NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION HONORS NEW YORK CITY ATTORNEY FOR DIVERSITY EFFORTS

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Christopher S. Auguste

ALBANY, NY (01/18/2016)(readMedia)-- Christopher S. Auguste will be honored with the 2016 Diversity Trailblazer Award on January 25 at the State Bar's Annual Meeting in New York City. The award is presented by the State Bar's Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

"The diversity pipeline is critical to our mission to increase diversity in the legal profession," said Rosevelie Marquez Morales (Sidley Austin) of New York City, who co-chairs the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion with Kenneth G. Standard (Epstein Becker & Green). "Mr. Auguste's commitment to the pipeline makes him particularly deserving of the trailblazer award. Our students are lucky to have him as a friend, mentor and role model."

Auguste is a partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel in New York City, where he focuses his practice on private placement or public offering of debt and equity securities.

As chair of his firm's Diversity Committee, Auguste hosts an internal speaker series on minority issues, sponsors students of color at Fordham University, and guides second- and third-year associates -mostly minorities - through the firm's mentoring program. He and the firm encourage open dialogue on issues impacting women and minorities as well as the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"The aim at the end of the day is that each person feels he or she has the same chance of succeeding," Auguste said. "We want to make sure each associate can do well."

Auguste also tutors and mentors students through the Wadleigh Scholars Program-where he participated as a youth- which helps minority students who demonstrate excellent academic potential pursue scholarships to preparatory schools throughout the country.

He is also on the boards of YouthBridge-NY, which brings New York City high school students together for diversity and leadership training, and Goddard Riverside Community Center, which provides housing for senior citizens and the homeless, education centers for children, and college access and counseling for New York City high school students, among other services.

"Chris is a true trailblazer, devoting not only his time, but his heart, mind and soul to advancing diversity initiatives throughout New York," said Rabbi Bob Kaplan, founding director of YouthBridge-NY.

The 74,000-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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