UABA holds 26th annual meeting in N.J. (01/04/04)

UABA holds 26th annual meeting in N.J.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - The Ukrainian American Bar Association (UABA) held its 26th annual meeting in Atlantic City, N.J., over the weekend of November 14-16.

The UABA is a national association of American attorneys of Ukrainian descent. It seeks to promote and defend the interests of the Ukrainian American community as well as individuals in Ukraine. The members of the UABA are committed to the idea that they, as advocates, have a duty to offer their legal expertise for the benefit of Ukrainian Americans.

The meeting began with a welcoming speech by former president, Andre Michniak, and a statement by Roman Badiak, the Scholarship Committee Chair. The meeting was well attended and hosted several speakers who offered lectures on various legal issues. Nancy E. Medwid, spoke about the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). This was followed by a discussion of elder law by Peter Piddoubny, Antonia J. Martinez and Luba Kos, financial planner. Following this, Orest Bezpalko and George Bohatiuk, M.D., spoke on the evaluation of a personal injury case.

After a short break, Ms. Kos spoke again on the topic of small practice insurance and retirement plans. Andrew Pidgirsky then delivered a talk on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

New elections were then held and Andrew E. Steckiw was elected as the new president of the UABA. Ms. Medwid was elected as the new vice-president. George Pazuniak was elected treasurer. Mr. Badiak was elected secretary and will continue to serve as chairman of the Scholarship Committee. Mr. Pidgirsky was elected as chairman of the board of governors. Peter Piddoubny, Deanna Hazen, Andre Michniak, Walter Lupan and Myroslaw Smorodsky were elected as the new board of governors.

Saturday's events concluded with a banquet at which keynote speaker Ihor Kotlarchuk spoke about his work with the Department of Justice.

The conference concluded on Sunday morning with a meeting of the newly elected officers, at which new business was discussed and a plan for the future of the organization was implemented. The next annual convention will be held in Miami in the fall of 2004; details will be announced as matters are finalized.

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