Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

 

Page 3

 

Irish Bar Association Stages Pre-Meeting Get-Together

 

Members of the Irish American Bar Association gathered prior to the annual “Gaelic and Garlic Night,” a joint meeting with the Italian American Lawyers Association, to meet with Irish Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers.

He thanked IABA for 32 years of sponsoring students from the Irish law schools in summer externships in the Los Angeles Superior Court—with that program overseen by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy—and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, with Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald having charge of that effort. After a two-year absence of the Irish law students due to the pandemic, the students will arrive in June for the 33rd year of the program.

At the July 21 dinner, IALA President Tony Costanzo gave Irish American Bar Association president David Mannion a bottle of Chianti, miniature Ferrari and a patterned business card holder, and Mannion Costanzo with a bottle of Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whisky, 15 years aged. 

The Italians offered entertainment by Douglas “The Crooner” Roegiers, performing the American songbook and popular Italian songs. Some IALA members surprised him by joining him on stage to sing with him.

There was an enthusiastic sing-along to “That’s Amore,” a throwback to IALA’s popular and well attended Zoom meetings during the lockdown that ended with a sing-along with that song.

Irish Counsel General Marcella Smith joined the Cabinet Minister. Counsel General Smith has graced Los Angeles with a strong Irish presence since her arrival. She has joined in many IABA events and is well known to judges and lawyers, who appreciate the presence and support of the Irish diplomatic corps at IABA events.

 

From left are Administrative Law Judge Joseph Montoya; Susan B. Kneafsey and husband, Sean Kneafsey of Kneafsey & Friend LLP; Michael L.Turrill of Hogan Lovells US, LLP and wife Dounia Turrill; Michael Maddigan of Hogan Lovells US LLP; Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Crowley; Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy; Irish Government Chief Whip and Minister for Defense, Sport, and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers; District Court Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald of the Central District of California; Johnny White of Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin; Mary O’Neill of O’Neill Huxtable and Abelson; Irish American Bar Association President David Mannion of Blakeley LLP; downtown Los Angeles attorney Patrick McLaughlin’ Irish General Consul Marcella Smith; and Irish Vice Consul General Barry Guihan.

 

 

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