New York State Defenders Association Staff Attorney Recognized

ALBANY, NY (07/24/2012)(readMedia)-- For the valuable assistance she provides busy public defense lawyers who often lack time or resources to research new, unique, or unexpected issues that arise in their cases, Susan C. Bryant of the New York State Defenders Association (NYSDA) has been presented the Kevin M. Andersen Award by the Genesee County Public Defender Office.

Bryant's nomination for the award was submitted by Cattaraugus County Public Defender Mark Williams, who said that while Bryant does not directly represent clients, her "efforts on a daily basis allow those attorneys who call on her and rely on her to provide fantastic representation to their clients." Her assistance does not end when "you think you have what you need from her," Williams added. She follows up, asking about the outcome of a case and how the client is doing. "To Susan, it is not just a legal question or a procedural question, but it is a human being who may have suffered a wrongful accusation that is ensnared in an otherwise uncaring legal system, or a young child caught up in a legal system that wants to hold them to an adult standard, or a developmentally disabled person who has no understanding of the legal system."

The NYSDA Public Defense Backup Center where Bryant works is delighted that the extraordinary research skills and passionate commitment of one of their staff attorneys to improving the quality of public defense representation have been recognized.

Kevin M. Andersen was a lifelong public defender. Those who worked with him knew him to have the ability to be angered to his core by injustice, the will to fight ferociously for his client, and the compassion to grant the client the dignity each deserved as a human being despite whatever human frailties they might present. Following his death in 2004, the Genesee County Public Defenders Office created the Kevin M. Andersen Memorial Award to remember and honor his dedication to public defense work. This award is presented to an attorney who has been in practice less than fifteen years, practices in the area of indigent defense, and exemplifies the sense of justice, determination, and compassion that were Kevin's hallmarks.

#