On July 1st I will formally launch my new career as conflict prevention and resolution consultant. Today, in preparation for that launching date, I commence my blog – Business Resolutions.
Let me start off by explaining how my past career as an attorney with McConnell Valdés brought me to where I am. Future articles will explain where I am going with my new career, interspersed with articles on conflict prevention, management and prevention for business and professional persons to which my future endeavors as consultant will be devoted.
It has been 44 years since I first joined McConnell Valdés, initially as a summer law clerk during my years of Law School, and then as a lawyer immediately after graduating from Harvard in June of 1969.
The professional and varied experience has been truly outstanding. I started in the tax department under Bob Van Kirk and after some 18 months moved to litigation under Fernando Ruiz-Suria. In 1973 I joined the corporate department under Bob Griggs, which is where I remained until my retirement from the Firm.
I served over different periods of time on the Executive Committee, and its successor, the Policy Committee, and in this additional role helped lead and grow the Firm. I joined the Firm because it was the leader in terms of size, the quality of its clients, the calibre of the legal services, and the professionalism and high ethical standards of the lawyers and staff. Throughout my career the Firm continued to be the leader in all these categories.
The Firm always supported my role as a volunteer in philanthropic and professional organizations, starting with the YMCA in the early ‘70’s. My role as President and/or Board member throughout all these years provided managerial challenges and incredibly satisfying moments as I strove with other volunteers and the professional staff to help develop and meet each organization’s respective mission and strategies.
The Firm has a mandatory retirement policy respecting one’s position as capital member, although those who wish to remain with the Firm can continue as counsel. That mandatory retirement age as capital member is the end of the fiscal year in which one turns 67, which for me was this fiscal year ending May 31st.
I had given the Firm notice a number of years ago that I wanted to start a new career as an independent consultant in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. Our Firm policy calls for the announcement of such a decision at least 2 years prior to one leaving the Firm in order to implement a two year transition, which in my case was also completed on May 31st of this year.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Firms’s present and former clients, attorneys and staff members for their support and for helping me prepare for my second career. God bless them all.
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