MANHATTAN — The New York City Bar Association hosted the installation of Taa Grays as 129th president of the New York State Bar Association on Monday, marking a historic milestone as she became the first Black woman to hold the role in the association’s 150-year history.
From left: Hon. Genine Edwards, Chief Clerk Charles Small and Hon. Wavny Toussaint. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
“I want people to be crystal clear about what our mission is,” Grays said. “We will continue to be the leading voice for the legal profession by advancing three things: The professional success of our members, equal access to justice and the rule of law.”
Grays pointed out that legal professionals are meant to mediate and collaborate in the pursuit of justice.
“While we’re living in very challenging times now, as a bar association and as lawyers, we have a special responsibility to make sure that the rule of law is protected,” she continued. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Republican, Democrat, Independent, Socialist or Communist. We all have a vested interest in making sure that the rule of law is in place so that people understand how to exercise their rights.”
Grays was sworn in by her aunt, Hon. Marguerite Grays, New York State Supreme Court Justice and head of the Commercial Division in Queens. Before installing her niece, Hon. Grays admitted that while she has sworn in many people, swearing in a family member was special.
Taa Grays, Esq., newly-installed president of the New York State Bar Association, left, and Nicole Lester Arrindell, Esq., president of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
“Throughout Taa’s distinguished career, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity and service,” Hon. Grays said. “The presidency of the New York State Bar Association is among the most respected leadership positions in our profession, and I believe Taa is well-prepared for this.”
Prominent legal professionals spoke at the historic event, including Matthew Diller, dean emeritus and professor at Fordham School of Law; Rez Islam, chair of the president’s committee on access to justice; and others.
Metropolitan Black Bar Association President Nicole Lester Arrindell, Esq., who also served as the night’s emcee, referred to Grays as a “trailblazing attorney and a dynamic leader.”
“She is a mentor and friend to many of us in this field,” Arrindell said. “Tonight is not only about celebrating her; we are also celebrating the present and embracing the future.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (left) alongside New York State Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
New York State Attorney General Letitia James noted that Grays’ lived experience and unwavering commitment to fairness and excellence in the law demonstrate the values of the New York State Bar Association.
“I’ve known Taa Grays for many years, and I’ve had the honor and pleasure of working with her on so many issues,” she said. “I’m confident that she will be just as effective and dynamic as your president as she has been in her past leadership roles.”
A commitment to bringing people together
Hon. Cheryl Chambers, associate justice in the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, and president of the New York Bar Foundation, explained that Grays brings something to this new role that the association truly needs — “real range.”
“She has seen the profession from many vantage points, in public service, in corporate leadership and in bar leadership,” she said. “We need a leader who can draw us together around a shared purpose. Taa understands that instinctively.”
Hon. Cheryl Chambers, associate justice for the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
“Taa is not someone who fills a room with her own story,” Chambers continued. “She listens more than she speaks. She asks more than she tells. Yet, every time I have been in conversation with her, I have come away with a clearer sense of her purpose. That is a rare gift in any leader and even rarer in a lawyer. It is one of the reasons I believe she is exactly right for this moment.”
Marcella Jones, chair of the Young Lawyers Section, noted that one of the main reasons she is optimistic about the year ahead is that Grays consistently demonstrates a commitment to bringing people together.
“Young lawyers do not need leaders who already have every answer,” Jones said. “We need leaders who are willing to hear difficult perspectives, encourage meaningful dialogue and create opportunities for participation. Taa has consistently demonstrated those qualities, and the Young Lawyers Section looks forward to working with her.”
New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
Founded in 1876, the New York State Bar Association’s objectives, outlined in its founding constitution, are to cultivate the science of jurisprudence, promote reform in the law, facilitate the administration of justice, and elevate the standards of integrity, honor, professional skill and courtesy in the legal profession.
The organization’s mission is to remain the leading voice for the legal profession by advancing the professional success of its members, equal access to justice and the rule of law.