So Stu lost his young associate last month -- the fellow decided to open his own firm, and moved up to Broward, with long term plans to relocate to Boca. Stu needs help, and decided to reach out to Vince, an old partner.
I adore the guy. Crazy Joel brought him in after his Judge sister Dawn sang his praises as a tough, smart, Assistant State Attorney. Vince handled criminal cases, and learned civil as well. Over time, he worked more and more with Stu.
Vince is Irish, from Orange County, LA. His parents, though, were LI folks like me -- Dad relocated to the Left Coast for his job with a record company. Vince went to USC, and then lived in Atlanta for awhile, before coming here for UM Law. He is unfailingly honest, and indeed very sharp. He's also fearless about going to Court -- a tool a plaintiff's firm needs to get the best results.
Right when Covid started, Vince left for a firm in Deerfield -- they offered him a nice salary and a share of the fee profits. He's spent the last 3.5 years honing his civil chops -- trying cases and mostly winning.
Stu offered him something the firm that desperately wanted to keep him would not -- a chance to take over the operation as Stu ages out. Vince took a pay cut and came back to Brickell. And yesterday Paul and I took Stu and Vince to lunch at Trulucks, our old unofficial clubhouse.
It was delightful. We had years of memories to re-live. Vince isn't an "I told you so" guy, but he always did have great mistrust of the man we came to call Fredo. Joel did, too -- the guy just always seemed furtive about his practice, and would lock his office door at night -- the only one of our group who did.
Vince is 45 and I think, a lifelong bachelor. He has many close nephews and nieces from his big Irish family, and dates a Russian beauty who visits often. Years ago, I fixed him up with a more mainstream lady --a friend of D1's. He was a perfect gentleman, but knew he wasn't looking to settle down. I applaud his self awareness -- and the schadenfreude a single guy gets from hearing the many tales of marital woe.
We also toasted to the future. Vince will kick ass, no doubt, and Stu can comfortably assume his role of maitr'd, as Paul noted. It should be nice times ahead.
After lunch, Paul and I walked into our old building -- 777 -- our office address for the golden age of our firm. The Brazilian Brothers, who bought the building from SunTrust, finally renovated the lobby -- but it is eerily empty. The old safe deposit corner is now a company called "Private Vault," and we chatted up the lovely Latina who was standing in front of it. She explained that to become a customer, and use their safe deposit boxes, you had to go through a rigorous screening process that included "not being a wanted fugitive." She said that in all seriousness. I love Miami.
We tried to get up to the 4th floor, but new elevators require a security pass, and we didn't want to freak out the nice young security guard. But we sure did have memories of good times and riches and sonofabitches there, as Buffet sang.
So here's to the return of the semi-native! May Vince soar again here in the 305. He has condos in the Gables which he rents out, and lives in Hollywood. Looking around at the fauna on our way to Trulucks, he realized he may need a place on Brickell, too. I KNEW he was a smart guy.
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