A memorial service was held at the Bar Center today for Bob Greenbaum, the senior partner of Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis (my former firm), who died several weeks ago at age 89. Bob’s daughter, Margot, and seven of his partners spoke.
Since this is the New Jersey Appellate Law blog, it must be noted that Bob argued important land use law cases on appeal, including Levin v. Parsippany-Troy Hills Tp., 82 N.J. 174 (1980), and Snyder-Westerlind Corp. v. Atlantic Highlands Mayor & Council, 134 N.J. Super. 459 (App. Div. 1975) But Bob was best known for his non-litigation skills, presenting complex land use applications before planning boards and boards of adjustment, closing sophisticated real estate transactions, and, in his later years, pioneering the field of alternative dispute resolution. He was at the top of each of those fields, regularly appearing on lists such as Best Lawyers in America and, more importantly, gaining the recognition of his colleagues at the Bar as one of the deans of our profession.
As many of the speakers noted, Bob loved the law. He looked forward to going to work each day. He enjoyed the intellectual give and take, and the opportunity to solve problems for clients. But Bob also had a deep respect for his colleagues and even his adversaries. No one was unimportant to him, and nothing that occurred was beneath his notice, as I learned firsthand. On the day that I argued my first motion as an attorney, a run-of-the-mill motion in a case with which Bob had no involvement, Bob stopped me in the hall and said “I hear you argued your first motion today. Tell me about it.” I did so, marveling that the senior partner of the firm would take an interest in the activities of a brand new lawyer at the firm. When I finished my story, Bob did not walk away. Instead, he proceeded to tell me about his first motion. He made a young lawyer feel like his equal that day, and he treated everyone at the firm– partners, associates, secretaries, file clerks, everyone– with that same sense of dignity.
Bob Greenbaum was a giant, in every way. He was over 6’4″. Several speakers remarked on the size of his feet (he wore size 16 shoes), and his brother, Arthur, who practiced law together with Bob for 61 years, noted hat Bob’s nickname as an officer in the Navy was “Foots.” (Years ago, one of the more petite lawyers at the firm told me that she could probably go canoeing in his shoes.) But he was a giant of the law, a giant as a family man, and a giant gentleman, one of those old-school gentlemen that are not being minted anymore. Roughly 200 people were present at today’s memorial, including not only attorneys and staff of the Greenbaum firm but former partners, former associates, and many others who came to pay a last tribute to a true mensch. There are very few other people for whom there would have been such an outpouring.
Bob shaped, favorably, everyone whose lives he touched. I am proud to have been able to work on some matters with him, and perhaps to have soaked up some small amount of his wisdom.