15th Annual Briscoe Awards

Pictured here (left to right) are EIIC Chair, Brian O'Dwyer, 2008 Briscoe Honoree Jordan A. Ziegler, Ben Briscoe, 2008 Briscoe Honoree Richard A. Brown and EIIC President, Don Kelly

15th Annual Briscoe Awards

EMERALD ISLE IMMIGRATION CENTER
"Meeting the Needs of Immigrants"

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday 28 January 2008

Popular Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and "Superlawyer 2007" Jordan Ziegler are to be honored at the 15th Annual Briscoe Awards next week.

The two top lawyers are to be honored at the prestigious Briscoe Awards for their tireless work for Irish immigrants. Judge Brown is being honored for his long passion for fighting crime and Mr. Ziegler is being honored for bringing a passionate dedication to fighting for workers' rights through his representation of immigrants, union members and others.

The event, run by the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, honors Jewish leaders for their work in bettering the lives of Irish immigrants and was so named after the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin, Robert Briscoe.

District Attorney Richard A. Brown of Queens County graduated from New York University School of Law in 1956 and was admitted to the Bar by the Appellate Division, Second Department the following year. Prior to becoming a member of the judiciary in September 1973, Judge Brown spent nine years serving on behalf of the leadership of the New York State Senate and Assembly and at the 1967 New York State Constitutional Convention and four years as New York City's Legislative Representative in Albany where he managed the City's Albany office and supervised its legislative program.

He was also counsel to NYS Governor Hugh L. Carey from 1979-1980 and after serving as a Judge of the Criminal Court, Judge Brown was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court in Queens County and later designated as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department. In 1991, Judge Brown was appointed as District Attorney of Queens County and has been re-elected to four-year terms as District Attorney ever since. Judge Brown is a Past President of the New York State District Attorneys Association and a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the Queens County Bar Association.

Jordan A. Ziegler, a senior partner with the firm of Brecher Fishman Pasternack Walsh Tilker & Ziegler, P.C ., was selected to Super Lawyers two years running, in both 2006 and 2007 for the Metro division of New York. Superlawyers are the elite of the profession and are selected by their peers and through the independent research of Law and Politics and surveys of more than 59,000 lawyers in Manhattan. Mr. Ziegler has practiced in the areas of Workers' Compensation, Employee Benefits/ERISA, Personal Injury, Social Security Disability, and Municipal Disability Retirement Pensions and has made a significant contribution to the betterment of the lives of immigrants through his work.

After finishing Law School at Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, in 1991, Mr Ziegler's career expanded into a range of areas, including practicing in the state and federal courts of New York, becoming Disability Counsel and lecturer to police and law enforcement associations throughout New York State, working for utility and building trade unions and serving on the World Trade Center Council Advisory Commission. He writes for organization newsletters and journals and is a member of the Eastern L.I. Police Pipes and Drums. He is a member of many organizations, including the New York State Trial Lawyers, the National Association of Police Organizations, and the Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health.

"Both our honorees stand out for their approach in helping marginalized members of society overcome some of their day to day challenges by their readiness to help, their steadfast dedication and unique approach; but above all for their giving of their time way above and beyond the call of duty," said Ms Siobhán Dennehy, Executive Director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center (EIIC).

"Whenever our organization called upon him to fight the exploitation of immigrant workers, Richard A. Brown has been at the forefront of aggressively pursuing those who would take advantage of immigrants," said Chairman of the Executive Board of the EIIC, Attorney Brian O'Dwyer, adding that "Jordan Zeigler has constantly worked for worker's rights in the work place in supporting their safety as they pursue their careers."

Past recipients of the Briscoe Award have included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Anthony Weiner and Governor Eliot Spitzer.

The Briscoe Awards will be made at a reception held on Monday evening, January 28, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the 21 Club, 21 West 52nd Street, in Manhattan and the Awards will be presented by Mayor Briscoe's son, Ben Briscoe.  The event will be hosted by attorney Brian O'Dwyer, chairman of the Executive Board of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, and Siobhán Dennehy, EIIC's Executive Director. Members of the press are invited to attend a pre-event photoshoot only, from 5.45 pm - 6.00 pm.

Note to the editor:
Established in 1988 through the initiative of the Irish immigrant and Irish-American communities of New York City, the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, Inc. (EIIC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing counseling for immigrants on all immigration issues, visas, green card matters, employment referrals, job readiness and educational matters. The EIIC's client base has expanded to reflect a diverse ethnic makeup.

Contact Information:
Siobhán Dennehy may be contacted at (718) 478-5502 Ext 206.  Mr Ziegler may be contacted at (800) 692-3717 and Queens DA Richard A. Brown may be contacted at (718) 286-6000 or email the Queens DA Communications Director, Kevin Ryan, at KRRyan@queensda.org.

Emerald Isle Immigration Center, 59-26 Woodside Ave, Woodside, NY 11377, ph: (718) 478-5502