LEGAL MATTERS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY Supplement to Jewish News September 27, 2021 jewishnewsva.org | September 27, 2021 | Legal | JEWISH NEWS | 11
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LEGAL MAT TERS
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ust as we all need banks and dentists, there aren’t many of us who don’t require an attorney at some point in life…if not really often for some. Fortunately, we have
plenty of top legal minds to choose from in Tidewater. Lisa Richmon talks to two such local attorneys, Neal Schulwolf and Brian Wainger,
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about their approach to clients, which is enlightening for very different reasons. The article begins on page 13. But not everyone who graduates from law school continues in the field. The
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Commonwealth of Virginia’s Speaker of the House, Eileen Filler-Corn is a perfect example. She was in Tidewater during Sukkot. Page 15. Valarie and Matt White are finding fulfilling creative moments after decades spent
All Access Realty | A commitment to exceptional service, integrity, and discretion. working in the legal field. They’ve both picked up paint brushes and are expressing themselves through art. And, they’re selling some pieces, too. Page 16. On page 21, you’ll read about a former assistant attorney general for Wisconsin who is crazy for mustard…so much so that he runs one of the ‘most unusual museums’ in the nation, the Mustard Museum. I happen to prefer mustard over most condiments, so if I ever find myself in Madison, Wisconsin, the museum will certainly be on my itinerary. Even the new CEO of Hadassah is a former prosecutor. Read about her on page 22. In addition to these articles and more, this section features some terrific advertisers. We hope that if you need the services of an attorney, CPA, investment advisor, banker,
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LEGAL MAT TERS
Local attorneys rise to the top Lisa Richmon
P
racticing law can be like baking a cake. Both require precise timing and ingredients in exact measure. A dash of restraint goes a long way, too. Just ask attorney Neal Schulwolf who knows the power of pause when a new client reveals his search for a Jewish lawyer. Lawyers who rise to the top demonstrate a mix of judicious creativity, charisma, emotional intelligence, and expertise. That would be the case for Kaleo founder and lawyer Brian Wainger. Lawyers also make good memes. (But that’s another story.) Jewish lawyers make good copy.
NEAL SCHULWOLF ATTORNEY, KALFUS & NACHMAN
Neal Schulwolf.
Jewish News: How does being Jewish or living Jewishly make life richer and/or more challenging? Neal Schulwolf: As an attorney
who focuses on helping people who have been injured, I always want to know how my client found me or chose me to represent them in their legal matter. Over my 30 plus years of practicing law, I’ve received numerous responses, including ‘my next-door neighbor referred me;’ ‘I saw your name on the internet;’ ‘another lawyer gave me your name;’ ‘the guy I bought my car from told me to call you.’ The response that sticks, however, is “I chose you because I thought you were a Jewish lawyer.” Huh? This is where the joy and angst of being Jewish collide. So many thoughts go through my head when I hear this response. Are Jewish lawyers different than Christian, agnostic, or Muslim lawyers? Does this person think all Jewish lawyers are smart? Ok. I can probably live with that mindset. Or does this person think all Jewish lawyers are slick? Do they expect me to work the system and get them more money? I’m never quite sure how to respond because I’m afraid that if they openly say ‘Jews know how to get the money,’ it will create a bias on my part and affect how I represent them. I’m not prepared to respond to an answer couched in an anti-Semitic trope.
I do realize that I could also hear something that makes me feel proud of my Jewish heritage, but I always choose the path of least controversy and move on to the next legal issue connected to their case so I can help them. In this line of work, it’s sometimes better to not know something about your client than it is to know something. As an American Jewish lawyer, I’m very proud of the brilliant Jewish minds and scholars, and their valuable contributions. Being a lawyer is good. Being a Jewish lawyer is even better.”
