Foundation

Albany County Bar Foundation
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Incorporated in 1993, the Albany County Bar Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation which furthers the goals of the Albany County legal community.  The Foundation works with the Albany County Bar Association to facilitate and promote access to justice and legal services; sponsor and encourage research, publications, institutes and forums for the furtherance of justice under the law; to establish scholarships and promote the study of law; to provide continuing education for lawyers; and to institute and maintain legal aid facilities for the indigent.

The Foundation’s community engagement and grant program further the Foundation’s fundamental goals: 

• To advance legal research and education; 
• To improve the administration of justice; 
• To promote professional ethics and responsibility and service to the public; 
• To cultivate the preparation of the history and traditions of law, the courts and the legal profession; 
• To encourage better public understanding of our legal heritage and the law; 
• To aid in making legal institutions more responsive to the public interest; 
• To sponsor studies, conferences, publications and any and all other means of discourse, communication and exchange of ideas appropriate to the foregoing; and 
• To promote social welfare, elimination of prejudice and discrimination, protection of human and civil liberties protected by law and insuring the availability of qualified legal assistance of any kind to the members of the community.

The Foundation works with community partners in furtherance of the Foundation's goals and objectives. If your organization is interested in working with the Foundation, please contact the Foundation at foundation@albanycountybar.com. 

Albany County Bar Foundation Board 

President
Shalini Natesan, Esq., The Towne Law Firm 

Secretary/Treasurer
Patrick Jordan, Esq., Port of Albany

Board of Directors
Hon. Joshua Farrell, Albany City Court - Criminal Part
Hon. Roger Fritts, Retired
Kasey Hildonen, Esq., NYS Attorney General’s Office
Daniel Hurteau, Esq., Nixon Peabody
Dana Salazar, Esq., Salazar and Erikson, LLP
Michael P. McDermott, Esq., O'Connell & Aronowitz
Sarah Gold, Esq., Gold Law Firm
Elizabeth Grogan, Esq., O'Connor First
Mathew Barry, Esq., Harris Beach PLLC
Victoria Craft, Esq., Albany County Surrogate's Court

Foundation Grants
The Foundation manages and distributes an annual grant program, which provides grant funding to organizations that assist individuals and their children who are in need of access to justice or legal services.  The Foundation’s grant program has benefited numerous community organizations throughout Albany County for well over a decade. The Foundation’s grant program is funded entirely through generous donations and fundraising events, like the annual Law Day 5K. 

Past Albany County Bar Foundation Grant Recipients include the organizations such as the Albany County Family Court Help Center, Albany Law School, Equinox, In Our Own Voices, The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, The Legal Project, St. Catherine's Center for Children and STEM, to name a few.