Our Mission

• Advance common professional interest in the managing attorneys and clerks community.

• Facilitate communication among members.

• Facilitate communication with relevant government agencies.

• Promote the professional interests of members.

• Improve the professional conditions of members.

October 2026 President's Message

As we kick off the 2026–2027 MACA season, I want to begin by commending our membership and our Board for their continued commitment, hard work, and dedication to this organization.

This is my second President’s Message, and I find myself returning to the same sentiment that guided me in the first one: community is at the heart of everything we do.  The work of the Managing Attorneys and Clerks Association continues to demonstrate that when we invest in one another, in our profession, and in our relationships with the judiciary, our collective impact is both quantifiable and respected.

Thank you to Duane Morris for continuing to open its doors to MACA and for hosting our conversation with Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.  (Ed. note: See Ken Horrmann’s summary of the event in this newsletter.)  Special thanks to Peter McGowan, not only for moderating that important discussion, but also for his efforts in securing the new space at Rosie O’Grady’s that will house our beloved MACA luncheons this year.  Those luncheons have long been part of the fabric of this organization and have a home where we can continue to gather, learn, and strengthen our professional relationships matters. 

I also want to recognize the continued work surrounding our Women of MACA programming.  Thank you to Melissa Persaud and Jennifer Pordes for the time, energy, and leadership invested in making these programs meaningful and relevant to our membership.  Looking forward to the next Woman of MACA event, a conversation with Judge Jennifer E. Willis at Cahill Gordon on October 15, 2026

Our organization has always represented a gold standard within the legal community and maintaining that standard takes more than a name or a history.  It requires people who are willing to contribute their time, experience, ideas, and relationships.  I am deeply appreciative of every member who continues to show up for MACA and especially grateful for the additional time invested by our Board members and members of the judiciary who continue to support our mission.

I also want to thank those clerks who have submitted applications for the Non-Attorney Secure Pass, and thank Ime Nelson in his efforts to secure that benefit for our organization.  That initiative represents another example of what can happen when our professional community identifies an issue, advocates collectively, and works toward a practical solution that benefits the people doing this work every day.

As we move forward, we want to hear from you.  We want to know what MACA can do to increase not only our visibility in the industry, but also the sense of community that has always distinguished the Managing Attorneys and Clerks Association.   

If you or your firm would like to host a fireside chat, luncheon, or other MACA event in your offices, or if you have a connection to a member of the judiciary whom you believe would bring value to our membership, please feel free to reach out to me directly.  Some of our strongest programming comes from the relationships, ideas, and opportunities brought forward by our own members. What training do you need?  What conversations should we have?  Where can this organization advocate, educate, connect, and create greater opportunities for the professionals we represent?

As we celebrate the work ahead, we must also pause to remember one of the greats who came before so many of us.  Arthur Bernard was a special light within our organization and within this community. His presence, his warmth, and especially his smile will surely be missed.  We are grateful for the time, the legacy, and the example he gave to MACA, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all those within our organization who had the privilege of knowing him.

In my first President’s Message, I spoke about the strength of this community.  I continue to believe that the work performed by managing attorneys, managing clerks, docketing professionals, paralegals, and legal support professionals does not simply support the practice of law.  Our community fuels the practice of law — not only in New York, but throughout the world.

And sometimes, perspective comes simply from looking up.  Standing beneath the rotunda and looking toward the ceiling of the Supreme Court of New York, we are reminded that this organization is bigger than any one of us.  We are part of a profession, a history, and a community that existed before us and that we have a responsibility to strengthen for those who come after us.

As we begin this new season, I remain proud of what we have accomplished and even more committed to what we can accomplish together.  Community over everything.