When a visitor comes to his office for the first time, Joel Lever, founding partner of Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever L.L.P. (KEC&L), proudly points to and describes the creative features of Marc Chagall”™s Bible Series prints that adorn his wall.
An avid art collector himself, it turns out that one of Lever”™s specialties is representing artists and art publishers, collectors and merchants and handling a wide range of sophisticated art transactions. Just as he has an appreciation for what makes a work of art unique, the same can be said about the portrait he renders of what has made his firm stand out since its founding in 1985. That is when he went into practice with his father-in-law Sam Eisenberg, former Mount Vernon City Court judge and a co-founder of the firm who passed away in September at the age of 98.
At the start, the firm comprised four attorneys and soon expanded when Lever recruited two other prominent attorneys ”“ Lee Corbin and Robert Kurzman. Today, with a team of 30 attorneys and 30 support staff, KEC&L is an AV-rated law firm (signifying that it has achieved the height of professional excellence), providing sophisticated legal services for individuals and corporate clients located in the New York metropolitan area, across the U.S. and overseas as well.
Prior to KEC&L, Lever”™s legal career began at age 26 as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn where he prosecuted criminals, including child abusers. “That experience, which pitted me at a young age against some of the best attorneys, taught me not only how to think fast on my feet but to identify and relate to the emotion of the case, which could be very powerful when children under the age of 12 were involved. I strongly believe that understanding the emotion that is inherent in the legal issues of our clients makes them comfortable to work with us. I think that they appreciate us both for our creative solutions as well as relating to them on an emotional level. This has been very important to sustaining our success.”
Lever also notes that the firm”™s commitment to making their clients succeed by consistently leveraging its intellectual legal capital has fostered exceptional client retention and referral. Among its longstanding clients is a major retailer (65 years), international art dealers (30 years) and a health care investment bank (more than 20 years) as well as numerous companies and not-for-profit organizations and individuals who have benefited from the firm”™s corporate law, real estate, trusts and estates legal counsel.
Health care law is another unique specialty of the firm. It represents a broad range of for-profit and not-for-profit clients, including nursing homes, certified home health agencies, licensed home care service agencies, provider networks, physicians, dentists, medical practice and other health care providers.
“The changing landscape of health care has spurred the merger, purchase and sale of health care institutions,” Lever said. “We bring to the table a working knowledge of the regulatory issues and financial considerations of these complex transactions.”
Lever also noted that attracting top-tier attorneys from some of the best legal firms in Manhattan has also “contributed to our reputation for excellence in delivering high-quality results. We match our superior resources to individual client needs.” Because of lower commercial rent costs compared to Manhattan, KEC&L can charge more attractive fees compared to the sky-high rates at Manhattan firms, providing it with a competitive edge.
But, working at KEC&L”™s in White Plains is also appealing to attorneys who wish to improve their quality of life. “By not spending hours commuting to Manhattan, they have the time to take care of family and other personal matters and still return to the office to get the work done. It”™s definitely much less pressure to both practice law and live in Westchester”
Another appealing attribute of the firm is its collegial atmosphere that fosters open communications and collaboration among attorneys and staff across the specialized practice areas.
“We don”™t foster the notion of seniority, which is typical at many law firms. Here, the partners practice a top-down, hands-on approach in every respect. Every member of team is respected and feels that they have a seat at the table regarding what they contribute,” Lever said.
Lever takes pride in pointing out that KEC&L stands on a strong three-generation foundation that began with his late father-in-law. “We have achieved a high level of sustainability where a young attorney can feel there is an opportunity to enjoy a successful career. This is not a dead-end job.”
Like a fine work of art, Lever believes that the firm was created with a unique combination of core attributes that has stood the test of time, a legacy for future generations to continue.
Winners Circle is a new biweekly feature that will take a look at the top women business executives and top attorneys, men and women, in the region. To nominate someone, please contact John Golden at jgolden@westfairinc.com.
Loved reading about this successful business and its endeavors. The article was well written and interesting to read, too.