Columbian Lawyers Association First Judicial Department Fiftieth Annual Rapallo Award Luncheon HONORABLE JOHN A. BARONE Justice of the Supreme Court State of New York Twelfth Judicial District April 18, 2015 The Waldorf Astoria CHARLES A. RAPALLO Charles A. Rapallo, whose father, Antonio Rapallo, was an attorney, educator, and linguist, was the first jurist of Italian American descent elected to the Court of Appeals of the State of New York. He was among the first seven judges to serve on the Court when the new state Constitution was adopted in 1869 after the Constitutional Conventions of 1867 and 1868. Sworn in July 4th, 1870 at 46 years of age, he served as an Associate Judge until his death on December 28, 1887. The first volumes of New York Reports, published during Judge Rapallo’s tenure on the Court of Appeals, contain many of Judge Rapallo’s opinions embracing a wide range of subjects and displaying the resources of a powerful mind informed by reading and reflection. In the combination of qualities which qualify an individual for the Court of Appeals, Judge Rapallo had few, if any, superiors. He possessed intellectual gifts of a high order, integrity of purpose, a calm and dispassionate temper, great good sense, a solid judgement, and these, united with learning and a power of philosophical analysis, constitute him one of the outstanding judges to have served on the Court of Appeals. Judge Rapallo was one of the dedicated lawyers and jurists responsible for the formation of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York; he was elected a member of its first executive committee. Judge Rapallo’s distinguished and outstanding judicial career, his great contributions to the legal profession, as well as his exemplary service as the first American of Italian origin to sit on the Court of Appeals, is the inspiration for which the Columbian Lawyers Association has established the CHARLES A. RAPALLO AWARD. Previous Recipients of the Rapallo Award 1966 S. SAMUEL DiFALCO 1992 JOSEPH E. CERBONE Surrogate, New York County Justice, Supreme Court 1967 LOUIS J. CAPOZZOLI 1993 ANTONIN SCALIA Associate Justice, Appellate Division Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States 1968 JOHN F. SCILEPPI 1994 MICHAEL A. CORRIERO Associate Judge, Court of Appeals Judge, Court of Claims, State of New York 1969 MARIO A. PROCACCINO 1995 ANGELA M. MAZZARELLI Comptroller, City of New York Associate Justice, Appellate Division 1970 PAUL P. RAO 1996 RUDOLPH W. GIULIANI Chief Judge, United States Customs Court Mayor, City of New York 1971 M. HENRY MARTUSCELLO 1997 JOSEPH N. GIAMBOI Associate Justice, Appellate Division Justice, Supreme Court 1972 MARIO BIAGGI 1998 GEORGE E. PATAKI United States Congressman Govenor, State of New York 1973 JOHN P. LOMENZO 1999 GUY VELELLA New York Secretary of State State Senator, State of New York 1974 VINCENT A. LUPIANO 2000 PETER A. PISCITELLI Associate Justice, Appellate Division Attorney/Public Servant 1975 DOMINICK L. GABRIELLI 2001 ANTHONY J. CUTRONA Associate Judge, Court of Appeals Justice, Supreme Court 1976 MARIO M. CUOMO 2002 FRANCIS A. NICOLAI Secretary of State Administrative Judge, Supreme Court, Ninth Judicial District 1977 XAVIER C. RICCOBONO Associate Justice. Appellate Term, Supreme Court 2003 GUIDO CALABRESI Circuit Judge, US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit 1978 EDWARD D. RE Chief Judge, United States Customs Court 2004 GERALD V. ESPOSITO Administrative Judge, Supreme Court, 1979 BENJAMIN R. CIVILETTI Bronx County, Civil Branch Attorney General of the United States 2005 JOSEPH G. GOLIA 1980 ALFRED ASCIONE Associate Justice, Appellate Term, Justice, Supreme Court 2nd & 11th Judicial Districts 1981 MARIE M. LAMBERT 2006 MICHAEL L. PESCE Surrogate Presiding Justice, Appellate Term 2nd & 11th Judicial Districts 1982 LOUIS FUSCO, JR. Assistant Administrative Judge, Supreme Court 2007 SAMUEL A. ALITO, JR. Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States 1983 VITO J. TITONE Associate Justice, Appellate Division 2008 JANET DIFIORE District Attorney, Westchester County 1984 ALPHONSE M. D’AMATO United States Senator 2009 GEORGE D. SALERNO / PAUL A. VICTOR Justices, Supreme Court 1985 GUY J. MANGANO Associate Justice, Appellate Division 2010 PHILIP G. MINARDO Administrative Judge, 13th Judicial District 1986 MARIO MEROLA District Attorney 2011 A. GAIL PRUDENTI 1987 JOSEPH W. BELLACOSA Presiding Justice, Appellate Division Associate Judge, Court of Appeals 1988 VINCENT TESE 2012 PATRICIA M. DIMANGO Director, Economic Development, State of New York Deputy Administrative Judge for Criminal Matters Supreme Court, Kings County 1989 ANITA R. FLORIO Justice, Supreme Court 2013 VICTORIA A. GRAFFEO 1990 EUGENE L. NARDELLI Associate Justice, New York State Court of Appeals