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For Westchester litigators and appellate practitioners, recent decisions from the Appellate Division, Second Department involving the record on appeal command attention. In each case, the Court either dismissed a civil appeal1 or barred issues from review2 due to defects in the record that rendered it incomplete, improper or insufficient to permit informed review. “Your appeal was dismissed” is not the news anyone wants to deliver to a client. Because these orders are arriving at a fast clip—and often sua sponte—a date night with the statute governing records on appeal, Rule 5526 of New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (“CPLR”), and cases citing it, will be time well spent.

Happy summer. The bulk of this month’s column was composed by Professor John Q. Barrett of St. John’s Law School in connection with posts he writes on the life of the great U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson. Professor Barrett, who I consider a friend, has generously authorized that a particular post be re-printed here. The subject matter is appropriate for a summer column, for reasons the reader shall see. John Q. Barrett is a brilliant professor of constitutional law and a legal historian. Anyone interested in reviewing any of his hundreds of posts about Justice Jackson may access them at http://thejacksonlist.com.

When you hear the word “leadership,” what comes to mind? For a long time, I pictured the same image many of us do: someone standing at a podium, commanding a room, delivering a polished speech. Or maybe the person at the front of a conference table, charting out big plans. In other words, leadership looked like something reserved for a few select people— people who were born confident, who seemed to have all the answers, who fit a certain mold.

As a child, I recall my dad and uncle being avid small game hunters—predominantly pheasant, quail, and rabbit. I know… yuck! The fact that they were “avid” did not actually mean they were any good at it. It is like when they decided to start making their own wine: They made it but, nine out of ten times, it was only good enough to be mixed with ginger ale or 7UP.

The WCBA’s Westchester Lawyer magazine is a monthly digital publication that features articles on timely legal topics and highlights the WCBA’s events and activities, continuing legal education opportunities, seminars and more. A link to the online Magazine is emailed monthly to attorney members, business affiliate members and top business professionals throughout Westchester. It is available to all visitors to the WCBA website as an interactive, printable PDF at https://www.wcbany.org/?pg=magazine. Circulation: 1700 plus web archive. 

Enjoy Your Summer! We will see you in September for a new round of CLEs and Networking Events. Check our website www.wcbany.org for the latest information.

When you hear the word “leadership,” what comes to mind? For a long time, I pictured the same image many of us do: someone standing at a podium, commanding a room, delivering a polished speech. Or maybe the person at the front of a conference table, charting out big plans. In other words, leadership looked like something reserved for a few select people— people who were born confident, who seemed to have all the answers, who fit a certain mold.

On Wednesday June 18, 2025, a Multi-Bar Summer Social was presented by the WCBA Diversity Committee with the Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association, Westchester Black Bar Association and Westchester Women’s Bar Association. The Social was held at Roof Taco 359 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY.

In this feature, Tejash V. Sanchala, Board Member and Employment Law Committee Co-Chair, interviews WCBA members about their experiences and insights. Tejash can be reached at: Tejash.Sanchala@gmail.com

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to welcome two new faculty members beginning in Fall 2025. Gregory Antill, a criminal law and philosophy scholar, will join the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Law and will teach courses in criminal law and tort law while also supervising student scholarship and research projects in the advanced legal writing seminar. Kate Skolnick, who will also join the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Law, is an accomplished public defender and respected criminal law scholar, will teach courses in criminal law and criminal procedure, along with an advanced criminal law seminar.