BRIAN WAINGER KALEO LEGAL In the early aughts, going remote meant flying to Hawaii for a month with limited computer access to or from home and work. Thirteen years and one pandemic later, remote is a mainstream and essential work lifestyle that connects people 24/7,
Brian Wainger.
continued on page 14
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sustaining the flow of business. In 2008, before laptops were available to the masses, and an essential tool for lawyers, Brian Wainger saw remote work as a partial antidote to the traditional staid practice of law. His idea to go largely virtual and diverge from the universally practiced flawed billable hour fee structure resonated with Tina McRae and Billy Poynter, two successful attorneys who shared his entrepreneurial spirit. Together the three ‘big law’ attorneys conceived and welcomed a new form of legal delivery called Kaleo. JN: What sparked your innovation? What problem in the legal and business world does Kaleo exist to improve/solve? Brian Wainger: In 2008, I had just finished serving as a General Counsel for a small public company. Before that I worked at McGuireWoods, one of the 100 biggest firms in the world. I had to decide whether to go back as in-house counsel for a new company or join another large firm. While I enjoyed aspects of both jobs, I didn’t like either option and felt that I could forge a more enjoyable career for myself. In particular, I felt that expensive overhead and hourly billing skewed the incentives of the attorney-client relationship, creating unnecessary professional pressures. Rather than aligning incentives for clients and attorneys, hourly billing does the opposite. Kaleo was conceived in favor of a more relaxed and productive relationship. Offering a fixed or floating monthly subscription structure based on reduced overhead and virtual work when appropriate, gave it wings. JN: In what ways has Kaleo Legal been successful in the mission to make legal services a more equitable option? What’s the secret weapon? BW: Our mission is to make legal services more equitable, predictable and value-based. When you have a monthly subscription, you can budget for it. Like a buffet, you pay a fee and get everything you want. No upcharge. No nickel and diming. This allows our clients to reach out for more interaction without fear
of being charged for the “extra’ work. Relationships build naturally and reliably. Kaleo was a neat idea, but Billy and Tina brought it to life and turned it into something interesting. Lawyers and unicorns don’t usually go together, but that’s our theme. Tina and Billy got the concept right away and have grown it in ways I could never have imagined. They are both extraordinary people with vision and capabilities that are the key to Kaleo’s growth. JN What kind of clients benefit from Kaleo? Any big surprises? BW: We represent small startups and public and private multi-billion dollar companies—and everything in between. Our roles vary for each company. A typical mom and pop may need substantial business and legal advice. Larger companies call us for our particular expertise, or for additional bandwidth to add to their internal team. Regardless the size of the company, we are a full business firm that handles typical corporate and commercial issues that arise in the business world, but with a heavy focus on corporate, commercial intellectual property, alcohol regulatory work, and employment. In the early years, we simply managed litigation for our clients, but have now grown to a team of eight seasoned litigators, all of whom previously worked at large traditional firms. The biggest surprise for me is how all this resonated with our clients. Clients love the subscription arrangement where we act as their counsel, as if we’re sitting next to them like a traditional in-house counsel, but at a fraction of the cost of a fulltime attorney and without variable hourly fees charged by most attorneys. Our work is on par with the most sophisticated firms, but because of lower overhead and virtual remote work, we are able to charge less. We now have approximately 20 attorneys who previously served at large firms, or as in-house counsel for Fortune 400 Companies, who chose the Kaleo alternative because it’s personal and flexible —and less formal. These are the most extraordinary and talented lawyers I’ve ever met. A combination of a flexible
LEGAL MAT TERS practice model with quality of people is what makes it great. JN: How did your parents react to such an unconventional career twist? BW: My parents are very conservative and traditional. They had no idea what to think! When we started Kaleo, I had three little ones. Our twins just turned one and Julia was three. It’s fair to say we went in a direction that was an unproven method of practicing law. We were early in a world of virtual and remote counsel work at a time
when lawyers just went to the office. We didn’t have the software we have today that securely stores and transfers files with great efficiency. Computers weren’t very mobile with slow and clunky laptops that made remote work a grind. Although I think they’re a bit less concerned today about whether this idea can put food on the table, it’s fair to say they’re still not sure what to think of Kaleo, particularly what my partners and I have managed to create together without compromising our values or families.
