Manhattan Attorney Kay Crawford Murray Receives Hon. George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award

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Kay Murray, George Bundy Smith

ALBANY, NY (04/02/2014)(readMedia)-- Manhattan attorney Kay Crawford Murray has been honored with the 2014 Honorable George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award, given by the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Murray is the former general counsel to the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice. She was recognized for her commitment to legal excellence and increasing diversity in the profession.

Former state Court of Appeals Judge George Bundy Smith presented the award on April 1 during the section's Smooth Moves program, "Social Media Strategies for Attorneys: Marketing Techniques, Practice Tips, and Ethical Quandaries." The event was held at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan.

"Kay Crawford Murray is a pillar of the legal profession. She began practicing law at a time when few women of color did. She has mentored and inspired countless attorneys to make their mark," said Gregory K. Arenson of New York City (Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer), chair of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section. "It is an honor to recognize a trailblazer and role model."

Murray is a graduate of Bennington College and Columbia Law School. She began her legal career as an associate at Shearman & Sterling. After spending 23 years in the Department of Juvenile Justice, she retired in 2002.

Within the State Bar, Murray is a past chair of the Committee on Women in the Law. She was a member of the House of Delegates and the Committee on Children and the Law, as well as the Criminal Justice and Senior Lawyers sections.

The Committee on Women in the Law created the Kay Crawford Murray Award in 2008 in recognition of her efforts to further diversity among women lawyers. She also received the Committee on Children and the Law's Howard A. Levine Award for Excellence in Juvenile Justice and Welfare.

The 75,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

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