Welcome To The
Erie County Bar Foundation
In the Company of Friends
About Us
The Erie County Bar Foundation provides confidential financial assistance to attorneys managing illness, substance use disorder, job loss, community or family trauma or similar difficulties. In addition to providing confidential financial assistance to attorneys, the Foundation also underwrites the Bar Association of Erie County’s Member Assistance Program to provide attorneys access to mental health counseling, educational programs and other resources that support lawyer wellbeing. The Foundation also collaborates closely with the BAEC’s Lawyers Helping Lawyers program and Depression Support Group.
Today, funded almost exclusively by lawyers in Erie County, the Foundation remains committed to helping lawyers and their families who are in crisis or experiencing difficulty in their career, often due to change or unexpected life circumstances.
Finding Help
The Erie County Bar Foundation has been providing confidential assistance to attorneys in need since 1957. If you need assistance – or know a friend or colleague who does – please call Anne M. Noble at 716.852.1777 today. You can also download our application below.
2025 Giving Campaign
Together, we can ensure that no attorney has to face hardship alone. By donating today, you make a direct impact on the well-being of our colleagues and the future of our profession. Donating to the Foundation strengthens our legal profession by ensuring that attorneys facing personal crises have the support they need to recover and continue practicing. Our need has never been greater. Please consider donating today.
Board of Directors
Below are the Officers and Directors of the Erie County Bar Foundation for 2024-2025.
President
Helen Ferraro-Zaffram
Vice President
Jesslyn A. Holbrook
Treasurer
Michael F. Perley
Secretary
Penny B. Selmonsky
Director
Laurie Styka Bloom
Director
Terrence M. Connors
Director
Carin S. Gordon
Director
David E. Gutowski
Director
Marianne Mariano
Director
Mary Moorman Penn
Director
Jeffrey M. Priore
2024-2025 Campaign Chair
John E. Richmond
Director
Hugh M. Russ III
Director
Kathleen M. Sellers
Director
Pamela H. Thibodeau
Director, Immediate Past President
Kevin W. Spitler
Anne M. Noble
Kelly Bainbridge, LMSW
Stephanie Belasik
Heidi Mahon
Additional Resources
Confidential Lawyer succession registry
What if? It’s something most of us don’t ask ourselves. It’s not easy to consider circumstances that might interrupt one’s ability to continue a law career. The reality is that accidents, illness, disability, and sudden death do occur.
The Erie County Bar Foundation encourages lawyers to plan ahead by establishing a plan to protect their clients’ interests in the event of disability, retirement or death. We created a Confidential Lawyer Succession Registry as an effort to resolve recurring emergencies. Having your registry card on file will allow us to provide contact information to clients, under such
circumstances. We also have sample letters, forms and checklists on hand to help you, or your designee with the process. To be added to the registry, download and fill out the information below.
Foundation Bylaws
The bylaws of the Erie County Bar Foundation can be viewed by clicking the button below.