Gathering observes Sukkot S
peaker Eileen FillerCorn and Rabbi Roz Mandelberg observe the mitzvah of waving the lulav and etrog at a gathering in Downtown Norfolk during Sukkot. The 56th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, FillerCorn is the first woman and the first Jewish person to hold that position. Speaker Filler-Corn is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law.
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LEGAL MAT TERS
Couple turns from law to art Valerie and Matt White Lisa Richmon
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Valerie built an impressive immigration practice as a young attorney and partner at Vandeventer Black before joining her husband at Samuel I. White, P.C. where she got the idea for real estate investing. Along the way, she also developed a lifelong passion for yoga. Valerie and Matthew started painting together soon after she retired from active law practice, and he was winding down from decades of managing the family law firm. Painting was a fun hobby to enjoy together. Couple chill time. He painted in private. Valerie took her work public. Valerie approached art with her typical vigor entering art shows and submitting work to charity auctions and community events. After a full bout of COVID isolation, Valerie convinced Matt to show his work. They applied to share a booth at the Chesapeake Spring Arts Festival. “Matt sold a few pieces, but more importantly,” says Valerie, “he watched hundreds of people experience and enjoy his art.” The hustler in her convinced him to submit three pieces to the “Abstractly Speaking” show at the Virginia Beach Art Center. All of his pieces were accepted; some of Valerie’s were too … but not all. “In the past, Matt went to opening receptions to support me and my work, but this time he was there as an artist himself,” Valerie says, “and I am thrilled to cheer him on.”
Matt and Valerie White participate in the Chesapeake Spring Art Festival together (June 2021).
Matt White with two of his three pieces in the Virginia Beach Art Center show “Abstractly Speaking” (July 2021).
LEGAL MAT TERS
National Museum of American Jewish History emerges from bankruptcy Asaf Shalev
( JTA)—The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia will come out of bankruptcy in the coming weeks after a former trustee stepped in to buy the museum building and lease it back for a nominal monthly rent of $1,000. Mitchell Morgan, a The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. local real estate CEO, will pay the museum about $10 million “The initiative Mitch and his family for its downtown property as part of a have shown brings stability to this plan approved by a federal judge. Philadelphia institution and preserves a The plan also settles a debt with bondbeautiful treasure for the Jewish commuholders, including Morgan, who agreed nity, for the City of Philadelphia, and for to accept $14 million less than what they our nation,” Galperin said in a statement. were owed. “We’re living in a time that requires us to reflect on our values, and a time when our country needs institutions like the National Museum of American Jewish History that represent freedom and inclusivity,” Morgan said in a statement. The deal allows the museum to buy its building back after 42 months for the $10.1 million sale price plus 4%, Bloomberg Law reported. The museum filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2020 because it could not afford the debt from the construction of its new building, which opened on Independence Mall in 2010. The following month, the pandemic and bankruptcy process led the museum to furlough two-thirds of its staff, with the bankruptcy making the institution ineligible for federal relief under the Paycheck Protection Program. The museum was closed to visitors for public health reasons and since has operated virtually. A reopening date is forthcoming, the museum said in an update posted in July. VanBlackLaw.com | 757.446.8600 Museum CEO Misha Galperin responded to the bankruptcy deal by calling Morgan a “mensch and a hero.”
