Phillips Lytle Honored in 2021 Legal Excellence Awards for Diversity

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Legal Excellence Awards honorees announced

The Rochester Business Journal and The Daily Record have announced the honorees for the 2021 Legal Excellence Awards.

Legal Excellence is a new program started by the Rochester Business Journal and The Daily Record to take their legal recognition awards to the next level by combining the Corporate Counsel, Excellence in Law and Attorneys of the Year awards. Legal Excellence pays tribute to all the ways legal professionals work to make the Greater Rochester community stronger.

Awards are presented in the following categories: Civil Legal Services, In House Counsel, Law Firm Administrator, Law Firm Diversity, Law Firm Innovation, Leaders in Law, Lifetime Achievement, Paralegal, Pro Bono Excellence and Up and Coming Lawyers.

“This year’s Legal Excellence recipients work tirelessly to uphold the highest legal standards and improve communities throughout Western New York. They are actively engaged in the community and mentor other leaders as well,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, senior group publisher of The Daily Record and Rochester Business Journal. “They perform vital services in the community, and we are honored to recognize them.”

The honorees will be recognized during an online celebration Nov. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. Each will be celebrated for their achievements through video storytelling. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in the program with their congratulations and cheers using social media platforms from their homes or offices. For tickets, visit https://nydailyrecord.com/legal-excellence-awards/ or https://rbj.net/events/legal-excellence-awards/. The event hashtags are #TDRevents and #RBJevents.

A VIP reception for honorees and sponsors will be held Nov. 15 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 125 East Main St. in Rochester.

Honorees will be profiled in the Nov. 16 issue of The Daily Record and in the Nov. 19 issue of the Rochester Business Journal and online at nydailyrecord.com and rbj.net.

For information about sponsorships and tickets for the 2021 Legal Excellence Awards, visit nydailyrecord.com or rbj.net or email Suzanne Fischer-Huettner at shuettner@bridgetowermedia.com.

The 2021 honorees are:

Civil Legal Services

Lakeshia McCloud, Legal Assistance of Western New York Inc.

In House Counsel

Paul Ciminelli, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Susan Sturman Jennings, Conifer Realty LLC
Alison Moyer, Rochester City School District
Thomas O’Gara, LeChase Construction Services LLC
Lisa Santelli, Lifetime Healthcare Companies/Excellus Health Plan

Law Firm Administrator

Curtis Burnett, Nixon Peabody LLP
Marie Calvaruso, Harris Beach PLLC
Cheryl Jordan, Ward Greenberg Heller & Reidy
Rhonda Noto, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
John Taddeo, Wesley Clark & Peshkin
Sarah Wegener, Focus Practice Management

Law Firm Diversity

Phillips Lytle LLP

Law Firm Innovation

Littler

Leaders in Law

Kevin Clark, Wesley Clark & Peshkin LLP
Mark Funk, Monroe County Conflict Defender
F. Paul Greene, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Connor O’Brien, Social Security Administration
The Hon. Fatimat Reid, Monroe County Family Court
Christian Valentino, Law Offices of Pullano & Farrow PLLC

Lifetime Achievement

Harold Kurland, Ward Greenberg Heller & Reidy
Ruhi Maker, Empire Justice Center
Sharon Stiller, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara, Wolf & Carone LLP
Michael Wolford, Bond, Schoeneck & King

Paralegal