NIABA held its fall board meetings during the weekend of October 28-29, 2011 in Washington, D.C. and once again participated and shared in the NIAF 36th Annual Gala, affording NIABA board members and guests once again with the opportunity to network with a host of Italians from abroad as well as Italian Americans from every rank and position, all in celebration continuously of our Italian American heritage and culture.

Once again NIABA’s President had the privilege and honor of being seated on the dais for the annual black tie ballroom dinner, hosting approximately 2,500 people in the International Ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel.  The President of NIABA was one of 60 people on a three tiered dais, including but not limited to Janet Napolitano, the Director of Homeland Security, United States Congressional Representative Nancy Pelosi and others from the political ranks.  Also present on the dais were Frankie Avalon, Dion Dimucci of Dion and the Belmonts, Fabio and other celebrities.  Included also were Signore Salvatore Mancuso, head of the Alitala Airlines, Santo Versace (President of Gianni Versace, S.P.A., based in Milan, Italy) of the Versace Family, well known in the fashion industry, and many notables from Italy and the States, including Francesco Cascio, the President of the Regional Assembly of  Sicily, John DeNapoli, the National President of UNICO and many others.

Most notably besides the honored dais members present, President Barack Obama himself made an appearance and gave a presentation to the assembled crowd of Italian Americans, recognizing the contributions of Italian Americans to this country, historically and currently.  President Obama jokingly recognized that although he was not of the same heritage as we, that his last name did end in a vowel.

NIAF graciously offered us conference rooms for our board meetings that were conducted on a Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  Our NIABA President had the privilege and honor also to co-present the jointly funded scholarship in the total amount of $5,000 to the recipient selected amongst the applicants, Mr. Nat Guerriera from Brooklyn, New York, who is currently studying at the New York Law School.

At our board meetings we were joined by guest Attorney Paul G. Finizio, a NIABA member, but also a NIAF Area Coordinator for the Southeast Region, who introduced us to a new member, Valerio Spinaci, who is of Italian birth and licensed to practice law in Italy and in the United States.  

Additionally, we were honored to have a former member of NIABA, Tom Mazziotti from Atlanta, Georgia, join us at one of our board meetings with interest to developing more connections with the Atlanta, Georgia area.

NIAF also graced us with complimentary tickets to the Friday evening Martini Special Music Event, providing open bar for martinis, pasta and music in the International Ballroom, with a chance to network with the hundreds of folks in attendance.

We are reminded that NIABA exists and gathers together for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Italian-American legal community and to improve the administration of justice.

In doing so we are uniquely connected to our heralded unparalleled cultural history allowing our members including judges, law professors, law students, private and public sector attorneys to network professionally and fraternally so as to create and nourish new and continuing life long relationships an pursuit of our common cause.

From the time my father immigrated to this country in the early 1900s to now in the early 2000s, we have witnessed the transformation of a migrant population of mostly little educated, needy, courageous pioneers; with a work ethic and embedded family values and an abiding faith in God to propel them now into the highest positions of public trust and service in the continuous sculpting of a very special and blessed nation - our America.

So that now we no longer band together principally for common cause in culture and profession to defend against iniquities and discrimination practiced against we Italian-Americans, but now rather to celebrate our achievements and successes, that continue to significantly weave the making of the American fabric.

In doing so we offer various membership benefits, a national voice, continuing legal education, an acclaimed law journal, THE DIGEST, plus professional and fraternal networking and enduring relationships.