Doreen A. Simmons Honored by Federal Court Bar
Syracuse, New York Hancock Estabrook, LLP, Counselors at Law, is proud to announce that Doreen A. Simmons, Firm partner, is the recipient of the 2006 Honorable James R. Duane Award presented by the Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association.
The Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association’s Historical Committee co-chair, Bartle J. Gorman, Esq. of the law firm Gorman, Waszkiewicz Gorman & Schmitt, Senior Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York and Senior Judge Neal P. McCurn presented the Honorable James R. Duane Award to Doreen A. Simmons, during the Association’s annual meeting held on November 30, 2006 at The Marx Hotel in Syracuse.
Doreen A. Simmons was chosen as the recipient of the prestigious Honorable James R. Duane award in recognition of her professional accomplishments, public service, and advancement of equal justice. In addition, Mrs. Simmons has demonstrated a deep personal commitment to public service and to promoting relations between the bench and the bar and has assisted the courts in providing equal justice to all.
“It is not an exaggeration to say without her this organization would not have survived. Doreen represents all that is good about our profession. A lawyer who is intelligent, hard-working, extremely ethical and most compassionate,” stated Senior Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.
The award is named to honor the memory and recognize the accomplishments of Judge James R. Duane who first presided over the United States Court for the District of New York on November 3, 1789, the first court ever convened under the sovereignty of the United States.
Mrs. Simmons holds a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School of Union University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University. She is admitted to practice in New York and in various United States District Courts. Mrs. Simmons is the immediate past president of the Northern District of New York Federal Bar Association; chair of the Character and Fitness Committee, Fifth Judicial District; a fellow of the New York State Bar Association and a member of the Association’s Trial and Environmental Section; legal counsel to the CNY Girl Scout Council, the Diocese of Syracuse, and SAVES Ambulance, Skaneateles, New York; and a member of the Board of Trustees and Secretary of Christian Brothers Academy.
A former prosecutor in the Onondaga County District Attorney’s office, Mrs. Simmons has over 25 years experience representing major and mid-sized industries, individuals, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations in regulatory proceedings and litigated matters involving liabilities, compliance, acquisitions and permitting. She has represented clients in state and federal Superfund litigation, petroleum spill matters, pesticide issues, toxic tort litigation, insurance coverage lawsuits, in courts and before regulatory agencies. Mrs. Simmons is the leader of the Firm’s Environmental practice group.