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OPINION
Shmita is Judaism’s sabbatical year. It can be a model for tackling climate change and inequality. Sen. Meghan Kallman, Rabbi Lex Rofeberg
(JTA)—We are in an era of multiple interlocking crises. From record-breaking heat waves to wildfires to water shortages, from rising authoritarianism to a pandemic rampaging across the world, it is clear that, to survive, human beings will need to make urgent, major changes to how we live. Bold policy proposals already exist to address these problems, both nationally and in different states. Additionally, we— one of us a politician, the other a rabbi, and both progressives—want to suggest another possibility, gleaned from Jewish tradition: the ancient idea of shmita, the sabbatical year, which can guide our work in this urgent moment when everything we do matters. Both of us are millennials, and therefore have come of age under the worst inequality since the Gilded Age—exacerbated and symbolized by a student and healthcare debt crisis. The disastrous effects of climate crisis, extinctions, displacement and environmental degradation are threatening to turn life into a nightmare for most on the planet. These problems can be traced to a global obsession with unending growth. Our only chance to avoid that is to drastically re-envision our society and its priorities. Both of us are also, in particular, Jewish millennials. We have, in different ways and at different points in our lives, felt called to participate in Jewish communities of learning, prayer and communal gathering. Despite our involvement in those spaces however, neither one of us learned of shmita’s existence until adulthood. It is time for our Jewish spaces, around the world, to re-prioritize this sacred ritual, and apply its wisdom in concrete ways to our own times. The word “shmita” is observed every seven years. The shmita year began on
Rosh Hashanah. “Sabbatical” tends to refer to respite from work, typically in a university context. But the shmita year is slightly different. It is a collective sabbatical, a radical recalibration of society as a whole, in order to align it with principles of justice and equity for human beings and for the lands we inhabit. Shmita offers a framework for how we might enshrine seemingly individual choices as social values. The shmita year has two major components. The first is that it serves as a rest for land: Just as humans get to observe a sabbath once every seven days, the land
Shmita’s other major component is that debts are forgiven.
that we inhabit gets a sabbath, too. In biblical times, it meant that the land should lay fallow for a year, and the gleanings left for the needy and even animals. Through shmita, our relationship to land can shift from one of control and domination to one of appreciation and interdependence. Clearly, such lessons are applicable to this moment as well. Shmita’s other major component is that debts are forgiven. This is done to address financial inequities that grow over time, and to enable everyone to
LEGAL MAT TERS have the opportunity training for formerly to thrive. Debt forgiveincarcerated people, Every ness every seven years rethinking financial disrupts wealth-hoardsystems, and experimenting, and provides relief ing with basic income. to those struggling to Communities and legmeet their basic needs. islatures are mobilizing Shmita approaches justice around these issues, but years Shmita expansively. we need more action, is observed These ideas can be, faster, and at every level. and should be, used in The choices we make practice — not just in now will determine our ancient texts, and not the survival of millions just aspirationally. For instance: we could within the next few decades. We must forgive debts, and change the systems that seek out every strategy available to us as cause such terrible indebtedness. Twowe take on the challenges that threaten thirds of contemporary U.S. bankruptcies the inhabitants of our country, other are over medical issues and medical debt; countries, and our planet. That includes we must make healthcare free and unistrategies anchored in ancient wisdom, versal to solve this problem over the long like the shmita year. We need to act colterm. Collectively, U.S. college students lectively, for everyone’s health. Because owe nearly $1.6 trillion in student loan a society that takes care of itself and debt; President Biden could and should forgive up to $50,000 per borrower in federal student debt through executive action. Over the medium term, we must make public colleges and universities free, to avoid re-creating the same problem— something that our home state of Rhode Island is already on its way to doing. This year, its General Assembly permanently enacted RI Promise, the free tuition program at the Community College of Rhode Island. The idea of shmita can also guide us in acting to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Shmita proposes that for a year, humans must avoid treating land simply as a means to our ends; we must not think in terms of limitless expansion, but rather in terms of sustainability and rest. Leaving the land fallow rejects the notion that our planet, and its resources, exist only to serve us. Our state’s Act on Climate bill sets legally binding targets for emissions reductions; now we must act urgently to meet them. Measures like mandating net-zero emissions in energy generation, a its most vulnerable is one that is, quite critical move that passed only the Senate simply, the only moral option. this session, are crucial first steps. We need to rebuild our food systems, and The views and opinions expressed in this expand public transit and clean energy article are those of the author and do not necproduction. Neighborhoods are buildessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent ing community gardens while offering company, 70 Faces Media.
