By Valerie Manzo, Esq., Director and Founding Member of SCWBA
The Road to the March
2023 Women’s History Event Celebrating Women’s Suffrage
Keynote: New York State Attorney General Letitia James
In a first of its kind collaboration, the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association (SCWBA), the Suffolk County Bar Association (SCBA), the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center (“Touro Law”), and more than five (5) affiliate bar associations, will host a celebration of Women’s Suffrage, featuring the Hon. Letitia James, New York State Attorney General. This signature event will take place on March 2, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency of Long Island, on Motor Parkway, in Hauppauge.
What was the light bulb moment for this idea? In 2019, I volunteered to offer legal advice to seniors at an event organized by Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta’s Chief of Staff, Susan Eckert. There, I sought out the Attorney General’s Long Island Regional Representative, TJ Hatter, and inquired whether Hon. Letitia James would be interested in speaking at a women’s history event for the women’s bar in March 2020. Ms. James graciously agreed to be our Keynote Speaker for this event, and we were off to the races. However, COVID-19 had other plans and the event had to be cancelled.
Our 2020 team included then SCWBA President Shari Sugarman, SCBA Executive Director Jane La Cova, then SCBA President Lynn Poster-Zimmerman, SCWBA current President, Heid Levine-Sorkin, Hon. Victoria Gumbs-Moore representing the Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association, many other representatives from Touro Law, the Suffolk County Criminal Bar Association, the Brehon Society of Suffolk County, the Suffolk Columbian Lawyers’ Association, and the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association. With a stellar committee, including the late Hon. Theresa Whelan, who had generously arranged for an Honor Guard from the Court Officer’s Association, many tables were sold, and sponsors found.
Now, we are back, in an exciting new collaboration, and Ms. James has agreed to share her thoughts on 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote, in Hauppauge, on March 2, 2023. The Huntington Lawyers Club is joining us, and we anticipate additional collaboration, from additional bar associations, organizations, and law schools, including the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, and Hofstra Law School, among others!
All are welcome. To cohost and/or sponsor, please email valmanzo@aol.com, or SCWBA President Heidi Levine-Sorkin, Esq., heidisorkin@gmail.com, or SCWBA Administrative Assistant, Lora Rosenthal at lora@touchdownabstract.com. You can buy a ticket using the QR code on our Save the Date flyer by clicking here. We have a student ticket rate. We look forward to you joining us at what promises to be an inspiring and exciting event!