Robert A. Feldman, Senior Counsel (Retired)

Background

Mr. Feldman recently has retired from the active practice of law after 56 years.  After practicing for many years at several private law firms, Mr. Feldman served as Corporation Counsel of the City of Rochester from 1967-1970.  He was the City’s chief legal officer, managing an active staff representing the City in, among other things, labor negotiations, real estate acquisitions, tort defense, and condemnation, tax assessment, zoning and urban planning litigation. After leaving his position as Corporation Counsel, Mr. Feldman continued his concentration in municipal law, real estate litigation, zoning, and the representation of property owners in urban renewal litigation. In addition, he represented transit systems or governments in the District of Columbia, Denver, Minneapolis, and Montreal in litigation by which transit systems changed from private to public ownership.

Mr. Feldman also represented owners of complex industrial and commercial properties in New York State in tax assessment and eminent domain trials and appeals throughout New York State. Among the most significant of these representations involved a series of matters for the City of Watertown and six surrounding communities in the defense of tax assessment proceedings brought by the owners of over 1000 units of military family housing at Fort Drum, and the representation of Xerox Corporation in several substantial assessment proceedings.

Mr. Feldman has received numerous honors and awards during his lengthy career, among them the Monroe County Bar Association’s 2012 Rodenbeck Award recipient for his distinguished service to the community.  He also served the Monroe County Bar Association as its President, and in numerous other capacities.  Ensuring access to legal services for low and moderate income citizens was a continuous goal of Mr. Feldman’s.  He traveled to Washington and lobbied for funding.  He also served as the first chairman of the board of directors for the Volunteer Legal Services Project.

Mr. Feldman’s tireless commitment to the legal profession and the community with such dignity, skill, judgment and grace is an inspiration to all of us at Ward Greenberg.

Education

• Yale University Law School, L.L.B., 1954
• Harvard College, A.B. with honors, 1951

Bar Admissions

• New York, 1954

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court of New York (Western)

Professional Activities & Memberships

• New York State Bar Association
  - Committee on Condemnation, Certiorari, and Real Estate Taxation
• Monroe County Bar Association
  - Chair, Tax Assessment Committee
• Arbitrator and Mediator, New York State Public Employment Relations Board

Selected Publications & Presentations

• Contributing author of Review and Reduction of Real Property Assessments in New York
• Lectured on eminent domain and tax assessment litigation for the New York State and American Bar Associations and other professional and municipal groups

Professional Recognition & Awards

• Recipient of the 2012 Alfred Rodenbeck Award
• President of the Monroe County Bar Association, 1982