Justice, Supreme Court 1991 JOHN E. SPRIZZO 2014 WILLIAM F. MASTRO Judge, United States District Court Associate Justice, Appellate Division Columbian Lawyers Association, First Judicial Department www.ColumbianLawyers.com Officers & Directors Stephen J. Savva.............................................................................President Maria A. Guccione.........................................................First Vice President Marianne E. Bertuna..................................................Second Vice President Robert M. Greco.............................................................................Treasurer Paolo Strino...................................................................Executive Secretary Ottavio Mannarino........................................................Recording Secretary Sigismondo Renda.........................................................Financial Secretary Clara Flebus...........................................................Corresponding Secretary Joseph J. Longo...................................................................Parliamentarian Board of Directors Christopher A. Quaranta, Chairman Vincent A. Apicella 2015 Antoinette Gallo 2016 Hon. John DeChiaro 2017 Gerard A. Bilotto 2015 Hon. Nicholas J. Iacovetta 2016 Matthew V. Grieco 2017 Suzanne J. Adams 2015 Joseph A. Maria 2016 Hon. John M. Perone (Ret.) 2017 PAST PRESIDENTS Thomas Cartelli (Dec’d) Hon. Joseph N. Giamboi F.V. Mina (Dec’d) Sylvester Cosentino (Dec’d) Francis X. Galdi James Robert Fauci (Dec’d) Ferdinand J. Mondello (Dec’d) Peter A. Canevari (Dec’d) William Apuzzo Michael W. Lapenna (Dec’d) S.J. Berardino (Dec’d) P. Charles Di Lorenzo Salvatore A. Locurto (Dec’d) Vincent R. Rippa Thomas S. Bellone Nicholas P. Iannuzzi (Dec’d) Alfred F. Sica Ronald V. Zezima Edward Papantonio (Dec’d) Albert W. Petraglia Nanette C. Taccetta Joseph Contiguglia (Dec’d) Frank P. Mangiatordi Louis L. Benza Alexander A. Delle Cese (Dec’d) Edward T. Di Tomasso (Dec’d) Dawn M. Florio Philip A. Greco Louis R. Aidala Cirino M. Bruno Paul A. Liggio Joseph B. Corpina Hon. Anthony J. Fiorella, Jr. Charles J. Garbarini (Dec’d) S. Paul Squitieri Richard M. Biaggi Joseph F. Fichera (Dec’d) Joseph P. Albanese (Dec’d) Arthur L. Aidala Dominic J. Masucci (Dec’d) Vincent J. Cuttita Lorraine C. Corsa Alexander A. Miuccio Rose A. Caputo Joseph R. DeMatteo Andrew J. Maggio Stephen J. Savva, President Presidents Message, On behalf of the Columbian Lawyers Association, First Judicial Department, I am proud to welcome you to the 50th Annual Rapallo Award Luncheon in the Waldorf Astoria's historic Grand Ballroom. As Italians, we learn from an early age that tradition, heritage and history are important aspects of our culture. Celebrating milestones and achievements with close friends and family is always a joyous occasion, which is why we are so very pleased to have you here with us this afternoon. On June 11, 1966, the first Charles A. Rapallo award was presented in this same room to The Honorable S. Samuel Di Falco, who was at the time, the Surrogate for New York County. Although Judge Di Falco is no longer with us, we are fortunate to have with us today, the original organizer of this event, Past President Philip A. Greco. The Association chose to use Charles A. Rapallo as the namesake of a special annual award, because he was a jurist of Italian heritage whose life achievements and commitment to public service are unparalleled. As the first Italian-American to serve on the New York Court of Appeals, Judge Rapallo's career was a model of outstanding jurisprudence. Born on September 15, 1823, to an Italian immigrant father, Judge Rapallo's path to the highest Court in our State was far from simple. He was educated exclusively at home by his father, Anthony, a well-accomplished New York lawyer, who was fluent in English, Italian, French and Spanish. After a seven-year apprenticeship with his father, Judge Rapallo was admitted to the New York Bar at just 21 years of age. Thereafter, he enjoyed a successful career in private practice as a highly sought-after civil and appellate attorney with an impressive client list which included Mutual Life Insurance and the Erie Railroad Company. When not practicing law, he volunteered his time with professional associations and was a founding member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. In 1870, although Charles Rapallo never actively engaged in politics or held public office, he was nominated and ultimately elected to a fourteen-year term on the New York Court of Appeals. It is reported that his election was based almost exclusively upon his reputation among the bench and bar as one of the most competent lawyers in the State of New York. We have gathered at the Waldorf for the past five decades