Richard M. Rosenbaum

Richard M. Rosenbaum currently serves as Senior Counsel at Nixon Peabody LLP in Rochester, NY. His work there is just part of one of the most interesting careers in United States political and legal history. Born to a Jewish immigrant family in 1930s upstate New York, Dick first met with discrimination as a young boy. Intensifying his personal struggle was the onset of alopecia hair loss at age 8. Instead of hiding from this condition, Dick has used it to his advantadge throughout his life. After graduating from Cornell University law school, he started his legal and political career in Rochester, New York. He served in the County Legislature and bacame chairman of the Monroe County Republican Committee in 1968. In 1970 he was appointed to be a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York State by former Governor Nelson Rockefeller. In 1973, Dick became the Chairman of the New York State Republican Committee, a position he held until 1977. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He has written extensively on Middle Eastern policy and his articles have been published in a variety of newspapers. A listing of Richard M. Rosenbaum's professional, political and personal accomplishments follows, detailing the remarkable life of a truly memorable individual.

Professional Background:

Senior Counsel - Nixon Peabody LLP attorneys 2006 - present.
State of New York - Governor George Pataki's spokesman and representative.
Chairman - New York State Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board appointed by Governor George Pataki 08/98 - 07/06.
Partner - Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle LLP attorneys (08/77 - 07/84; 03/88 - 12/98 (retired).
Former member - Rockefeller Center Board of Directors.
Counsel, Board of Directors member, and Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs - Integrated Resources, Inc. listed on the New York Stock Exchange 07/84 - 04/88.
Consultant - Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle (now Nixon Peabody) 07/84 - present.
Associate General Counsel - National Republican Senatorial Committee 07/88 - 12/88.
Justice - Supreme Court of New York State, appointed by Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller 03/70; elected to full fourteen year term 11/70 (at age 39, was one of the youngest Justices to be elected to the Supreme Court).
Justice of the Peace - Town of Penfield, NY 1962 - 1966.
Partner - Rosenbaum, Agnello & Levine attorneys 1955 - 1970.
Member - American, New York State, Monroe County and District of Columbia Bar Associations.
Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Judicial Hearing Officer - appointed by the Chief Judge of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court Fourth Department.

Previous Political Memberships:

Chairman - New York Republican State Committee 01/73 - 06/77.
Chairman - Monroe County Republican Committee 1968 - 1970.
Member and Assistant Majority Leader - Monroe County Legislature 1966 - 1968.
Delegate-at-Large - Republican National Convention 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988.
Congressional District Delegate - Republican National Convention 1968.
Chairman of New York State Delegation - Republican National Convention 1976.

Educational Background:

Cornell Law School Ithaca, NY - President of Law Student Association, member of Cornell Moot Court Board 1955.
Hobart College Geneva, NY - Varsity football and lacrosse player, heavyweight boxing champion 1952.

Board Memberships:

Former Member by appointment of the U.S. Senate - Board of the Federal Judicial Center FOundation 07/89.
Member - JAMS mediation and arbitration panel, with a lot of experience mediating and arbitrating a wide variety of cases.
Former Member - Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Board appointed 1997.

Previous Memberships:

United States Holocaust Memorial Council - appointed by President Ronald Reagan 06/87, reappointed by President George Bush 1992, member of Finance and Audit Committee.
Economic Advisory Board of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Director - Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University.
Director - Integrated Resources, Inc. (a public corporation).
Trustee and Vice Chairman of Board of Trustees - Hobart College, current Honorary Trustee.
Council of Governing Boards of the Independent Colleges, State of New York.
Director - United Cerebral Palsy Association.
Council of the State University of New York at Brockport by appointment of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller 1970.
Executive Committee at Cornell Law School.
Trustee - Seneca Park Zoological Society Rochester, NY.
National Citizens Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality by appointment of President Gerald R. Ford 01/77.
Four year term on the New York Mental Hygiene Council by appointment of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller.
Board of Directors for Jewish Home for Aged Rochester, NY.
Board of Directors Rochester Museum and Science Center, chaired Fund Drive.
Jewish Community Federation of Greater Rochester.

Accomplishments:

Over 20 years of trial and litigation experience involving a board variety of subjects.
Recipient of numerous awards.
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor - given to individuals who by their conduct have distinguished themselves through service to the U.S. in various ways and by enhancing the highest ideals and accomplishments of their ethnic background.
- Achieved the highest rating from peers for Ethical Standards and Legal Quality, as referenced in Martindale-Hubbell, the universal attorney's directory.
Author of several major political and public affairs treatises:
- "They Said It Couldn't Be Done".
- "Northeast Perspective".
- "Social Security for Our Aging Cities".
- "A Republican Prospectus".
Book on politics and government to be published in September 2008 - "No Room for Democracy; The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense".
Articles published in a variety of newspapers and has written extensively about Middle Eastern policy.
As a New York Supreme Court Justice, had opinions on various constitutional questions published.

Personal Background:

Born April 8, 1931 in Oswego, NY.
Moved to Rochester, NY in 1945.
Married to the former Judith Kanthor of Rochester.
Father of four children: Amy, Jill, Matthew and Julie.
Grandfather of twelve.
Family is a member the Temple Beth El in Rochester.
Family resides in the Rochester suburb of Penfield, NY.

June 4, 2009 -- Richard M. Rosenbaum featured on 13 WHAM TV in Rochester

An interview with Richard M. Rosenbaum discussing his book "No Room For Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense", an upstate New York visit from Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, his experience with the hair loss condition Alopecia, and local politics aired on CW-16's "13 WHAM News This Morning Program. You can watch part 1 of the interview by clicking here.
Part 2 of the interview.

November 17, 2008 -- From the Buffalo News, "the re-emergence of Rochester's Dick Rosenbaum, the onetime state Republican chairman under Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller and a major figure in state and national politics, could not be more timely."

Columnist Robert McCarthy interviewed Richard M. Rosenbaum in Buffalo as he was signing his new book "No Room For Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense", and found that many Republicans are seeking his advice and counsel as the Republicans look to rebound from Election Day. Read the entire column here.

September 27, 2008 -- Richard M. Rosenbaum speaks at Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Richard M. Rosenbaum returned to his alma mater to speak as part of the President's Forum lecture series as he promoted his book "No Room For Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense". Read coverage of the talk from the Finger Lakes Times here, or listen to a podcast of the event from WEOS radio in Geneva here.

September 12, 2008 -- Richard M. Rosenbaum featured in 2 articles in New York Law Journal

Calling Richard M. Rosenbaum the "dean of New York's politically active bar", the New York Law Journal talked with Dick about striking a balance between personal convictions and professional conduct in an article you can read here. In another article in the same issue, Dick talks about his distinguished career and his book "No Room For Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense". Read the conversation here.

August 31, 2008 -- Richard M. Rosenbaum attends his 10th Republican National Convention

The former Chairman of the New York State Republican Committee will be in Minnesota for the convention. The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle asked Dick for his thoughts on John McCain as he promoted his book "No Room For Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense" at the convention in Minnesota. "I think that John McCain needs to emphasize at the convention his maturity," Rosenbaum said. "It could be to his benefit, especially in today's senior citizen society." Read the full article here.

August 25, 2008 -- With convention season underway, The American Spectator interviews Richard M. Rosenbaum on the state of today's conventions

"Conventions are relevant, but they're not very relevant," Rosenbaum, author of No Room For Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense told TAS in a phone interview. Like a lot of folks who were active in politics in those days, Rosenbaum can hardly keep the stories to himself. They remind him of what used to be. And of what he's missing now. Read the full article here.

Richard M. Rosenbaum