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PROFILE
Profile: Peter Nater Paralegal trumpets Grammy win [by Regan Morris] We all like to trumpet our successes, but when Peter Nater came to work at the New York City Law Department on a recent Monday morning and told his colleagues he had won a Grammy over the weekend, many presumed he was delusional.
But Nater, 46, a paralegal in the department
the band has 13 members. When asked if he
his vacation days for musical tours. He has
for 15 years was dead serious. The Spanish
planned to quit his day job, Nater said no,
lots of advice for paralegals with creative
Harlem Orchestra won a Grammy for Best
“but if I hit the Lotto…”
interests outside of work, but his main pearl of wisdom is get a government job.
Salsa Album for “Across 110th Street.” Nater, the band’s trumpeter, was in Puerto Rico
“I like my job. But if I ran into a good amount
visiting family after a gig when he heard the
of money, I would just do the music,” he said.
“If they can, get a job with the government,
good news. As planned, he then boarded a
“That I love.”
which usually doesn’t ask you to work over-
at his desk in the Law Department Monday
Nater, who started playing the trumpet at
gig if you don’t know if you’re going to have to
morning.
age 12, has performed around the world with
work overtime. Whereas a lot of private firms
the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and he also
at any time—they can ask you to stay over-
time,” he said. “Because it’s hard to take a
red-eye flight back to New York and was back
The band’s leader, Oscar Hernandez, was in
plays with the Giants of Latin Jazz, a mambo
time. So that’s one convenient thing about
Los Angeles to accept the award on Febru-
group in New York. The bands have per-
working for the city—is for the most part, I’m
formed at celebrity parties, including Marc
not required to work overtime.”
ary 13.
Anthony’s surprise birthday party hosted by “As a matter of fact, the day we won the
his wife, Jennifer Lopez. He has also played
He said he is very rarely asked to work
Grammy was my 15-year anniversary at the
for Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and he appears
overtime in the Law Department, mainly, he
job,” he said.
on Cyndi Lauper’s new DVD, “Live At Last.”
thinks, because of budget constraints.
Music has always been Nater’s first love, but
How does he find the time? Well, for one,
“I think you generally get more vacation time
he said he was concerned about the financial
Nater doesn’t go on every out-of-town gig.
too with a government job,” he said. “And
instability of a musician’s life. About 18 years
Sometimes the bands bring in substitutes.
that works for me too because when I need to
ago, a friend told him the paralegal profes-
And many gigs are on weekends and holi-
travel, I use my vacation time.”
sion was growing. He decided to study at the
days. Also, if you have to travel for a weekend gig,
Paralegal Institute in New York. The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, which was He now works in the Special Litigation Unit
created in 2002, blends New York, Puerto
on cases involving the New York Police
Rican, and Cuban styles. Only one other
Department.
member of the band has a day job.
for example, always take the red-eye flight. “I usually try to stay awake as much as possible when I get to wherever I am because if I’m only there a day or two, I want to see
“For the moment, we handle high-profile
“At this point, I can pick and choose the gigs
as much as possible,” he said. “So when I
civil suits against the city, and I work with
I want to do,” he said. “So it’s not like I have
travel—and you’re limited on time—sleep on
the attorneys, helping them gather records,
to take every gig that’s offered to me; it’s
the plane.”
evidence, and witnesses to help defend the
not like my source of income. So it’s more
city in these city suits,” Nater said.
relaxed as far as when I want to play.”
And while a Grammy is one of the highest
Nater said the Law Department is supportive
teresting cases. Earlier in his career, he was
honors a musician can receive, it does not
of his music because “I get the job done and
assigned to “slip and fall” lawsuits, which he
assure riches, especially when you consider
I don’t usually take days” off work. He uses
did not enjoy as much. He now investigates
Nater said he’s happy with his paralegal career now because he gets to work on in-
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PROFILE
police shootings, police chases, and other cases involving the NYPD. The New York City Law Department is one of the largest public law offices in the country, handling more than 90,000 cases and transactions each year. The Corporation Counsel heads the Law Department and acts as legal counsel for the mayor, elected officials, the City, and all its agencies. Nater, who grew up in New York, advised paralegals to explore different areas of law and focus on the areas that interest them the most. And he says he would also recommend the profession to starving artists looking for job security. “I thought it would be a good idea to have a pension when I get older and Social Security because at the time, a lot of the gigs were off the books, so there wasn’t money going to Social Security,” he said. “I haven’t become rich from playing, but I live comfortably because I have a secure day job and I get to do what I love, to play. And the job is interesting.” For Nater, police cases are the most interesting. “I have a little seniority, and I get to do the interesting cases,” he said. “Try to pick an aspect of law that you find interesting; otherwise, it can be rough to be doing something that you’re not going to enjoy. There are so many different fields of law that just about anybody can pick one that they’ll find interesting.”
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