Florida

Who Is That Masked Man?

Bob Josefsberg is a Lion of the Bar. He has received every professional and civic accolade out there, and then some. He has been around a very long time, and done a lot of stuff.

For example, has he ever told you about his case where he helped Henry Flagler with a zoning glitch that affected the Royal Palm Hotel, mid construction? And that his bonus was to perform the first dance in the Hotel's Main Ballroom, with Julia Tuttle? Or how he circumcised The Yankee Clipper himself? Or that when The Lizard King took out his wanker at Dinner Key Auditorium, Bob was hired to defend the crooner? (Yeah, yeah: everyone has heard that last one.)

So its no wonder that "Super Lawyers" has chosen Bob to profile in this year's edition.

Titled "The Plain Talker," Stan Sinberg (no relation to Stan Lee) writes a tribute to Bob that is special, because he gets Bob to open up regarding his personal approach to his work.

Noting that he gets to pick and choose his cases, Bob shares:

"I like being on the correct side. I see myself as a white knight. Every so often when I leave the courtroom, I want people to whisper, "'Who was that Masked Man???

And Bob has reached that juncture in life where he thinks His Will, matters.

Being on ?the correct side? means not always getting your client off scot-free on a technicality.

?I?m not going to place myself in a position to allow [a defendant] to continue to do wrong and to hurt themselves or others,? he says. ?I?ve had cases where a young person could?ve won on a motion to suppress, but I told him I want him to get a sentence that requires he get treatment under probation.?

Which is so great, and quintessential grand-fatherly advise.

Only I have this nagging memory dating back to criminal procedure in law school, regarding an adversary system of criminal justice and a constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel. And, closer to home, I wonder how my client will feel when I advise it that, although it can acquire the land on which to build its hotel at a song, I think it would be better if it paid an additional 7 million for the land, because I think that is a fair price. Or that although I can obtain a permit for my client to build its even fresher kill landfill close to a residential area, I think its better if it outlayed more money to build the landfill somewhere else that presented less harm to people who live close.

Maybe I am splitting hairs, and heck, maybe Bob was misquoted.

One thing is for sure, Bob not only wants to be on the "correct side," but he want to instill those values in his family, too. And so you have to respect that. Right?

Full post as published by South Florida Lawyers on June 18, 2010 (boomark / email).