6 | New Year 2022 | BAEC Bulletin How would you describe your time as President of the BAEC? It was a very rewarding experience. Erie County has a very collegial bar and provided me an opportunity to meet and interact with many lawyers that I probably would never have met much less worked with. One interesting issue that the legal community faced nationwide during my term involved the major accounting firms which were attempting to become “one stop shops” for major businesses by suppling legal representation in addition to their traditional accounting and other advisory services. To that end, the big accounting firms were hiring thousands of lawyers and students right out of law school to provide legal work for their clients that would otherwise have been done by law firms. The legal community viewed that practice as a major conflict given the central nature of the accounting profession (“disclosure”) as opposed to the central nature of the practice of law (“confidentiality”). Thankfully, that concept was discredited, at least in the U.S., following the Enron Bankruptcy. It was rather interesting to be leading a major bar association while this issue was being debated and resolved. Are you fully retired or do you plan on keeping on some clients or working part time? While I am fully retired at the moment (for less than a month), I am sure that I will retain my “love for the law” as well as my license to practice. While I am going to relax a bit into the immediate future, I may make myself available for pro bono work and I will always remain willing to serve the needs or requests of Hodgson Russ. What are some of your plans during retirement? I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and would like to do some traveling. I may also do some volunteer work with non-profit organizations and may get into some political work. In college I majored in English and Philosophy and would love to dive into some of the reading I never had time for. During retirement, do you plan on staying connected to the legal community? In what ways? How will you stay connected to the BAEC? Yes, I have many close friends in the legal community and look forward to interacting with them in various contexts (other than negotiations). I will continue my membership with the Bar Association of Erie County and the Law School, attending events and meetings as I can. What advice would you give young lawyers just getting started? I’d tell a young lawyer to be aware that the practice of law is a very demanding occupation. Lawyers must be prepared and willing to invest whatever time is needed to meet the needs of clients as they arise, be they individuals, business entities, estates, or government entities. It’s demanding work that requires a lot of time, energy, and often a lot of patience. Judges and opponent attorneys are mostly civil and gracious, but not always, and young lawyers should be prepared for anything. That said, I would also tell aspiring
lawyers that the hard work pays off and can be extremely rewarding. As a lawyer, one can truly make a positive difference in the lives of others, as well as a decent living. What advice would you give attorneys who could retire but don’t want to? I would say, “Then don’t!” One nice thing about practicing law is that there is no maximum age limit. To the extent that a senior attorney is financially healthy but not yet ready to take down the shingle, there is plenty of pro bono work out there. This is wonderful and fulfilling work for those that otherwise would not have anyone to turn to and can be done without the aggravations of billable hours, billings, and collections. What ways could you see the BAEC being a resource to retired attorneys or attorneys winding down their practice? The BAEC is a great vehicle to stay connected to others in the legal community and stay up to date on everything related to the practice of law. Through social events, CLE programs, and Committees, there are many opportunities for retired lawyers to stay connected and engaged. How has the legal community and/or practice changed since you started? The boom of digital technology is by far the biggest change to the practice since I first started my career. Computers, the internet, video conferencing, email, texting, and electronic filing are huge advancements to the legal world that have dramatically transformed the way attorneys do business. Interestingly, lawyers don’t necessarily need the human support they used to require. Because of technology, lawyers can do many of tasks for which they used to rely on others. On the other hand, technical support is now needed more than ever. Another change I am pleased to have witnessed over the years is that the legal community has become much more diverse. • Did You Know? The BAEC has a Retired Member level for attorneys who have retired from practice. It offers all the benefits, but at a significant discount! We welcome all retired attorneys to stay connected to the WNY legal community as a member of the BAEC. Click the link below to apply for membership. Select “Other - Retired” for membership level. If you are fully retired and can certify as such, but still paying the full membership dues, please contact our office to switch your membership level to Retired - 716.852.8687. https://eriebar.org/becomeamember/
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