and Indiana University School of Law (J.D. 1987).

News Release
BS&K Senior Partner Elected to United Way of Central New York Board

Richard D. Hole, Senior Member (Partner), was recently elected to United Way of Central New York's Board of Directors for a three-year term. Mr. Hole is a member of the Business Law Department and the firm's Executive Committee.

"Over the years, I have had a strong interest in helping people," Hole said. "That is why I became a lawyer, and why I have invested time and energy in community activities that can make a difference in the quality of people's lives. I look forward to contributing to the United Way's mission."

Hole has served on the boards of numerous local organizations, including the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and the East Area YMCA. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Onondaga County Bar Association and has served for many years as president of the New York Employee Benefits Conference and general counsel to the Manufacturers Association of Central New York.

Mr. Hole received his bachelor of arts degree from Hamilton College and his juris doctor from Syracuse University School of Law.

United Way's Board of Directors is the governing body of United Way of Central New York.

United Way of Central New York is a non-profit serving Onondaga County that strives to help the community reach its full caring potential. The organization helps donors make effective charitable investments of money, volunteer time, and in-kind gifts to make lasting improvements in individual lives and the local community.

News Release
BS&K Honors its Communities with "Give Back Day"

Thursday, June 2, 2005 marked the day that Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, the largest law firm in Syracuse, virtually shut down its hometown and Oswego offices. Some 225 attorneys and staff personnel left behind a skeleton staff for emergencies and ventured out to support 29 charitable and volunteer organizations that improve the quality of life for the communities in which they live, work and play.

Originally begun as a way to mark the centennial celebration of the firm in 1997, "Give Back Day" gives Bond, Schoeneck & King a means to demonstrate support of the Central New York Community. In addition, "Give Back Day" will also take place in the six other Bond, Schoeneck & King offices as well as the two in Florida and one in Kansas.

BS&K teams worked at 10 sites in Syracuse and 22 additional venues in Chittenango, Baldwinsville, Marcellus, Camillus, Brewerton, Oswego, Liverpool, East Syracuse, Lafayette and Pompey. Volunteer activities include preparing and serving meals for the hungry, companion services to young and older community members as well as yard clean-ups, painting, interior spring cleaning, light moving, trail maintenance, gardening and even moving the Research Center for the Onondaga Historical Association.

BS&K volunteer efforts benefited ARISE, The Alzheimer's Association, Beaver Lake, Canton Woods Senior Center, Boys and Girls Club of Syracuse, Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity, Food Bank of CNY, Huntington Family Center, Loretto, the MOST, P.E.A.C.E. Inc., Rescue Mission and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY and the Save the County Land Trust among others.

James E. Mackin, Chairman, Executive Committee, is happy to be at the helm of this project again. "Bond, Schoeneck & King has a century old history of serving Central New York. But what has changed over the years is the expansion of our investment in the Community. In the beginning, it was the efforts of just the few partners."

But 108 years later, Mackin says that the firm's investment takes several forms: annual firm monetary contributions to a myriad of not-for-profit organizations, individual donations by staff and attorneys to these same organizations and many more, as well as involvement by staff and attorneys with many not-for-profit boards of directors and select committees.

"Today, we're proud of the direct contribution of labor and talent in the back rooms and points of delivery of service of 29 not-for-profits," he adds.

"For "Give Back Day", we chose sites that represent both the range of organizations that provide distinctly different services to the Community as well as the diversity of the interests of our staff and attorneys. This day is as popular with BS&K's staff and attorneys as it is with the not-for-profit organizations. There is no lack of enthusiasm to give back to our community. It's a good day."

BS&K invests in both financial and human resources in its home communities. In addition to events like "Give Back Day", Bond, Schoeneck & King also supports the local not-for-profit community with frequent distribution of information memos, action alerts and an annual half day seminar dedicated to the interests and needs of this dimension of the Central New York Community. With offices in New York, Florida and Kansas, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, offers twenty-two practice areas of law and eleven different client/industry practice groups. The home office is located at One Lincoln Center, Syracuse, 13202. They can be reached at 315-218-8000.

News Release
Albany Office Celebrates "Community Service Day

Thursday, August 4, 2005 marked the day that the attorneys and staff in the Firm's Albany, New York office traded their suits and briefcases for over-alls and gardening gloves to help out a local not-for-profit organization called the Wildwood Programs. One of Wildwood's programs is called "The Farm" located in Voorheesville, NY where individuals with disabilities have the unique opportunity to learn farming skills such as organic gardening, grounds maintenance, landscaping, animal husbandry, outdoor recreation, carpentry and nursery cultivation.

