Silver Anniversary

It was 25 years ago today, my partner Paul and I brought the band together to play...

On November 15, 1994, Paul and I had just left our old firm, and decided to strike out on our own -- I was 33 and Paul was 44. My previous experience in owning and running a business consisted of a 10 house lawn mowing business when I was 14. But, we called upon the experience of our brothers in law, Dennis and Geoff, and incorporated and started paying taxes and being, well, a real law firm.

Where to locate? We flirted with the idea of opening on Lincoln Road -- since I lived in Kendall and Paul in Aventura, that seemed in the middle. But we both realized it might be too distracting to be there. We walked along the Road, however, and I thought we were a better dressed and straight version of Ratso and the Cowboy in "Midnight Cowboy." Plus -- we were already IN Miami...

We got a call from Jeannie, a divorce lawyer friend. She had been to an office share suite in the top building in Miami, the Centrust Tower -- the IM Pei designed skyscraper that was lit different colors at night. They had a corner office and one next to it, and work space for secretaries. We thought it could work, and went to sign our first lease.

There was a glitch: the office between the two we wanted had just been rented -- to a labor lawyer named Don Ryce. We went ahead and rented the two with Don's in the middle. The poor man was rarely there -- his young son was kidnapped by a caretaker on the Ryce property in the Redland, and brutally murdered. Don, caught up in that horrific tragedy, rarely appeared. A child protection law came about as a result of his case -- the Jimmy Ryce Act. It was a sad ingredient to our new venture...

Anyway -- they were heady times for us. We'd get to work early, put in a full day, and then spend evenings networking for business.  D2 recently complained about the hours her fiance works -- saying "Dad -- you never did that." Indeed I did, but D2 was 2 years old, and has no memory of the workaholic period of her father's life. By the time she was old enough to process things -- she was 10 or so, and my hours were more normal.  But success generally requires putting in a lot of time -- and we were no exception.

We really had some awesome experiences. We got to help people at their lowest point in life -- burn injuries, the loss of a parent. I would make light of our specialty -- telling people they only became our client if they lost a relative or part of their body -- but it was essentially accurate.

And we celebrated well our victories. We settled a huge case against a rental car company, in early '96. We paid for a total of 12 people to enjoy a long weekend in Vegas -- complete with limos, hotel stay at the then top Mirage hotel, meals, shows, side trips to the Grand Canyon, etc...

It's funny -- Paul and I always assumed our guests might someday return those favors. It never happened. But that's ok -- we were making nice money, and sharing it with those close to us.

We were able to fund the beginning of a new Chabad Center -- we gave our rabbi friend an interest free loan to buy the property where a major center now sits. The Rabbi is in the midst of raising $6 million now to build a state of the art facility to service special needs children from all over Miami -- using high school volunteers to train and become companions. Our current secretary Carla's daughter is in the program. I try to be self deprecating, but I a VERY proud of Paul and I for essentially being the birth of a program that has wonderfully impacted thousands and will do even more in the future.

We were able to give generously to our alma mater, the U. For years, I was the biggest donor to the Religious Studies Department. Just recently a friend guest lectured there, and sent me a photo of a bookcase holding a major encylopedia that I had paid for. Truthfully, I had forgotten about it.

We took two working class, Cuban women, and trained them to become legal secretaries. We bonused them, probably too generously.

One started with us in huge credit card debt. Paul had her present all her cards. He gave her one. He cut up the others with a scissor, and we paid off all of her debt. This was at the beginning of our firm. That is who Paul is -- if you're in his life, he wants to take care of you -- solve your problems. That secretary ended up saving so much, she retired from law in '06, and started a business with her husband.

It's funny -- the next year I asked her for a favor -- we needed a temporary assistant when one quit suddenly. The secretary said no -- she was enjoying not working too much. I thank her for a great lesson in human nature: never be generous to expect something in return. Often people are very good at accepting, but not so good at giving. That's ok.

Meanwhile, Paul and I grew up together. His pre teen kids went through grad school, got married, and blessed him with 4 grandkids -- the oldest now nearing her teen years herself.

My little girls also grew up, with a supportive and loving Uncle Paul. Both got grad degrees, too, and D1 married two years ago. D2 is getting married in just over two months.

We buried both of our mothers. I was a devoted son. Paul was a devoted son on steroids. Like a true excellent big brother, he taught me to be a better son to my failing Mom -- taking the lead as she descended to her end.

I was at his former mother and father in laws' funeral. He was at Wifey's father's funeral. Wifey told everyone not to come -- she didn't want the stress of hosting a shiva. Paul wasn't having it. He was there, at graveside, and there afterwards.

The biggest blessing of our partnership has been the sharing of our close friends and family. Paul's kids and kids in law have become siblings to the Ds. My friends have become very close with Paul and his family -- particularly Barry, who is very involved in Paul's son's life.

Paul's best college friend, Frank, has become my friend, and I love the time I spend with Paul's Philly buddies, Steve and Lou.

We share that, Paul and I. We keep friends for a lifetime. He and Steve have been friends since kindergarten -- and they're now approaching 70. My friends and I go back 40 years.

So somehow a quarter of a century has gone by, since two Miami lawyers started a firm. I have to think lasting 25 years is a pretty rare thing.

We just renewed our malpractice coverage for a year -- so we'll be in business at least until year 26. Truthfully, I thought I would find another career and be out of law by now. It wasn't to be.  As for the future, well, que sera sera...

But today, I remember my partner, and will borrow a Neil Young line about him, especially since he likes racehorses: long may you run...