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The mission of the Central New York Women’s Bar Association is to promote justice for all, regardless of
sex; to advance the social, economic and legal status of women through the law; to expand opportunities for
women and to raise the level of competence and integrity in the legal profession.
How We Started
On June 20, 1977, Karen DeCrow convened the first meeting of what was later to become known as
the Central New York Women’s Bar Association (“CNYWBA”). A few months earlier, Karen had met Joan
Ellenbogen on an airplane. According to Karen, Joan was then active in the Women’s Bar of the City
of New York, and she urged Karen to organize a similar organization in Syracuse. At the time, Karen
was President of the National Organization for Women (“NOW”). Karen seized Joan’s challenge as soon
as she completed her term as President of NOW.
Over the next year or so, Karen organized several meetings of the female attorneys in Syracuse to discuss
the issues they faced in their practice, to consider the formation of a women’s bar association, and to
enjoy each other’s company. At one of the meetings, Joan Ellenbogen was a guest, and she talked to the
group about two other women’s bar associations in the state – Westchester and Capital District.
As to be expected, there was some divisiveness among the early participants. Some thought it was
inappropriate and counterproductive to form an organization that segregated female attorneys from their
male counterparts. Others thought that a women’s bar association should be open to all “sisters in the
law” – lawyers, law students, paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal office workers. Initially,
consensus was illusive. Finally, some of the women decided to just do it. In 1980, the CNYWBA was
formed and Beatrice Krupkin was elected as its first President. One of the first tasks addressed by
the CNYWBA was gender discrimination in the Onondaga County Bar Association (“OCBA”). At the time, the
OCBA held its Board meetings at an all male social club. Through CNYWBA’s efforts, the OCBA meeting location
was changed. The next challenge arose at election time. As had always been true, the slate of candidates
endorsed by the OCBA Board of Directors boasted all men. Five members of the CNYWBA (who later became known
as the “Onondaga Five”), collected signatures on petitions, produced the required letters and got on the slate.
As a result of these efforts, women have become active OCBA Board members and officers. Indeed, a few years
after the efforts of the Onondaga Five, M. Catherine Richardson became the first female president of OCBA.
Throughout the years, CNYWBA has strived mightily, and successfully, to advance women in the law. CNYWBA was
the first chapter of WBASNY to set up a legal clinic to provide legal advice and assistance to victims of
domestic violence. Annually, CNYWBA provides a scholarship to a female law student. Through CNYWBA’s efforts,
many women have been elected to the judiciary in Central New York, and one of its longstanding members was
elected President of the New York State Bar Association. Among other things, CNYWBA has also raised money for
breast cancer, written amicus briefs in support of issues important to women, organized continuing legal
education programs, established a respected judicial evaluation process, assisted with the formation of the
Rochester and Buffalo chapters of WBASNY, mentored countless law students, and provided a forum to address
gender bias in the law in Central New York.
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