LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Paul J. Acinapura upon the occasion of
his designation as recipient of the Legal Services Award

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made signif-
icant contributions to the quality of life therein; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Paul J. Acina-
pura upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Legal
Services Award, to be celebrated at the 5th Annual Men of Distinction
and Women of Valor Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 17, 2012; and
WHEREAS, The Men of Distinction and Women of Valor Awards Ceremony is
held each year to honor and pay just tribute to outstanding individuals
whose leadership roles have had a significant impact on the daily lives
of the people of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Paul J. Acinapura is the General Counsel of Brooklyn Legal
Services Corporation A (Brooklyn A) and has been with Brooklyn A since
1974, joining as a staff attorney upon graduation from law school; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn A, created more than 40 years ago, is part of the
national legal services program and is a not-for-profit public interest
law firm with offices in East New York and Williamsburg; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn A provides a broad range of civil legal services to
individuals, families and non-profit community based organizations; Paul
J. Acinapura has been its General Counsel and managing attorney of its
East New York office since 1984; and
WHEREAS, Since joining Brooklyn A in 1974, Paul J. Acinapura's prac-
tice has centered on providing legal advice and representation to numer-
ous community based organizations throughout north, east and central
Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, In 1984, Paul J. Acinapura created Brooklyn A's now
nationally recognized, Community and Economic Development Unit (CEDU);
and
WHEREAS, The CEDU has been and continues to be the attorney for some
of the most well known and respected community based organizations in
north, east and central Brooklyn; these client organizations develop and
mange affordable housing, provide health care services as community
health centers, educate children in private and charter schools, provide
head start and day care services and provide services to the elderly
through the operation of senior citizen centers; and
WHEREAS, In all of these ventures, both at their inception and through
their current operations, Brooklyn A, through its CEDU, has been there
providing the necessary legal advice and representation to these invalu-
able community controlled organizations; and
WHEREAS, The work of the CEDU and that of Paul J. Acinapura has
contributed to the positive development and betterment of the communi-
ties of north, east and central Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, Its groundbreaking health care financing legal work has been
the topic of numerous law school journal articles and directly lead to
the creation of new financing mechanisms for community health centers
throughout New York State; and
WHEREAS, Paul J. Acinapura is a graduate of New York University and
Rutgers Law School; he has been a guest lecturer in community economic
development work at the law schools of NYU, Fordham, CUNY and Syracuse,
and has served as a mentor under a National Economic Development Law
Center to other legal services programs seeking to create CED practices;
and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a

long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Paul J. Acinapura upon the occasion of his designation as recipi-
ent of the Legal Services Award; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Paul J. Acinapura.