The governing board of the Hiscock Legal Aid Society recently announced its election of officers and the addition of four new directors.
Re-elected to Chair the Board of Directors is Anthony J. Malavenda, co-owner of Duke’s Sales and Service, Inc.; Chair Elect is Richard C. Engel, Esq., a partner with the Mackenzie Hughes law firm; Vice-Chair is Carl Pesko, retired guidance counselor, Fayetteville-Manlius School District; Secretary-Treasurer is Joseph P. Hardick, CPA and partner with the accounting firm of Dannible & McKee.
Joining the Board for their first three-year terms are: Jennifer R. Bolster, Esq; Suzanne O. Galbato, Esq; John M. Maestri; Lakesha Martin-Hargrett.
Ms. Bolster, an attorney with Hancock & Estabrook, serves in the firm’s Health Law Practice Group, advising hospitals and other health-related entities on transactional and regulatory compliance issues. She is a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and is active in the Syracuse City Court Small Claims Arbitration Program as well as the Onondaga County Volunteer Lawyers Project.
Ms. Galbato, an attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King, practices in the area of litigation in both federal and state courts. Her wide-ranging caseload encompasses commercial disputes, complex environmental litigation and personal injury cases. She is a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the Northern District Federal Court Bar Association and board member of Child Care Solutions.
Mr. Maestri, following a 30-year career in the banking sector, retired from the former OnBank & Trust Company as Vice President and Director of Advertising and Public Relations. He is a Director of the St. Camillus Foundation, a member of the Business and Industry Communicators Council, a member of the Onondaga Historical Association and is actively involved with the Village of Solvay Codes Committee.
Ms. Martin-Hargrett is the Immigration Constituent Service Representative for Congressman Daniel B. Maffei. Long active in the community, she is Vice-President and co-founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence, an active member of the Trauma Response Team and of Women Transcending Boundaries.
A private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1949, the Hiscock Legal Aid Society promotes the right of every person to equal justice under the law by providing free professional legal assistance to individuals and families in need in Onondaga County and the surrounding region. It currently maintains a staff of 46, including 25 attorneys and seven law assistants, and handles over 4,400 cases per year.