CONGRATULATIONS TO JONATHAN PRESS

Last night, Jon was awarded the Thomas Maligno Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Awardfrom the Nassau County Bar Association.

From an earlier press release:

"The Nassau County Bar Association, the source for legal information and education on Long Island, is marking 50 years since the landmark Miranda Rights legislation was enacted, as well as awarding three outstanding advocates for service to the legal profession and the community, at the annual Law Day Awards Dinner on May 3, 5:30-8 p.m. at NCBA in Mineola.

 

Keynote speakers Nassau County District Attorney Madeleine Singas and Honorable Stephen P. Scaring, Scaring & Carman, Garden City, together will share their experiences of life before Miranda, the procedural protections afforded to all of us by the U.S. Constitution, how these rights are safeguarded by the courts, and why the preservation of these principles is essential to our liberty.

 

Each year on Law Day, NCBA recognizes three outstanding examples of service.  The Liberty Bell Award will be presented to Robert Bernstein, a teacher who has served as a Mock Trial Coach for his high school team since 1997 and volunteers as a court advocate for The Safe Center LI. 

 

Jonathan Press, a long-time dedicated volunteer attorney at NCBA's Mortgage Foreclosure Legal Consultation Clinics and mandated court settlement conferences, will be honored with The Thomas Maligno Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. Finally, the Peter T. Affatato Court Employees of the Year Award will be presented to Lisa Porteus, Chief Court Reporter for Supreme Court in Mineola.

 

Fifty years ago, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Miranda v. Arizona  resulted in the Miranda Rights statement that must be made by police to inform a person in police custody or under interrogation of his Fifth Amendment right against compelled self-incrimination. The Miranda warning has become one of the most recognizable phrases in law enforcement, repeated countless times in films and on television."

SO MANY TO THANK AT NASSAU COUNTY BAS ASSOCIATION DINNER LAST NIGHT

 

Last night, I was quite moved and  slightly scared... so if I could repeat the speech, I would first thank Martha for the wonderful introduction I received, the warm reception from all attending, the NCBA for the beautiful plague I received, the county for the wonderful citation, and everyone for allowing my children to attend the dinner.

I would then thank again the Bar Association who have sponsored so many pro bono events like Senior Clinic, Foreclosure/Sandy clinic, Student Mentoring as well as allowing me to serve on the Lawyers Assistance Committee, and that is just to name a few.  I would like to thank Nassau/Suffolk Law Services for the many opportunities to assist families facing eviction in landlord/tenant court as well as the several low income matrimonial disputes that I handled and certain guardianship consultations. And of course The Safe Center where I learned in their training program and the several cases I was assigned a new perspective in matrimonial disputes.

I would have also mentioned Hofstra School of Law which has a bi-annual veterans clinic which has been a further honor. And also the courts because to be a Part 137 Arbitrator for the Supreme Court has been most instructive.

I apologize for not mentioning all the names of the people who are involved in these   programs - there are so many. But I thank you all.

Again, it is my children who inspired be to perform Pro Bono work - it makes be a better person, which makes me a better father, which makes me a better lawyer and (since some of you know of my other career as Jon Avner, it also makes me a better actor.)

Again, my humble thanks.