1971-1972:  Confidential Law Assistant, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department; Albany, New York.  I guess they liked my summer work.  Just before I started, I went to Europe and Israel for four months.  I remember the days with great clarity.  I learned much about myself and about the world. 

1972-1973:  Law Clerk to Appellate Division Justice Lawrence H. Cooke (later Chief Judge of the State of New York); Albany, New York.  Judge Cooke and I worked together on a few cases, and he then asked me to leave the court and become his personal law clerk.  I had an offer from a Park Avenue firm in NYC, so we agreed I would do it for about a year. 

THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IS THE ONLY IMPORTANT PARAGRAPH: 

While in NYC, I met Natalie Taks on July 12, 1974 (but who’s counting).  We went out the next day and got married the next year.  August 17 makes it 32 years.  We have two great children, David (28; VP at BancofAmerica Securities, NYC) and Stephanie (22; senior at Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC, majoring in Accessories Design).   
 
 1980-1983:  Counsel, New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration; New York City and Albany, New York.  Judge Cooke became Chief Judge Cooke, and he asked me to be his lawyer, an offer I could not refuse.  He was a blessing in my life, and I am a better person for having known him for 29 years.  After he retired, he joined my law firm in Albany as Senior Counsel, and he was with us for 14 years until his death.

As General Counsel for the judicial branch of government and Counsel to Chief Judge Cooke and Chief Administrative Judge, I was responsible for the following areas:  all litigation against the court system, at any one time consisting of between 100 and 200 federal and state court actions and administrative proceedings; all legislation affecting the court system, including drafting bills, negotiating their enactment into law and analyzing bills for the court system and, when requested, for the  Governor and State Legislature; drafting contracts and leases; drafting uniform rules for the courts throughout the state; staffing and serving as the resource office for the Chief Administrator’s advisory committees, which include such areas as civil, criminal and family law; handling the legal aspects of all employee relations and personnel matters.  I served as the liaison with the Chief Judge’s Task Force on the utilization of retired judges, chaired by Hon. John V. Lindsay.  I advised judges and nonjudicial personnel throughout the state on miscellaneous questions relating to court administration.  I supervised a staff of 15 attorneys in New York City and Albany.  I also served as secretary to the Administrative Board of the Courts, consisting of the Chief Judge and the four Appellate Division Presiding Justices, and sat on the committee that advised the Chief Judge on matters of policy affecting the administration of the courts generally. 

This was the best job I ever had.  I was doing the People’s work, and it was very rewarding.  I had hoped to stay until the Chief’s mandatory retirement at the end of 1984, but we were living in Scarsdale on a State salary and needed stuff like a new car and new kitchen, so I reluctantly left one year early and went back to private practice in at... 

1983-1986:  Partner, Fink, Weinberger, Fredman, Berman & Lowell, P.C.; New York, New York.  I was the partner in charge of the firm’s commercial litigation department, consisting of four  attorneys and one paralegal assistant.  I engaged in the same type of commercial litigation described above.   

My time at Fink Weinberger was great, but we were so successful that I had no life.  Because of the one-hour (door-to-door) commute, my kids were growing up without a father, and Natalie was becoming a single parent, so at age 40, we decided to make a quality of life move, which serendipitously brought us back to Albany... 

1986-2002:  Partner, Couch White, LLP; Albany, New York.  I was one of the founders and the partner in charge of the commercial litigation department at this firm, which we built to 30 lawyers.  I engaged in the same type of litigation and transactional work as above.  Without going into the details, suffice to say I chose to leave. 

2002-Present:  Shareholder; Segel, Goldman, Mazzotta & Siegel, P.C.; Albany, New York

I concentrate in litigation, commercial transactions and general corporate representation.   

My career has been interesting.  I have obtained as much as a $25.25 million judgment in one case and have made new law in New York State in three others.  I try to give back to the community as well.  Apart from the usual bar associations, I have done the following: 

      New York State Court of Appeals Panel to Represent Indigent Criminal Defendants on  Appeal  

      Senior Services of Albany Foundation, Inc. (Member, Board of Directors; President, 1990- 1992) 

      Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center Foundation (Member, Board of Directors, 2006- present) 

    Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Northeastern New York (Former Member,  Allocations Committee) 

      United Jewish Appeal of the U.S. (Member, National Young Leadership Cabinet, 1974- 1977) 

     United Jewish Appeal/Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Greater New York (Former  Chairman, Young Lawyers’ Division; Former Member, Lawyers’ Division Executive  Committee) 

All in all, life has been good:  great family; interesting career; wonderful friends.  Although my dad passed away in 1975 when he was only 54, my mother is alive and active at 82, living in Florida.  My golf handicap was as low as 3, and it is trending down again after some back surgery that stemmed from a basketball injury when I played JV at Milne.  I see people from our class now and again, and I remember with great fondness those days of innocence from 1957-1963.

      Oh, I almost forgot.  ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1993, I WAS PLAYING IN A CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT, GOT A HOLE-IN-ONE AND WON A CADILLAC!!!!!