Annual awards and scholarship
WBASNY WNY gives out awards annually at the Installation of Officers and Directors and Awards Ceremony to recognize the contributions of outstanding individuals who have served to advance the mission of WBASNY.
M. Dolores Denman Lady Justice Award
The Achievement Award was renamed in 2000 as the M. Dolores Denman Lady Justice Award. It was renamed in honor and in memory of Justice Denman, one of the previous recipients of the award. Justice Denman was a staunch supporter of the goals of WBASNY generally, and particularly of our Chapter. The award recognizes significant contributions and dedication to the work of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York and the Western New York Chapter.
View a list of past recipients.
President’s Award
The President’s Award recognizes a distinguished individual or organization whose leadership serves as a role model for others, and whose ideals and accomplishments reflect a commitment to goals consistent with the mission of WBASNY, including the promotion of the status of women in society and in the legal profession, and the fair and equal administration of justice.
View a list of past recipients.
Carol A. Condon Outstanding New Lawyer Award
In an effort to recognize the outstanding contributions of the next generation of attorneys, WNY WBASNY created the Carol A. Condon Outstanding New Lawyer Award, which is awarded annually. This award is given to a WBASNY member who, as of December 31st of the current membership year, has been a member of the bar for not more than five (5) years, and who has made outstanding achievements within the profession, outstanding contributions within the WNY WBASNY community, or both.
This award is named in honor of WNY WBASNY’s 1995-1996 President, Carol A. Condon. Following nearly a decade of service to WBASNY at the state and local levels in the roles of both an officer and director, Carol A. Condon encouraged– and continues to encourage – new lawyers to become active contributors to their profession and community and showed them how to do so. WNY WBASNY is proud to commemorate Carol A. Condon’s encouragement and mentorship of the next generation of lawyers with the “Outstanding New Lawyer Award” in her honor.
View a list of past recipients.
Diversity Leadership Award
The purpose of the WBASNY WNY Diversity Leadership Award is to recognize individuals or organizations who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting full and equal participation in the legal profession through the encouragement and involvement of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and/or persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities. This award will be given to show gratitude to those individuals, corporations, organizations, lawyers, members of the judiciary and/or legal academia, who have effected real change in the legal profession, and to remove barriers that stand in the way of equality.
M. Dolores Denman Scholarship
The Denman Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to custodial parents to assist with child care while studying for the bar exam. This scholarship pays tribute to one of our founding members who became the first presiding justice of an appellate division. Most importantly, this scholarship pays tribute to a woman who was dedicated to her family and friends above all, who supported her profession and mentored younger attorneys, and who never lost sight of the individuals whose lives were and continue to be impacted by the decisions reached by her Court.
View a list of past recipients.