Articles

Profile of the Lee A. Mayersohn

By Michael Goldsmith

Newly elected Civil Court Judge Lee A. Mayersohn is a lifetime Queens resident whose career has been a balance of public and private sector service to the people of Queens County.

The future Judge was born in the Electchester Cooperative Apartments in Flushing. His parents were among the original tenants, having moved into the complex in 1954.

“Growing up in Electchester was a great experience,” said the Judge, “there were lots of kids about my age and we were always able to go outside and play sports. As a matter of fact, I am still close to many people from the neighborhood. We still have reunions every other June.”

Judge Mayersohn attended P. S. 201 on Kissena Boulevard, Parsons Junior High School, and Francis Lewis High School. “I was a jock in high school,” recalled the Judge. “I was a long jumper on the track team. I was also on the bowling team.”

Judge Mayersohn received his B.A. in June 1978 from Queens College, where he majored in Political Science, and minor in Philosophy. “Queens College was a very good place to study political science. It had an excellent faculty, which included New York State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi,” said the Judge.

“While in college, I became interested in local politics, and became an active member of the Stevenson Democratic Club,” said Judge Mayersohn. As a matter of fact, politics was something of a Mayersohn family business. “My mother, Nettie Mayersohn, has been District Leader since the 1970's, and has served in the New York State Assembly since 1983.

Judge Mayersohn also had several interesting and prestigious internships during his academic days. While in college, he had an internship with Congressman Benjamin Rosenthal, and in college, he worked for the New York State Senate. “Also, in law school I had an internship with the Attorney General’s Office. This was very interesting as it was during the gas crunch, and the Attorney General was active in investigating price gouging in the Consumer Fraud Division,” said Judge Mayersohn.

Judge Mayersohn received his J. D. from Hofstra University School of Law. “I enjoyed Hofstra. It was a national law school, and very progressive.

Judge Mayersohn was admitted to practice law in December 1981. “I began my law practice on Queens Boulevard,” said the Judge. “At that time, I also began my job as an Associate Speaker’s Counsel with the New York State Assembly. My duties included the drafting and review of proposed legislation submitted to the New York State Assembly Committees on Agriculture, Environmental Conservation and Health. I also did research and prepared memorandum of law on relevant issues.”

In May of l987, Judge Mayersohn formed a partnership with Bruce Eiber. “Bruce and I went to law school together, but I didn’t really know him, as he was a year ahead of me,” said the Judge. “Bruce also served as an Associate’s Speaker’s Counsel with the New York State Assembly, and we quickly became friends. “His mother Geraldine Eiber was a former Supreme Court Justice and Justice of the Appellate Division and his father, Bernard Eiber is a prominent attorney in Great Neck. We have a neighborhood practice in Fresh Meadows that will continue until I take the bench on January 1, 2005. “I have truly enjoyed my eighteen years of practice with Bruce and will continue to cherish my close relationship with the Eiber Family.”

In Judge Mayersohn’s private law practice of Eiber and Mayersohn, the areas of practice primarily included real estate, matrimonial, wills, trusts and estates and commercial litigation. “The practice was established in Fresh Meadows near where I grew up,” said Judge Mayersohn. Many of my clients were friends and people I have known over the years from the community. It was a great experience staying in the neighborhood and continuing to be the attorney for many longtime friends. As a result, I would often take my clients’ problems and cases to heart and at times it was hard detaching myself.”

Looking back on his days as a private practitioner, Judge Mayersohn said, “Being a small neighborhood practice has its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, you are your own boss, but on the other, you must be readily available to handle the variety of client problems that may arise. In addition, over the years, I have been a court-appointed conservator for a number of individuals. I had been a fiduciary for one individual for over seventeen years and another for twelve to thirteen years. I recall one individual who used to come to my office two to three times a week. He was a World War II veteran. He would call everyday. He was a very nice man, but lonely and needed someone to talk to. I would often cook him soup when he came to visit. I would give him my old clothes and often give him money out of my own pocket because his pension funds and social security benefits were limited.” He recently passed away but will never be forgotten.

In 1989, the future judge was offered by Mayor Koch the opportunity to serve on the New York City Tax Commission. “My fifteen years as Tax Commissioner were very interesting, recalled the Judge. “I would conduct hearings and make determinations on petitions for reductions for tax assessments on New York City Commercial and Residential Properties. I would also review applications for real property tax exemptions for charitable organizations and other not for profit entities. Assessment review cases before me would range from one to three family homeowners who usually appeared pro se, large Manhattan office buildings represented by members of the Certiorari Bar. I would hear approximately 2,000 cases a year and over fifteen years, I heard approximately 30,000 cases.”

Judge Mayersohn and his wife Jill will celebrate their nineteenth anniversary on Valentine’s Day this February and they have one son, Benjamin, who is thirteen years old and attends middle school in Queens.

Judge Mayersohn is still athletic. He enjoys rollerblading, which he considers great exercise and can often be seen on the bike path along the Cross Island Parkway by the Bayside Marina. Judge Mayersohn also enjoys playing tennis and golf in Queens Parks.

Judge Mayersohn is very enthusiastic about starting a new chapter in his career. “I am looking forward to taking the bench in January. I consider being a judge the ultimate in public service for an attorney,” said Judge Mayersohn. I start judge school on Monday, November 29, 2004, as I will be attending a judicial institute seminar in White Plains. I will also sit with current Civil Court Judges as I continue my learning process.”

”I hope the members of the Queens County Bar will be happy with me,” said Judge Mayersohn. “My strengths have always been that I get along with my colleagues and my overall temperament. Over the years, I have been able to successfully conduct hearings with pro se applicants on tax cases, and have enjoyed a good working relationship with the for certiorari that appeared before me. I hope to be able to draw upon my legal experience and life experience in my new career as a Civil Court Judge.”