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    Category: EOLIS Perspective

    Wendeen Reconnects with Obama

    Wendeen reconnected with a remarkably relaxed and refreshed President Barack Obama, outside Washington (which is where they first met in 2008). The president was the starring attraction at the Streicker Center/Temple Emanu-El, in New York.

    After sampling chef Daniel Boulud’s signature short ribs (which Wendeen highly recommends), the President made his way to a reception at the Temple. He arrived in time to warm up with the fat cats and serious VIPs.

    As the event photographer approached him, the President caught Wendeen’s eye. He waved and called her to his side, using her childhood nickname that   survived until she turned six.

    Wendeen joined the president, noting to everyone within earshot that the only people who call her “Wendy” are stubborn family members, her longtime friend, Wayne Newton, who sings Danke Schoen, in return for the privilege,  and the good president—also known as Tease-in-Chief.

    The photographer clicked, catching an impish grin, not intended for the camera. The President chuckled and then signaled he was ready to rock and roll for his eager and enthusiastic audience. Wendeen  dashed off to her appointed seat.

    President Obama’s arrival in the main sanctuary of the Temple was greeted with thunderous applause.  And so began his interview, conducted  by Temple Emanu-El’s  Rabbi,  Joshua Davidson.

    The president navigated delicately on the subject of Israeli American relations during his administrations, lightened up describing Passover Seders at the White House, and took on the issue of fake news all around us, boldly.

    The nation’s first black president resonated deeply with the diverse audience. His simple and sage advice on what to tell our children, in this complicated world, was potent: “I tell my girls, “be kind and be useful.”

    How about that for some sanity!

    Thank You, President Hamilton

    It is reaffirming, uplifting and with extreme gratitude, I start the year by recognizing NYU President Andrew Hamilton who greeted me this past fall, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary my graduation from the University.  Andrew now fills the shoes of those who preceded him, including my favorite professor and advisor L. Jay Oliva who pushed me to push the envelope—to achieve.

    And, Andrew is already filling the soul of the University, its students, teachers and alumni with limitless enthusiasm for the process of learning inside classrooms and beyond them. Thank you, Andrew, for your time, at the podium, on the floor, and during our brief tete a tete at a very special event—that reminds me to count my blessings for the opportunity of an education that sent me on my way.

    At Home with Israel Ambassador Aharoni

    Wendeen  recalls visit  with Israel’s Consul General, Ido Aharoni at his New York residence. It was an intimate gathering of members of the International Women’s Forum (WFNY), in advance of this year’s IWF cornerstone conference in Tel Aviv.

    Ambassador Aharoni and Wendeen chatted about their mutual community of interest and the solid  ties between Israel and New York. Mr. Ahoroni has been in the forefront of Israeli diplomatic initiatives since 1991 with a strong emphasis in New York.  Wendeen has been supportive of Israeli-American friendship and business connections and was a government representative at the funeral of Yitzahk Rabinin). Eolis International Group serves clients in Israel through our affiliated consultants in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem and hosts Israeli law students for our summer internship programs and. We look forward to finding more of the best and the brightest during this year’s visit to the Promised Land.

    Mandela Dazzles Wendeen

    Wendeen listened to the tribute to Nelson Mandela at his memorial service in Soweto with first-hand knowledge of the joy, strength, and pride the South African liberator brought not only to his people, but to all who he befriended.

    Wendeen was privileged to cross paths with him twice. On the first occasion at Gracie Mansion in 1994, she was totally awed by his presence, his handshake and his glowing smile. She was mesmerized by his voice in their ninety second tete a tete; his every word resonated sharply.

    But the second occasion, in a hotel near Johannesburg, was even more inspirational–shortly after he completed his stunning biography. President Mandela insisted on revising Wendeen’s itinerary to accommodate time for a talk about his book and a dinner to celebrate it. Reflecting on the tribute, last week, Wendeen was moved to call him “a most extraordinary man-made wonder of the world.”

    Facts about Legal Recruiting Fees

    (NEW YORK, NEW YORK) The matter of legal recruiting fees has become thornier than ever, as law firms, increasingly, seek to renegotiate placement fees—shortly before (and sometimes after) an offer has been made and accepted by a high- powered rainmaker. Recruiters are well advised, as are law firms, to ensure clarity in their arrangements–at the beginning of the process–to mutual satisfaction. Gone are the days when a handshake will do.

    While most law firms put their own drafted fee schedule in front of the recruiter,  with a demand to sign or scram,  exceptional recruiters escape from this potential  rigidity, at least enough to modify terms. And the most accomplished recruiters set their fees and terms with clients, just as the best law firms do—by presenting their own agreements and allowing their clients to negotiate reasonable changes —not the other way around.

    Many recruiting fee disputes evolve because of bad practices on the part of  both the law firms and the recruiters  with whom they work; the notion of a resume’s shelf life is chief among them. If both, the employer and the recruiter recognize that the recruiter must be responsible for the placement, and mean by that phrase, that the recruiter’s  referral efforts must rise to the level of substantial cause of the placement —life would be so much easier. The “but for” rule, meaning but for whose efforts did the placement occur, has become a much murkier two edged sword and often leads to far more debate. Let’s get out of conjecture and rely on facts!

    Unlikely Trio at CPAC

    At a Washington dinner Wendeen Eolis and MSNBC news anchor Mika Brezinski were curious guests of at a CPAC meeting; both had been invited by the sponsors; they chatted at their ringside table before the Latino band came out to play. Morning Joe Scarborough graced the ladies with his presence, coming down from his perch as the MC ready to watch conservatives show the world they can loosen up.

