Welcome to another edition of Meet the Attorney! This time, we are introducing attorney Robert Baumgarten, Esq.. Mr. Baumgarten attended State University of New York, Stony Brook for his undergraduate studies, and went on to study law at New York Law School.

There was no particular person or event that suddenly ignited a desire for him to practice law. Mr. Baumgarten was always interested in politics, government, and the rule of law. Combined with a penchant for argument and debate, he realized during his college days that the law was a natural fit.

He did not always practice personal injury law. “When I first graduated from law school last century,” he jokes, “I practiced corporate and real estate law.” He found those areas to be dry and generally uninteresting. He says he always got a bit of a rush from public speaking, and the court room seemed the place to be. Once he realized that, he focused on litigation and found that personal injury was the most interesting of all the areas. There was no way he was going to do family/divorce law, or commercial or corporate litigation. He adds, “That is like watching paint dry.”

The part of the profession that he finds most rewarding is helping people who have been injured and need assistance. “There is nothing like the gratification you get when you have achieved a favorable outcome for people that are in serious need,” says Mr. Baumgarten. When asked if he has ever experienced a moment in his profession that has made him feel as if he is doing exactly what he was meant to do, he replied, “Sure, whenever the jury rules in my favor.”

He enjoys meeting with our clients because “this is a partnership between us and them.” He says, “It is important to have a strong relationship with your client, and be able to communicate with them about the case.” He finds the best way to do that is during face to face meetings. However, his attitude about meeting with clients doesn’t change based on whether he can help them or not. He feels that either way they need to know the truth about the case, whether good or bad. He says that the best way to do that is to communicate to them clearly and directly, and easiest way to do that his face to face.