Local attorney to head Bar Association foundation

NISKAYUNA — A Niskayuna attorney has been elected to head the New York Bar Foundation, state Bar Association officials announced Wednesday.

Cristine Cioffi, who practices in estate planning, administration and elder law, took office June 1 and will now serve as president of the foundation, which awarded $1.24 million in law-related grants in 2011 to 70 organizations statewide, offi cials said. She was formally elected in January.

The foundation is the charitable arm of the New York State Bar Association. It was founded in 1950 and supports legal research and education, provides funding for legal assistance for the poor and also focuses on professional ethics and legal heritage.

In a statement, Cioffi said she wants to improve the foundation’s visibility among attorneys and the public.

Cioffi is president and a partner of Cioffi, Slezak & Wildgrube. She also served 10 years as a county legislator, including two years as minority leader, and is a past president of the Schenectady County Bar Association.

Cioffi is also immediate past chair of the Ellis Medicine Board of Trustees, continues to serve on the board and is a trustee of the Ellis Hospital Foundation.

Cioffi is a graduate of Middlebury College and Albany Law School.

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