Bay Ridge

Bay Ridge Lawyers Association to make Ray Ferrier a fellow

March 5, 2018 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Past President Ray Ferrier, of the Bay Ridge Lawyers Association, will be named a "fellow" during its next annual holiday party. Pictured is BRLA President Margaret Stanton giving the news to Ferrier.
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The Bay Ridge Lawyers Association (BRLA) plans to give one of its members, Raymond L. Ferrier, its highest honor by naming him a “fellow” of the association.

President Margaret Stanton made the announcement at the most recent monthly meeting on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge last Wednesday, which came as a surprise to Ferrier, who is the association’s oldest-living past president.

“When you say the name Bay Ridge Lawyers, you immediately think of Ray Ferrier before anyone else,” Stanton said. “His name is synonymous with Bay Ridge Lawyers. He has been a part of the Bay Ridge Lawyers for a number of years and regardless of whether he is on a committee, is a chairperson or director he’s always there at the board meetings offering wisdom. He has come up with wonderful ideas and has been the backbone of this organization.”

Ferrier will be honored at BRLA’s next holiday party which is expected to take place in either December of January. He will become the association’s only living fellow.

“I did not know that this is happening, but I’m honored, I’m proud and humbled,” Ferrier said. “This organization has always meant so much to me. Thank you so much.”

Another member of the organization was also praised at the meeting — Hon. Joy Campanelli has been promoted to Supervising Judge of the Civil Court in Staten Island.

The rest of the meeting was devoted to a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar by attorney Paul Bugoni, who lectured on “Ethics and the NYS Department of Financial Services Regulation 208.”

Regulation 228 regulates the title insurance industry in an attempt to reign in practices that impact consumers and results in higher premiums and closing costs. DFS is seeking to protect consumers from unnecessary costs stemming from practices that violate Insurance Law.

“For many years our agents were never regulated,” said Bugoni, agency underwriting counsel for Stewart Title Insurance Company. “We were never licensed. The underwriters were always licensed, but the agents were never licensed.

“In 2015 New York State decided to put an end to that,” Bugoni said. “It’s a new landscape.”

Bugoni outlined the new regulations that have been put into place and also discussed the Client Protection Fund which was established in 1982.

“The overwhelming majority of lawyers in New York are honest, caring and deserving of their clients trust,” Bugoni said. “There are over 311,000 registered lawyers in NYS. 48 attorneys caused losses on the clients fund…Think about that. That’s over 300,000 registered lawyers and there were 48 bad actors in 2016. When you really sit back and look back at those figures it is amazing. We’ve done a very good job.”

BRLA have scheduled its guest speakers for its next three meetings including Marjorie Steinhardt, who will speak on topics in matrimonial law in March; Justice Matthew D’Emic, who will give a diversity CLE in April; and County Clerk Hon. Nancy Sunshine will speak during the meeting in May.

The annual dinner dance has also been scheduled — BRLA will host a dinner for President Stanton on June 22nd at Casa Belvedere in Staten Island.

 

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