By Chief Clerk John Domurad
It is with great pleasure that I report that Larry Baerman’s transition into retirement is proceeding nicely. He has moved to warmer climates with the goal of lowering his golf handicap (if that is possible) and wearing shorts for 365 consecutive days. Not surprisingly, he left behind an organization that is well-situated to handle all upcoming challenges.
Many of you have inquired about the status of the Magistrate Judge position that will be located in Binghamton. A merit selection panel composed of five attorneys and three non-attorneys has been appointed and will be reviewing the applications. The panel’s recommendations will be advanced to the Board of Judges in early March and the Board will make its decision by the end of March. It is expected the new judge will be starting on or about July 1, 2019.
From a Local Rules perspective, several modifications were adopted by the Board of Judges and became effective January 1, 2019. A complete summary of the modifications can be found within the announcements section of our website at www.nynd.uscourts.gov. With my transition to Clerk, Chief Deputy Dan McAllister has assumed the role of Local Rules coordinator. While the official period to submit proposed modifications is from May to June, please feel free to reach out to Dan anytime with proposed changes.
In closing, we have several trial-ready cases that need pro bono counsel assignments. These assignments provide an excellent opportunity for attorneys to learn and/or hone their trial practice skills. Counsel are assigned for the limited purposes of trial; absent exceptional circumstances, discovery will not be reopened. If you are interested in volunteering for one of these assignments, or have questions about our pro bono program, please feel free to contact myself ([email protected]) or Dan McAllister ([email protected]) and we will be glad to assist.