Honor Gordons for Legal Service

Senate Resolution No. 4870 BY: Senator BRESLIN HONORING Herbert and Shirley Gordon upon the occasion of being named Friends of the Legal Project by The Legal Project on April 27, 2018 WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to call attention to the dedicated efforts of those legal professionals from across the State of New York who volunteer their time and energies in service to the community; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Herbert and Shirley Gordon upon the occasion of being named Friends of the Legal Project by The Legal Project, to be celebrated at its Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 27, 2018, at The Century House, Latham, New York; and WHEREAS, Founded by the Capital District Women's Bar Association in

1995, The Legal Project is a private, not-for-profit organization which provides a variety of free and low cost legal services to the working poor, victims of domestic violence and other underserved individuals in the Capital District of New York State; and WHEREAS, In 1974, after many years as an educator at the graduate and undergraduate levels, Shirley Gordon joined the New York State Health Department's original team in the newly created Bureau of Family Planning; and WHEREAS, Shirley Gordon went on to become the founding Executive Director of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, Inc., a statewide advocacy organization representing Planned Parenthoods, other family planning clinics and a coalition of over 140 civic, health, and human service groups; and WHEREAS, After joining Family Planning Advocates (FPA) of New York State, Shirley Gordon was elected as one of New York's delegates to the first International Women's Year Conference in Houston, Texas; and WHEREAS, Shirley Gordon left FPA to direct Project FAIR (Focus on Access, Information and Reproductive Rights) for the Center for Reproductive Rights, a national public interest law firm; the Project was initiated to identify barriers to reproductive health services in managed care settings; and WHEREAS, In the late 1990s, this extraordinary woman developed the first Public Policy Advocacy course for The Center for Women in Government and Civil Society in Rockefeller College's Graduate School of Public Affairs; and WHEREAS, Shirley Gordon became President of Gordon and Gordon Associates, a consulting firm relating to reproductive health services and primary health care for children; and WHEREAS, Herbert Gordon, Esq. retired from the esteemed position of Vice President and Chief Counsel for Government Relations of TIAA-CREF; he previously served as Vice Chancellor for Governmental and University Relations for the State University of New York (SUNY); and WHEREAS, Throughout his illustrious career, Herbert Gordon has also practiced law in the Albany area and taught law at Sage College; and WHEREAS, Active in his profession, Herbert Gordon has served on the legislative committee of the New York State Bar Association and the advisory committee of Albany Law School's Government Law Center; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, he was National Volunteer Consultant for State Legislative Issues for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and served on the boards of the Capital District NYCLU and Interfaith Impact of New York State; and WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to giving back, Herbert and Shirley Gordon give tirelessly to countless organizations, including volunteering to coordinate evening Legal Clinics for The Legal Project; and WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by individuals for the benefit of others which Herbert and Shirley Gordon have displayed throughout their lives; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor Herbert and Shirley Gordon upon the occasion of being named Friends of the Legal Project by The Legal Project on April 27, 2018; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Herbert and Shirley Gordon.