Hon. Michael M. Mohun '80

Segment Synopsis: Treatment Court, previously known as Drug Court, has the stakeholders involved to break the cycle of addiction. History of Drug Court, launched in 2000. Town Court Judge handled misdemeanors. He was assigned Treatment Court Judge and assigned to Warsaw, elected out of Bennington. Superior Court Judge (he) now handles all of them. Many offenses do not belong in Treatment Court. Tool in the toolbox of breaking the cycle of criminality. Wyoming County is small 42,000 people. Young women suffer and turn to drugs to numb the trauma. Helping these women and their children. One of the pieces of the whole puzzle of helping these people. General lack of resources in rural communities and lack of affordable housing. Was ignorant of housing issues until he became a judge. Feels it is an underrepresented issue. Glaring omission that Wyoming County does not have the resources the other contiguous counties get. Not a priority of elected officials.

Keywords: Drug Laws; Elections

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; LAW; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Segment Synopsis: Born in Rockville Center, Long Island in 1953. Father was a sea captain, sailed on Merchant ships, born 1923, rise through ranks to captain. During WWII, torpedoed in N. Atlantic and injured. Met mother in the rest home he was sent to. Parents married 1945 and 8 years later, he was born. Dad's family had a summer home in Cowlesville, NY. In 1962, father bought a house in Cowlesville, NY. 1962-1971, he lived there with his mother while his father ran supply line shuttle between the Oakland Army base and Saigon for the Vietnam War transporting war materials. From 1958-1962, mother and he lived with Doris Duke on one of her estates in New Jersey. Continues to live in Cowlesville. Small school, worked on farms. Summer of '68 at age 15, flew out to Oakland Army base, boarded the Southport 2, merchant ship built WWII, loaded military supplies sailed for Saigon. He was an ordinary seaman. Got his seaman card. June-Oct '68. Shot at by Vietcong. Parents exposed him to life. Graduated from Attica High School in 1971 just before the riot in September. Went to Coast Guard Academy. Could not pass physics or calculus. Went to work as a seaman on a lake freighter, sailing from 1972-1978.

Keywords: Employment / Jobs / Wages; Family; Father; Mother; Post World War II; Undergraduate Education

Subjects: EDUCATION; FAMILY HISTORY; PERSONAL ISSUES

Segment Synopsis: Realized being a lake sailor or merchant mariner might not be his future. Went to Buffalo State College, took 24 credits a semester. Continued sailing on the lakes during school breaks. Graduates in 1976. Went back to sea. Went to California on a motorcycle to see the world. New Orleans, got to union hall, shipped out on a coastwise tanker hauling heating oil to Boston. Blizzard of 1977. In bookstore in Boston and bought LSAT prep study guide. Took LSAT, did ok, applied to Law Schools. Why law? Uncle was a lawyer, friends who needed lawyers, remembers observing how Buffalo City Court was run. Was accepted at UB and other places. Upstate NY was his home. Started UB Fall 1977. No reaction from family. Mother passed when he was in high school. Father was retired and living in Florida. Worked on the Steinbrenner boats, hauling grain from Duluth and Superior to Buffalo. Straightdeckers, and the scooping process took a few days in Buffalo.

Keywords: Choosing UB Law School; LSAT; UB Law School; Undergraduate Education

Subjects: EDUCATION; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW AS STUDENT

Partial Transcript: 1st year, they scare to you death. 2nd year, they work you to death. 3rd year, they bore you to death.

Segment Synopsis: Working class experience helped him in the practice of law. Lawyers are lucky. Greatest job in the world to help people. Loves the practice of Law. Found niche, better hours than being a seaman. Worked on Paul Tiegen, until the Wednesday before he started law school on Monday. Got an apartment and had a motorcycle. "1st year, they scare to you death. 2nd year, they work you to death. 3rd year, they bore you to death." Got up at 5am to study Torts and Contracts and Civil Procedures. UB Law School experience, Law School O'Brien Hall only building operating on North Campus besides Lockwood Library. Isolation brings classmates closer. Still has those friends 45 years later. Ken Patricia, Rich Abbott, Horace Gioia, Wayne Lopkin, Ricky Samuel, Lorenzo Randle, Debbie Norman and MaryJo Klepford. The generosity from the people of the law school was overwhelming. He was broke. Driven to make money. Continued to work as a seaman during summer break between first and second year. Could not take an unpaid internship. Father in his 70's could not support him. Second year, was playing softball leagues sponsored by bars and the law school. Bar owner got him a paid job in law firm for Manufacturers Hanover. Little and Burke which became Saperston and Day. Did not last long. Did not know what to wear. Bought a purple suit with six buttons, would be considered urban wear. Lasted until lunch at Little and Burke; mutual decision he did not belong in a mortgage closing firm. Bar owner gets him another gig with general practitioner, Jim Brown, now Brown Chiari. Jim was generous with him, 1979 until 1997. Firm moved to Personal Injury. He moved on to practice criminal defense. Got elected in 2012. Town judge for 8 years.

