Nearly 30 years ago, newly-admitted to the New York Bar, I opened my solo law office in my hometown. A generous local lawyer invited me to “Monday Lunch” at the county seat in Delhi, New York.
Monday was the day when Delaware County’s lawyers traveled to Delhi for the calling of the Court calendar for the County Court, Surrogate’s Court. The calendar for various terms of the NYS Supreme Court usually started on Monday as well. Lawyers crowded into the small hearing room on the first floor of the historic courthouse and waited patiently as all types o matters were called and heard on the morning’s calendar. It was possible to learn a great deal about the local practice while waiting and observing the more experienced lawyers make their applications and arguments.
At Noon, most of those present adjourned to the Village Inn for lunch at a long table in the back room. Arguments continued. Plea bargains were made. Questions were asked and answers given. Lunch was loud and fun, kind of a cross between the Inns of Court and a mentoring program, with a splash of local political debate thrown in for good measure. A lot of legal work was completed over “Monday Lunch”.
After lunch we would return to search titles in the Delaware County Clerk’s Office or do legal research in the Supreme Court Library, which was then the meeting room for the County Board of Supervisors.
Over the years, the “Monday Lunch” put a lot of restaurants and diners in Delhi out of business. The group would move on to the next place and reform like one of those paramecium under the school microscope.
The new Individual Assignment System made a lot of changes with motions being heard on days other than Monday. County Court and Family Court calendars were dictated by burgeoning caseloads and state takeover. Title searching was given over to abstract companies and legal research came from computers not books.
”Monday Lunch” is not the event it once was..in fact, its gone now; but occasionally local lawyers and even some visitors find themselves together at lunch in Delhi and the questions race back and forth and the arguments flare up and the political debate smolders. Its almost as though we were back there 30 years ago, except, perhaps, for how much smarter my friends around the table are these days, its amazing how much they’ve learned over the years.
August 7, 2007 at 6:44 am
That’s a very good description of Monday lunch. As a young lawyer I learned so much there, particularly in picking Bob McKeegan’s brain on real property and litigation issues. It’s a real shame young lawyers today do not have access to this type of resource. Hopefully this blog will help bridge the gap.