Esther R. Rothstein '49:
Perspectives on Professionalism
Esther R. Rothstein '49
Partner, McCarthy and Levin
Member, Chicago-Kent Board of Overseers
Life Trustee, Illinois Institute of Technology
More information about Esther Rothstein
What professional qualities do you most admire in your colleagues?
Integrity, excellence, dedication, loyalty, and compassion.
Who is your most significant professional role model?
My deceased partner, John F. McCarthy.
He was scholarly, creative and practical. He was honorable, tolerant and modest. Bias and bigotry were foreign to him.
He revered the law, and clients were to be served. Small problems and involved matters received equal attention. He never turned anyone away because of inability to pay.
He listened intently and was listened to in the same manner. He exuded confidence and was able to instill in others the ability to overcome obstacles. He was the consummate mentor. He was a meticulous practitioner who used language for understanding, not enhancement. He was the embodiment of professionalism.
Which individual who has touched your life do you most admire?
My late niece, Professor Elyce Zenoff. A victim of cancer in her prime, to her family, friends, colleagues and former students she continues to be an inspiration, mentor and conscience.
An entire issue of her law school Law Review was dedicated to her, and comments elicited were:
"She was early in the lists when it came to assuring we all understood that equality for women and minorities was vital to our profession. Her writings and leadership continue to be influential."
"Her character will continue to make her a vital presence throughout our lives...a woman of courage, committed to the best moral principles our society has developed and who lived by her commitments. The superb law teacher...gracious without false modesty, polite without modifying her convictions...if we but follow what we learned from her...we can influence generations of law students and lawyers in the future."
"The insatiable curiosity of the true scholar. A woman who made it in a ‘man's world,' but never forgot she was a woman...who knew how to play the game and yet was valiantly working to change some of the rules."
She taught the meaning of courage.
What are your hopes for law students and young attorneys as they seek out their own professional values?
One should not enter law school who does not revere the law. A law degree carries many duties, among them being a caretaker of freedom, a servant of justice and an aide to those among us who are unduly deprived of their right to life, liberty and happiness.
Only then will graduates be entering a profession -- to serve proudly with the right to gain respect.
Can you cite an example that gives expression to your idea of what it takes to be a true professional?
A recent act by Mary Ann McMorrow, the most recent Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, epitomizes the true professional.
In a high profile case she wrote a minority opinion and gave voice to what she felt was legally and morally correct, though it could create acrimony and prompt additional publicity for the court. She did so to maintain her integrity to abide by her oath of office.
|
