New York, NY, Wednesday, November 6, 2024 – Progress for New York is always a priority of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (“WBASNY”). WBASNY achieved a longstanding legislative priority as the New York Equal Rights Amendment was enshrined into the New York State Constitution by the vote of an overwhelming majority of the electorate. WBASNY has been an ardent supporter of amending the New York State Constitution to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity/expression as protected classes, together with other protected classes already recognized under the New York Human Rights Law, namely: ethnicity, national origin, age, and disability. The ERA, now enshrined in the New York State Constitution, solidifies equality under New York law permanently and enduringly.

WBASNY’s mission includes the fair and equal administration of justice. Sex and gender bias have long been pervasive in our social structure, and given recent events, biases against sexual orientation and reproductive rights have also become much more commonplace across the country. While constitutional guarantees are needed at the federal level to prevent further discrimination, WBASNY is relieved that New York State took up the fight to protect its citizens. By working with the New York legislature, the people of New York made WBASNY’s legislative priority a reality and ensured that every New Yorker’s rights are protected.

WBASNY gives special thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, and Senator Liz Krueger for their leadership. WBASNY also recognizes its Chapters, ERA/Civil Rights Committee Co-Chairs Debra Cohen, Esq., and Louise Derevlany, Esq. as well as the Social Action Committee Chair Katrin Falco, Esq. for their tireless work to protect these essential rights. WBASNY also thanks President-Elect Lisa Noroian, Esq. for her work on the ERA programming provided for its members. WBASNY’s President, Marea L. Wachsman, Esq., wrote an OpEd that was published in no less than 7 publications, and WBASNY members participated in social media campaigning and continuing legal education classes, presented programming at law schools, registered people to vote, sent out postcards, met with legislators, and handed out Vote ERA buttons at the polls on election day.

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The Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) is the professional membership organization of choice for nearly 4,000 attorneys throughout New York State and the largest statewide women’s bar association in the country. For more than four decades, WBASNY has been a singularly important resource for women lawyers, providing professional networking, continuing legal education programming, leadership training, and advocacy for the rights of women, children, and families. Through involvement with WBASNY’s 20 regional chapters and its 40-plus substantive law committees, WBASNY’s members collaborate with one another on a variety of issues and perform public and community service, in furtherance of its mission to promote the advancement of the status of women in society and women in the legal profession; to promote the fair and equal administration of justice; and to act as a unified voice for its members with respect to issues of statewide, national and international significance to women generally and women attorneys in particular. WBASNY holds United Nations NGO status with the U.N.’s Department of Public Information, and Special Consultative status in association with the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). WBASNY is also a founding member of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations.