Credit this one to Above the Law , by way of a Google Alert I get daily about the State Senate (we'll get back to that later). This one especially gets me as a law student working in labor. In the era of the legal downturn, a lot of lawyers sent their resumes to all sorts of different sources with no expectation. It looks like one unemployed lawyer got a little more than he was expecting.
Last week, Gov. David A. Paterson named Jeffrey R. Fenster as the [Workers' Compensation] board's new executive director, the agency's highest-paid official and the person charged with running daily operations. He reports to the board's chairman. Mr. Fenster is a 29-year-old lawyer who worked briefly as a litigation associate at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, but has no management or workers' compensation experience.
His appointment left many who work in the system bewildered.
"When I had a chance to look at Mr. Fenster's background, I noticed he has absolutely no administrative experience," said Michael Berns, a former commissioner on the Workers' Compensation Board. "And he has no experience in workers' comp or labor law. I'm totally at a loss as to what he brings to this job. It makes no sense whatsoever."
Morgan Hook, a spokesman for Mr. Paterson, said that Mr. Fenster was extensively vetted and that "it was determined he was the best candidate."
source
That's right, a 29 year old lawyer with NO experience in workers' compensation law or, in fact, any labor or employment law is now in charge of the state Board. If you think that the sound of a completely inexperienced and inappropriate appointee to oversee a government agency sounds ominous, you're probably right .
Let's just call a spade a spade.
Fenster, who worked as a fifth-grade school aide for disabled children before entering law school, seems equally bewildered. Last summer he sent out resumes as part of his search for a job in the public sector. He doesn't know how one of them found its way to the governor's desk...
After being told of the job opening, Mr. Fenster said he spoke with Martin Minkowitz, a retired Stroock partner who remains involved with the firm, and who has long been a prominent authority in workers' compensation law...
When asked how Mr. Fenster came to the attention of the governor's office, Mr. Minkowitz was not specific. He suggested that Mr. Fenster was qualified, despite his inexperience. He said that someone in the workers' compensation system would not be suitable for the position, because it called for "someone with a little better education and a little better skills."
Asked if he had played a role in Mr. Fenster's getting the appointment, Mr. Minkowitz said, "I can't comment on any of that."
Bingo.
Let's give the last line to Above the Law, who sums up this (and many other) situations with a perfect mix of sarcasm and succinctness.
Experience working with disabled children? Maybe Fenster should have been sent to the New York State Senate instead. |
