Meyer Suozzi Awards Bernard S. Meyer Scholarship to Albany Law School Student

Media Source: Albany Law

Kimberly Waldin of Ballston Spa, New York and a student at Albany Law School of Union University, has been selected as the 2014 recipient of the Judge Bernard S. Meyer Scholarship. Established in 2004, the scholarship is funded by Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C. and administered by The New York Bar Foundation. It is awarded annually to second year law students in New York State who excel in legal writing and advocacy.

Waldin was honored at a luncheon on July 25 at Meyer Suozzi’s Garden City office, where she was presented with the $5,000 scholarship towards her 2014/2015 academic year tuition.

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must submit an essay that demonstrates legal writing skills and advocacy. Waldin’s winning paper entitled, “Trash: Getting Rid of Unwanted Children through “Private Re-Homing,” addresses the phenomenon of giving away, or “re-homing,” adopted children, a topic which combines both her current study of law and experience as the Pro Bono Project Director at the Albany County Family Court Help Desk.

“It is such an honor to have been selected for this award and recognized for a cause I am passionate about,” said Waldin. “This scholarship will help me pursue my desired career in either education law or juvenile justice, helping children and families navigate the legal landscape.”

Waldin is proposed to complete her J.D. from Albany Law School in 2015. She is currently interning at the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, Office of the Ombudsman, and the SUNY Charter Schools Institute.

The scholarship selection committee, which judged the essay submissions in a blind reading, was comprised of Andrew J. Turro, Esq., a member of Meyer Suozzi, Hon. Michael A. Ciaffa, a former member of the firm now serving as Nassau County District Court Judge, and Emily Franchina, Chair of the Fellows of the New York Bar Foundation and Past President of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Judge Meyer was an associate judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1979-1986 and practiced with Meyer Suozzi from 1987 until his death in 2005. The Judge Bernard S. Meyer scholarship was established in his honor, to serve New York State’s legal profession and the community.