The New York Bar Foundation Honors Legal Luminaries and Launches Leadership Laureate Series

The New York Bar Foundation presented its inaugural Force for Justice Award to lawyer Stephen Younger in appreciation of his decades of leadership, purposeful philanthropy and bold advocacy including securing clemency and appealing convictions for indigent defendants.

At this Leadership Laureate celebration in New York City on Oct. 29, the Foundation also recognized newly-appointed Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the New York City Courts Adam Silvera, citing his advocacy for affordable housing, commitment to the community and crusade for equal justice.

Both Younger, the 113th president of the New York State Bar Association, and Judge Silvera are fellows of the Foundation, which is in itself a prestigious honor.

“Steve Younger’s efforts to advance social justice are remarkable,” said Justice Cheryl Chambers, president of the Foundation. “During his distinguished career, he has represented countless criminal defendants in desperate need of a lawyer to argue their appeals or fight for clemency. As a bar leader, he has been an unwavering Force for Justice; he gives of both his time and money and New Yorkers are better off because he is an integral part of the Foundation’s collective philanthropy.”

Younger is a senior counsel in the litigation and arbitration team at Withers Worldwide. He is a seasoned litigator and trial lawyer focusing on commercial, securities and real estate disputes.  He has over 35 years of litigation experience and has tried numerous cases in federal and state courts, and before arbitration panels.

Younger’s career has spanned volunteer roles in numerous organizations including the American Bar Association, the Historical Society of the New York State Courts, the Governor’s Judicial Screening Committee, the Chief Judge’s Commercial Division Advisory Council, and the Executive Committee of the Fund for Modern Courts. He is a member of the Foundation’s Campaign Executive Committee.

He is a founding member of the New York International Arbitration Center and a founding board member of the Latino Judges Association Foundation. He serves as trustee emeritus of Albany Law School’s Board of Trustees and is president of the Harvard Club of New York City.

“It is a real honor to be recognized by the New York Bar Foundation for my contributions to the profession and to bar leadership,” Younger said. “It gives me the opportunity to reflect on the Foundation’s role as a pillar of support for our profession and a champion for access to justice for almost 75 years.”

Justice Chambers praised Judge Silvera’s commitment to the New York legal community and its constituents.

“He has proven himself to be an exceptional judicial leader and has consistently shown his dedication to the community by advocating for affordable housing, addressing unmet access to justice needs, and serving the boards of nonprofit organizations,” she said.

Judge Silvera expressed his gratitude and thanked the Foundation for helping to transform the promise of equal justice into a reality for New York’s most vulnerable citizens.

“I appreciate the Foundation’s support, and I am honored by the recognition of my recent appointment,” he said.
The Oct. 29 celebration also marked the launch of the Foundation’s Leadership Laureate Series. The series will continue in other parts of the state and highlight the fine work the Foundation and its partners do to educate citizens in legal matters and provide lawyers to those who cannot afford them.

The reception, sponsored by Dunnington Bartholow and Miller, also included remarks from Justice Chambers, who spoke about the role of philanthropy in addressing access to justice and investing in future leaders, along with Reception Co-Chairs Catherine Christian, partner at Liston, Abramson; and Raymond Dowd, partner at Dunnington Bartholow and Miller. Cathy Cramer, executive director of Family Legal Care, one of the hundreds of non-profit organizations that has received a Foundation grant, spoke about the importance of the Foundation’s support and the impact the grants have had on ordinary New Yorkers.

The Force for Justice Award is bestowed upon an individual who exemplifies unwavering dedication to justice and embodies the spirit of compassionate generosity.

“Steve Younger’s efforts to advance social justice are remarkable,” said Justice Cheryl Chambers, president of the Foundation.