Every year, lawyers with a bent for music get together to perform for a good cause. This year, Lawyers for the Arts sold out its show at The Tralf (last weekend), proving once again that when it comes to jamming the night away, Buffalo has some hidden talents that can get the job done. The 2016 event was so successful that the event managed to double the amount of funds that it raised in 2015.
Thirty seven thousand dollars was raised and the net proceeds will be distributed among various arts groups. The Lawyers for the Arts funds will be distributed through Give for Greatness as administered by Arts Services Initiative.
The sold out standing room only crowd was dancing and clapping to ten bands jamming on two stages to music from rock to klezmer. All the musicians are lawyers and judges from western New York and the event was a singular success “We stepped it up quite a notch this year” said Chairman Sandra Cassidy, “the music was fantastic, we changed venue to the Tralf for more room after we sold out last year—then we sold out again and doubled the money raised!”
This annual event, which also sells fine art created by lawyers, is held the last week in February and is an extension of Artvoice’s Give for Greatness campaign and is run through a committee composed of Sandra Cassidy; Ken Africano; Leroi Johnson; Joanna Dickinson; Amber Poulos; Les Greenbaum; Keri Callocchia; Jim Peterson; Dennis Bischof; Mike Scinta; David Block; Ann Rutland; Lucy Dadd and Connie Campanaro of ASI. Presenting Sponsors this year were Key Bank and Hodgson Russ LLP. Other sponsors included Artvoice; Dansa & D’Arta LLP; Harter Secrest & Emery LLP; Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria; Vacco Farms; Avalon Document Services; Joe Matteliano; Phillips Lytle LLP and Brown Chiari.
Photos by Glenn Murray