Antonelli said other interesting events are coming up for the Brooklyn Bar, including some “cultural events” in September. “We’ve got Hispanic Heritage Month and a program planned with the Brooklyn Women’s Bar,” he said. 

According to Antonelli, membership is also on the upswing. “I’m actually surprised at how well we’re doing,” he said. 

“It’s been tougher over the last few years, and there’s been a bit of a decline, but this year, we had a great response to our initial renewal period,” he added. “I’m confident that will continue and we’ll build our membership.”

Antonelli referred to the BBA as a “career accelerator.” 

“We have some law students here tonight, and they’re going to be so far ahead of their peers,” he said. “We help attorneys accelerate their career, regardless of their age.”  

A ‘great community’ with ‘vast resources’   

Hon. Benard Graham has been a member of the BBA for more than a decade. 

“We all work in a very high-stress environment, and the ability to socialize in a fraternal type of organization is very important and quite helpful,” Graham said. “I think the people that participate in this group benefit from it greatly.” 

Hon. Javier Ortiz has been a BBA member since finishing law school around 15 years ago. “The attraction for me is the great community that the organization is in addition to its vast resources,” Ortiz said, adding that he often refers people to the Brooklyn Bar. 

“A lot of my friends and colleagues are members. The people are just lovely, intelligent and very capable,” Ortiz said. 

Kwok Kei Ng has been a BBA member for 10 years and chairs the Diversity Committee, which focuses on promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the Brooklyn legal community. 

“Not everybody knows about the value of the Brooklyn Bar Association,” Ng said. “They should really be taking advantage of it. Events like these provide an environment where people can talk about the newest development of the law or something significantly more casual. It’s invaluable.” 

The BBA’s stated primary purpose is to promote professional competence among attorneys and increase respect for the legal system. It also works to ensure all residents of Brooklyn have equal access to the criminal and civil justice systems. 

The association’s mission is further supported by its Access to Justice Task Force and other initiatives focused on diversity, inclusion and equity.