Keywords: Bar Admissions and Exams; Bar Association; Caliber of Students; Classes; Criminal Law; Elections; Experience as Student; Internships; Judiciary; Practice; Relationship with UB Law; Relationships

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; LAW; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW AS STUDENT

Segment Synopsis: Working for Jim Brown, Fall of 1979, during 3rd year, his best friend Bert Zeitler, died in a Cessna 172 which crashed into Lake Ontario. One body was recovered. Jim Brown was hired to find out what happened. Negligence case against owner of plane. Side scan sonar technology helped to find plane. No bodies found and it was determined that the plane ran out of gas. Had friend declared dead, made recovery for family. His first case. Thought each case going forward would be more interesting. Not the case. Still give a scholarship every year in Bert's name and has for 43 years at Attica Central High School. Never found Bert. Put a headstone in the cemetery across the street from where he lives.

Keywords: Character and Values; Relationships; Significant Cases

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; LAW; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Partial Transcript: The purpose of life is to serve other and to do good. "Don't take one side. Listen. Don't talk too much. Listen. See what people have to say. Go out and look around. See what people say."

Segment Synopsis: Proud moments: Blessed. Married a terrific person and three beautiful kids. The purpose of life is to serve other and to do good. He's a criminal court judge, has to make hard decisions. To sit in judgement of other people is a tough thing. If it ever becomes easy to put people in state prison, then it's time to get a new job. Heavy burden. Family life, Joyce is wife, co-owner of a dealership in Wyoming County. Meredith who is an assistant DA in Erie County, Elizabeth, a psychologist in LA, Philip is in Berlin, Germany. Close family, very lucky. Running for office. Not a member of any party. Ran unopposed. Uncommon for a defense lawyer to run and win. Will be 70 in 2023 and has to retire. Lives on 80 acres in Cowlesville. Clear brush, work on the land. Will not practice law. Left his practice at 60. Dan Killelea took over practice. Preparation to be a judge. Being defense lawyer, working with Jim Brown, tutored him. "Don't take one side. Listen. Don't talk too much. Listen. See what people have to say. Go out and look around. See what people say." Be fair and honest.

Keywords: Advice; Family; Judiciary; Spouse

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; FAMILY HISTORY; LAW; PERSONAL ISSUES; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Segment Synopsis: Influences while in law school, Virginia Leary. Mohun requested his school records to prepare for the interview. Took four of her courses. Kindness was demonstrated. Graduated 1980, studied for the bar. Wasn't sure what to do. Thought he should be a plaintiff's lawyer. Sent resume to port cities to get hired, member of 2 sailor unions, perfect person to work for plaintiff's firm representing sailors. No response. Out of money and homeless. Horace Gioia asked Mohun if he wanted to live at his parents house on Ruskin. Study group included Larry Vilardo, Horace, Steve Curvin, Joe Dipasquale. Passed bar and whole life changed. Horace Gioia's act of kindness changed the trajectory of his life. If he had not gone to law school, he'd probably be a captain of a ship. It was affordable. Allowed him to go to law school. Joe Keleman devoted entire life to WNYLC to help poor people. Supports an internship financially at WNYLC. Encourages other alumni to do the right thing. Holds UB Law in the highest regard. Has supported UB law his entire life and will continue after he's gone. He will continue to advocate for those less fortunate. The work in Wyoming County will continue long after he is gone. Closing.

Keywords: Alumni; Bar Admissions and Exams; Caliber of Students; Experience as Student; Law Professor; Relationship with UB Law; Student Culture; Study Habits; UB Law School; UB Law School general; Value of Education

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW AS STUDENT