Originally begun to mark the centennial celebration of the Firm in 1997, "Community Service Day" gives Bond, Schoeneck & King a means to demonstrate another aspect of its support for the local community.

Nicholas J. D'Ambrosio, Managing Partner of the firm's Albany office, was happy to be trading law books for work gloves. "Bond, Schoeneck & King has a century-old history of serving Central New York and the Capital Region. But what has changed over the years is the expansion of our involvement in the Community. In the beginning, it was the efforts of just the few partners. Now it's the entire office."

108 years later, D'Ambrosio also noted that the firm's investment in the Capital Region takes several forms: monetary contributions to a myriad of not-for-profit organizations, individual donations by staff and attorneys to these same organizations and many more, plus involvement by staff and attorneys with many not-for-profit boards of directors and select committees.

"For "Community Service Day", we chose a site that reflects the diversity of organizations that provide distinctly different services to the Community. This day is as popular with BS&K's staff and attorneys as it is with the not-for-profit organizations. There is no lack of enthusiasm on the part of our folks to give of themselves in this manner. It's a good day."

News Release
Buffalo Office Joins United Way's "Day Of Caring"

Wednesday, August 17, 2005 marked the day that 14 attorneys and staff in the firm's Buffalo, NY office teamed up with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, trading their suits and briefcases for overalls and work gloves to help a local not-for-profit organization, called Lakeshore Behavioral Health, Inc., which provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment services to women who are pregnant and/or parenting. The BS&K Team spent the day at the "Lighthouse" location cleaning and organizing storage areas and landscaping the grounds. The Lighthouse is 1 of 9 locations Lake Shore Behavioral Health Inc. has throughout Erie County.

Originally begun to mark the centennial celebration of the firm in 1997, BS&K's own "Community Service Day" gives the firm a means to demonstrate another aspect of its support for the local community.

Richard C. Heffern, Managing Partner of the firm's Buffalo office, was happy to be trading law books for work gloves. "Bond, Schoeneck & King has a century-old history of serving Upstate New York. But what has changed over the years is the expansion of our involvement in the Community. In the beginning, it was the efforts of just the few partners. Now it's the entire office."

108 years later, Heffern also noted that the firm's investment in Western New York takes several forms: monetary contributions to a myriad of not-for-profit organizations, individual donations by staff and attorneys to these same organizations and many more, plus involvement by staff and attorneys with many not-for-profit boards of directors and select committees.

"Day of Caring" is as popular with BS&K's staff and attorneys as it is with the not-for-profit organizations. There is no lack of enthusiasm on the part of our folks to give of themselves in this manner. It's a good day."

News Release
Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC Honored With Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award

Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC was presented with the 2005 Onondaga County Bar Association's Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award for the Firm's generous contribution of legal services. The award was given during the Onondaga County Bar Foundation Annual Law Day luncheon on May 4, 2005.

In February 2002, WSTM broadcast a two-part report on its evening news program entitled "A Cry for Help" which focused on the frustrations experienced by a single mother of two minor children, as she attempted to navigate the Cayuga County judicial and child welfare protection systems for meaningful orders of protection based on her minor daughter's allegations that she was being abused during court-sanctioned visits with her biological father. One year later, the biological father sued the mother and WSTM for libel based upon the two-part broadcast.

At the request of Esther Weingarten, pro bono coordinator for the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc., Bond, Schoeneck & King assembled a defense team consisting of Lillian Abbott Pfohl and Meghan Beakman, under the supervision of Ed Conan to defend the mother in the libel action.

Following a successful motion to transfer venue to Supreme Court, Onondaga County, the BS&K attorneys moved to dismiss the Amended Complaint on the grounds that the mother's statements in the broadcast interview were absolutely privileged as fair and true reports of ongoing judicial proceedings and were otherwise comprised of non-actionable opinion or statements that were not provably false given the documentary evidence submitted in the underlying custody and neglect proceedings, and on the ground that the Complaint against the mother was barred by the one year statute of limitations. While a successful motion to dismiss on the pleadings would eliminate the possibility of a monetary judgment against Ms. York, the pre-answer motion strategy was primarily designed to spare the client and her minor children from the rigors of pretrial discovery and depositions where they would have to relive the troubling allegations of abuse that they thought had been put behind them in January 2002, when the biological father agreed to give up custody and physical visitation rights in exchange for a dismissal of the abuse charges pending against him in Cayuga County. On April 5, 2005, the Court granted the mother's motion in its entirety, and dismissed the libel complaint.