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LEGAL MAT TERS
Meet the Jewish mustard maven who founded a museum for his favorite condiment This adjunct professor of food law at the University of Wisconsin Law School is passionate about mustard Rachel Román
( JTA)—The 16th-century kabbalist Moshe Cordovero and the Jewish philosopher Nachmanides both compared the universe to the size of a mustard seed. The biblical commentator Rashi—who lived 100 miles from Dijon, France—believed that Abraham served tongue with mustard to the three angels who visit him in the 18th chapter of Genesis. Long before there were Jewish delis, mustard apparently was important to Jews—but not just Jews. “Mustard is in almost every religion and every culture,” says Barry Levenson, the founder, curator, and CMO (chief mustard officer) of the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin. “There’s a passage in the New Testament about the 1 ⁄8 -inch of a mustard seed. There’s also something in the Quran about how the balance of your future could be determined by a mustard seed. Mustard is universal, not only as a condiment but in terms of its legends.” Founded in 1992, the mustard museum is often listed as one of the most unusual museums in the United States, typically drawing around 35,000 visitors a year. But last year it closed for six weeks due to COVID-19. Both the museum’s revenue and Levenson’s mental health took a hit. “It was devastating,” Levenson said. “We have a donation box because we don’t charge
admission at the museum, so the donations totally stopped. It was very hard, but we’re recovering.” To distract himself, he focused on his part-time teaching position as an adjunct professor of food law at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he has taught for seven years. Fortunately, the museum is recovering. Since May, it’s had a steady stream of visitors, and Levenson is relieved to welcome back the crowds. He describes the museum and its visitors as his “congregation.” Levenson first started collecting mustards after his favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, lost in the 1986 World Series. Despondent, he went grocery shopping after the game and was drawn to the bottles of mustard. “It was just something about the mustards,” he says. “I heard a voice coming from them, ‘Collect us and they will come.’” Today, the nonprofit museum contains some 6,090 mustards from over 70 countries along with a gift shop and exhibits about mustard’s history. Levenson also
National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin.
20 | JEWISH NEWS | Legal | September 27, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org
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is one of the best ways to show your hosts the annual World-Wide Mustard Competition, which judges the condiment in 17 categories. Levenson loves mustard on everything, even doughnuts and ice cream. He suggests a sweet variety—like cranberry and raspberry—for desserts and says that pecan-flavored mustard is delicious on ice cream. “There are other uses besides putting it on a sandwich,” he says. “It’s good in sauces and dressings. Mustard is really versatile.” Levenson has created his own concoctions, too. His most recent experiment was a mustard pudding, and he’s working up to a crème brulee. “I’ve tried just about everything, different ingredients, flavors and spices,” he said. “I’m kind of a mustard mad scientist.” But Levenson is a purist when it comes to deli sandwiches, only using brown mustard. Ten years ago, he did an informal survey of several New York delis about what makes a good mustard. Some said it needed to have horseradish, while others preferred garlic. In Levenson’s opinion, a really good brown mustard will have a horseradish bite because both contain the compound allyl isothiocyanate, which provides the pungent flavor in both brown mustard seeds and horseradish
root. Many delis serve both brown and yellow mustard to appease varying tastes. The delicatessen originated in Germany in 1700 as a shop that sold exotic items, like bananas, mangos and plums. When Ashkenazi Jews immigrated to America, they brought the deli with them. Katz’s Delicatessen in New York—one of the world’s most famous—is credited as the first in the U.S., established in 1888. Around that time, delis expanded into offering lunch, creating a lunch break staple of sandwiches filled with corned beef or peppery pastrami. Those fatty meats may not be healthy, but mustard is. It has few calories and contains antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients, akin to broccoli and brussels sprouts, which are members of the same plant family. It can even help with respiratory and muscular pain. Fun fact: Runners sometimes carry packets of yellow mustard to relieve leg cramps. Mustard wasn’t always on the menu for Levenson, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was accepted to rabbinical school but “chickened out” before attending and shifted to law. Before opening the museum, he worked as a lawyer for 15 years, including a stint as the assistant attorney general for Wisconsin. While he never became a rabbi, Levenson is active in the Jewish
