Kathryn Grant Madigan, a partner in the firm of Levene Gouldin & Thompson LLP of Binghamton, NY, has become president of the 72,000-member New York State Bar Association. She is the Association's 110th president and fourth woman to hold the position.
Ms. Madigan brings to the presidency 28 years of bar service, and a dedication to securing the Association's legacy as the voice of the New York lawyer. Her theme for the year is Leadership Through Service, and her primary goals include: boosting the Association's membership, vigorously advocating for the Association's legislative agenda, including increased funding for civil legal services, equal rights for same sex couples, and enacting a compact for long term care; increasing civic education programs such as the Lawyer in the Classroom project, and launching the first-ever President's blog on the Association's Web site to enhance internal and external communication.
"The law is a service oriented profession whose practitioners are devoted to making a difference in every community," Ms. Madigan said. "I am committed to providing greater meaning, service, and leadership opportunities for our diverse membership. Like so many of our members, I credit the NYSBA for helping me become a better lawyer and more effective volunteer in my community. My goal is for every lawyer in New York to find a home at the State Bar and as president I will focus on instilling a great sense of pride in being a New York Lawyer."
Ms. Madigan has a long history of bar leadership, including formerly serving as the youngest and first female president of the Broome County Bar Association. In 1987, she was named Outstanding Young Lawyer by the New York State Bar Association Young Lawyers' Section. She has held numerous leadership positions in the Association, including chair of the Elder Law Section, chair of the Membership Committee, founding chair of the Committee on Attorneys in Public Service, charter member of the Corporate Counsel Section, and member and officer of the Executive Committee.
Ms. Madigan's numerous contributions to the community include her support of The New York Bar Foundation, the Binghamton University Foundation, Inc., the Harpur Forum, and the United Health Services Foundation, Inc.