    The unlikely trio mugged for the camera before the band got down to some serious salsa. Wendeen’s dinner partner, Niger Innis took Mika for a turn on the dance floor, while Wendeen moved to the beat of salsa on 1 with a member of the Board of the NRA. Joe took it all in with a slightly smiling face, before returning to the podium.

    Wendeen and Bill share memorable moment

    Wendeen and Bill take a photo after chatting amiably about their  acquaintanceship which dates back to his first stint as NYC Police Commissioner under Mayor Rudy Giuiani. Their first encounter came when each was advising the Mayor during a moment of potential racial unrest in New York. On his watch, for two Mayors  20 years apart, Commissioner Bratton did New York City proud.  He left public service in 2016–shortly after Wendeen’s photographed visit in his conference room, that took place during a tour of the police operations at Police Plaza with the Women’s Forum of New York.

    Wendeen puts Mayor on Spot

    In a meeting, by invitation of the Association for a Better New York ABNY), the Mayor schooled business and civic leaders and a sprinkling of politicos in the crowd, on his determined vision for Equity and Excellence in NYC public schools—for all children. But, he was pointedly mum about public schools that are currently accessible only to specially “gifted children. “

    As a graduate of one of those schools, and having been motivated to do the necessary to qualify for admission, I was beginning to lament the prospect of a school system void of special opportunities for those who earn them. I questioned the Mayor as noted in the corrected City Hall transcript:*

    Wendeen’s Question: Mr. Mayor thank you very much for the report. It’s exciting, I think for everybody in the room to know the emphasis that is placed on “Equity and Excellence for All.” I am interested in knowing the extent to which we’re going to be rolling out this concept in all of those schools – how will that affect your view of the special schools we currently have in New York, and will we need more of them? Will we need to expand them or will we have lesser need for those few schools that have typically attracted people who are highly talented, as proven through the testing process primarily?

    The Mayor’s Answer in pertinent part: “A fantastic question, (Wendeen). Can I give you a gold star for the question? If we were in the classroom, I’d be giving you a gold star right now. This is the kind of thing I think we need to talk a lot about – much more about in this city. Specialized schools are extraordinary. They have turned out a generation of leaders in all fields. You know, we just – an easy example in the national dynamics in just the last few years – Eric Holder one of the most prominent leaders of the Obama administrations, David Axelrod who helped bring you the Obama administration both from Stuyvesant. So, pretty amazing people, congratulations to Stuyvesant. I would make a speech about Brooklyn Tech – great graduates like Len Riggeo and Dante de Blasio.

    So they play a very, very crucial role, and they will certainly continue to. And I think there’s absolutely an open door – there’s certainly the potential of more specialized schools, but even more clearly there’s the potential to take models that work and expand them out. For example, where my daughter went – Beacon High School – tremendously successful, was used to create another great high school. That model and that approach was literally transported to another site on the Upper West Side and the new Frank McCord high school has started. So you can take a model and kind of replicate it in many ways, so yes we will continue to take great models and build them out and add new versions of them.

    But at the same time – because your question is wonderfully precise about is there a contradiction with this theme – no, I don’t believe there is. The goal is to say, you can take any school and give it the kinds of things it never had, and the world will start to change. That is not a lack of acknowledgement of other realities as to the previous question.

    On the way out the door of the meeting, the Chairman of ABNY, Bill Rudin caught my eye to say, “Great question.” New Yorkers need to keep their foot on the pedal to develop Equity and Excellence without sacrificing the incentive of special schools for parents who succeed in teaching their children the merits and the benefits of accountability, at a young age.

    Wendeen and Al Gore meet again!

    Wendeen and Al Gore meet up again in a different environment, before his presentation at New York’s most renowned and extraordinarily beautiful synagogue, Temple Emanuel. Last time around, Wendeen met with the former Vice President, shortly after he was defeated in the 2000 presidential campaign, while engaged in an attorney vetting assignment for the Florida recount.

    Mr. Gore’s commitment to the environment over the ensuing years has been a major focal point not only for him following public service, but for a world that cannot escape the problems of pollution. On this evening Wendeen was at the presentation, eager to hear from someone who is certain that global warming is neither a myth nor a Chinese hoax, but rather an urgent issue for our coming grandchildren.

    The former Vice President did not disappoint in his passion and determination, notwithstanding a drastic change in the political picture under a new president. And he did not get sidetracked either; there were no questions and no answers from Mr. Gore on President Donald J. Trump’s performance, shortly after the new president’s executive order-based- travel ban raised the ire of the Courts.

    Forever Indebted to the Late Dr. L. Jay Oliva

    Like all who had the good fortune to cross paths with Jay Oliva throughout his illustrious career as a pre-eminent educator, and quintessential steward of NYU,  I mourned his passing April 17th, very personally.

    It was Jay who insisted that I trot into my history class with infants in tow, rather than cut his class at the lofty NYU University Heights campus. .

    Jay was a cheering fan and forceful motivator for kids like me, who had no parents presiding over their educations.  And Jay was a strong voice who taught me the value of the NYU credo–perstare y prestare. He was an unwavering supporter of my decision to found a business with  $1,800 in savings and a freshly minted Bachelor’s Degree as capital. His lessons never faded though our contact was scarce during the next two decades.

    Some 25 years later, while president of the university, Jay tracked me down and invited me to lunch. He told me many important things about the ever-blossoming university in which I could take pride. And he said he was proud of my business success and would be even prouder, if I would choose to give back to the University.  And so I have, but the size of the debt to Jay for his sage advice can never be repaid.

    From the beginning to the end of this uniquely interesting acquaintanceship, Jay Oliva lit a fire to raise my own standards.