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www.altmeyerfuneralandcremation.com community and attends several synagogues. At Temple Beth El in Madison, he led the youth group and taught at its religious school. “It’s not a very large Jewish community, but we do what we can here in Madison,” he says. Even though he doesn’t keep kosher, carrying kosher mustard was important to Levenson, who insisted on selling dozens of kosher varieties in the museum gift shop. Some are premium offerings, like Silver Spring Foods’ Deli-Style Mustard, which was crowned grand champion and
won several other awards at the WorldWide Mustard Competition in 2008. It’s a brand that Levenson uses himself, which is high praise in the condiment world. The only thing Levenson dislikes about mustard is its relationship with ketchup. The popular, royal red condiment is much younger than mustard and sometimes steals its spotlight. This seeming slight on his favorite ingredient is blasphemy to Levenson: “You never hear anything about ketchup in the Torah, right? No, nothing!”
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LEGAL MAT TERS
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Former prosecutor Naomi Adler named CEO of Hadassah
H
adassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America (HWZOA), announced that Naomi Adler, a distinguished leader in the nonprofit and Jewish communal sectors, has been named the organization’s new CEO. She will lead the country’s largest Jewish women’s organization, with nearly 300,000 members, donors, and supporters, and a professional staff of 200. Adler assumed her new role on September 1, 2021, succeeding Janice Weinman, who retired June 30. A former prosecutor and a community advocate, Adler served six years as president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and for 13 years lead two United Way organizations in New York. “We are thrilled to welcome Naomi Adler as Hadassah’s new CEO. A proven nonprofit leader with deep expertise in Jewish communal work and an impressive track record of community engagement, fundraising, and advocacy, she is the ideal person to build on Hadassah’s past achievements, increase its global impact and take Hadassah into the next phase of its growth,” says Rhoda Smolow, president of Hadassah. “Hadassah’s ability to assemble and engage a diverse membership is second to none. Whether it’s advancing Zionism, fighting antisemitism, fostering Jewish youth development, advocating for improved access to medical care or supporting the exceptional work done by Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah’s accomplishments are more essential than ever,” says Adler. “I am honored to have been chosen to partner with Hadassah’s unique network of strong female leaders and other supporters to further the organization’s critical work in
the United States, Israel and around the world.” As president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, which serves the sixth-largest Jewish population in the United States, in addition to raising significant funds on behalf of the community, Adler elevated Federation’s reputation on both the national and international stage, created innovative local initiatives that improved the community’s security, enhanced services for its most vulnerable, and expanded professional development opportunities for Jewish communal professionals. Among Adler’s accomplishments as president and CEO of two United Way organizations are expanding a 2-1-1 crisis call center, initiating programs to effectively combat poverty and leading the non-governmental disaster planning and recovery efforts in the wake of 9/11 and several natural disasters. Adler has testified as an expert on charitable giving, antisemitism, and global public health in local and national legislative forums, including the Ways and Means Committee of the United States Congress. She was recognized by President Obama for her efforts during Hurricane Sandy and by FEMA for her service to the community during Hurricanes Irene and Lee. A native of Rochester, Adler graduated from Mount Holyoke College and SUNY Buffalo School of Law before returning to her hometown to work first in private practice and then as Assistant District Attorney for Monroe County. Her reputation as a successful prosecutor in cases of violence against women and children, and later as a community advocate for families living in poverty, earned Adler several honors.