It is difficult to know exactly what to say in the context of the current world crisis.  There is some small comfort in the relative normalcy of important annual events like this one and of being given the opportunity to give thanks.

 

And I have a lot of to be thankful for.   

 

To JTS, Chancellor Eisen, and Alan Levine, JTS’S chair, and board members (including my partner and longtime friend Alan Klein), for the wonderful work they do for an organization that is so crucial to all streams of the Jewish community and to the broader community as well.  To John Finley, my friend, former partner and client, for allowing me to share the stage with him.  It is an honor receive this award jointly with him and to work with him.  He is a lawyer’s lawyer – as my partners know, he has the highest standards of excellence.  He enables and encourages all of us to perform at the top of our games. And thank you to all who supported this fantastic event and had planned to attend.  Your generosity is humbling.  Thank you so much for that.

 

To my partners and colleagues at Simpson Thacher – the friendship and support we offer each other is what makes Simpson such a special place to work.  It is the only post-clerkship job I have ever had.  I am incredibly lucky to have found a home for more than 25 years with all of you.

 

And, to my family, I simply say thank you for putting up with me and my work day after day.  You are incredibly supporting and encouraging.  I love you all very much.

 

Many decades ago, I had the honor of meeting Judge Rifkind once and speaking with him ever so briefly one other time.  Both were because of my father, who was Judge Rifkind’s partner at Paul, Weiss for many years.   The meeting was at the old Madison Avenue Deli, long replaced by a Williams-Sonoma.  It was only for an instant, but what I remember was the respect my father had for him and the pleasure he had introducing me.  The second instance was a phone call that I answered one New Year’s Day.   Judge Rikfind had the tradition for many years of calling Paul, Weiss partners to wish them a Happy New Year.  I had answered the phone that winter day before giving it to my father.  I am struck to this day – more than 40 years later – by the simplicity of that tradition and the decency of the call.  There are some who would have attended our lunch on March 12 who knew Judge Rifkind well.  He was everything our profession treasures. To receive something bearing his name is incredibly meaningful.

 

Through Simpson Thacher and the patience of my family, I have been blessed with an incredibly varied career.  Serving our clients is an honor and a joy.  Producing top notch legal product is a privilege.  But what I want to single out is work that is somewhat different from the bulk of our matters. For nearly four years, Simpson Thacher has allowed me to invest significant firm resources in two significant cases in Mississippi – one concerning racial policing practices in which we have partnered with the local chapter of the ACLU and the other involving the rights of former felons to vote in which we have worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center.   Firms and lawyers of course should choose their own pro bono projects – there is no right or wrong answer – but for more than 20 Simpson lawyers, these two cases have brought us face to face with issues throughout the state of Mississippi that we Big Law lawyers rarely confront.  In my mind, the cases are a reminder of our duty, a duty I’d think Judge Rifkind would support and a duty that I think is consistent with the mission of JTS, to serve those less fortunate than many of us.   

 

Again, thank you JTS, to all of you and to my co-honoree John Finley for this recognition.