Richard F. Griffin '57 (2019)

Segment Synopsis: 62 year grad of UB. Always lived in Buffalo on Groveland Ave. No lawyers in family. Mother from Canada, secretary at General Mills and father was a food broker. Went to Canisius High School. Worked jobs to make money. Canisius College for undergrad, English major. Favorite subject, debating. Did well in law school. Favorite professors, Dean Hyman and corporate reoganizations with Donald Lubick from Hodgson Russ who worked in Carter Administration. Stayed friends with Lubick. Both influenced him, also Lenhoff who not generous to the women students. Graduated 50 some students, started with 75 or 80. Eagle Street Campus. Worked for John Hancock Insurance through law school because he was married and had two children. Wife Dr. Jane Flanagan was a chemist at LindeAir. He was offered a job by Phil Halpern in the Appellate Division Fourth Dept. He was also offered a job by John Hancock to be a lobbyist for the insurance industry. He wanted a practice with clients. Joins Moot and Sprague, et al, located in old Erie County Savings Bank building.

Keywords: Canisius College; Canisius High School; Family; Father; Law Professor; Mother; Practice; Undergraduate Education

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; EDUCATION; FAMILY HISTORY; UB LAW AS STUDENT

Segment Synopsis: Loved private practice. First client was janitor in his building. Grandson, Charles is lawyer with NY law firm and clerked on 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Son Richard, was general counsel National Labor Relations Board. 3 of his children are lawyers, no scientists. Wife of 65 years has PhD in Chemistry, brilliant mind, work with women's rights and diversity. Communication in marriage is critical, evolved over the years. Story of buying a house while his wife was out of the country at a conference. Story of Malcolm X and the Attica prisoners suing for right to practice their Muslim religion, political case. Goes to NYC and looks up Malcolm X as an expert witness to testify. Invites Malcolm X to his home for dinner a few days after Griffin's wife had a baby. Wishes there was a picture to document Malcolm X's visit.

Keywords: Children / Grandchildren; Malcolm X; Practice; Spouse

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; FAMILY HISTORY; PERSONAL ISSUES

Segment Synopsis: How UB Law helped his career, use of the oral history to gain insight and know the education at UB law will take them places. Doing Mediation later in his career, not a difficult transition, helped establish the mediation practice in federal court with Judge Skretney. Spent most of his lie in courthouse and now spends time keeping people out of court. Litigation is expensive and hard on people. Border and immigration cases. Case backlogs for jury trials for years, not enough judges, trial outcome uncertainty. Costs for expert witnesses, most try to settle cases before trial. Cases with a lot of emotion are harder to settle in mediation. Jury trials are much harder work for the lawyer.

Keywords: Practice; Trial Practice; UB Law School general; Value of Education

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Happiest in legal career managing team of trial lawyers at his firm. Erie County Savings Bank crisis, looked to merger with another firm. People went to Hurwitz and Fine and he went to Phillips Lytle. At 70, continues mediation work. Also worked on Buffalo School desegregation case with Kavinoky Cook and Arnold Gardner. Detailed story of the Buffalo School desegregation case and those involved. Judge Curtain presides over case better known as Buffalo busing case. Eugene Reville was Buffalo Schools superintendent. Magnet Schools program is developed. Lasted 40 years, white exodus to suburbs and charter schools change the system again. His kids were not in the school system and none went to UB.

Keywords: Curtin, John; School Desegregation; Significant Cases

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; LAW

Segment Synopsis: Tells of his involvement with railroad trial lawyers organization. Went to Cleveland and met with a colleague telling him he represented NAACP for Buffalo case as Cleveland was in the midst of its own desegregation case. Details of Court of Appeals case, Erie County Republican party chairmanship is held by Robert Grimm and Thomas Ryan is trying to oust him. Ryan was Walter Mahoney's candidate. Mahoney was chairman of Republican party, famous legislator from NY who many say is responsible for getting law school to Amherst. Goes to court of Appeals which determines a redo of election by secret ballot and Ryan wins. His billing at 65 an hour for the case adds up to something like $95,000. Offered an appointment in surrogate court which he refuses and takes payments on the bill until it is paid off by the Republican Party.

Has a newspaper clipping with picture of wife recognized as a woman of influence. Researcher at Hauptman-Woodward Institute. Talks about her work there and in the community. Very proud of her work, how they met at age 14. Great law school. Advice, plan your work; work your plan.

Keywords: Advice; Elections / Political History; NYS Court of Appeals; School Desegregation; Significant Cases; Spouse

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; FAMILY HISTORY; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE