Q&A
Concerns about Mastro's leadership abilities and criticisms from law department attorneys
3:32:19
·
4 min
Council Member Farías presents criticisms of Randy Mastro's leadership abilities from current and former law department attorneys. Mastro defends his record and disputes the characterizations.
- Farías reads anonymous statements criticizing Mastro's suitability for the Corporation Counsel role
- Critics describe Mastro as difficult, full of bluster, and making questionable legal arguments
- Mastro disputes the characterizations, stating they come from a few anonymous sources
- He emphasizes his respect for the law department and his desire to serve
- Mastro highlights his track record of diversity in his previous law firm leadership roles
Amanda Farías
3:32:19
The law department is the city's law firm, employing approximately 850 lawyers and hundreds of other support staff.
3:32:26
Is it it is one of the biggest law offices in the city.
3:32:30
Why shouldn't we scrutinize your departure from Gibson given that it could relate to your former colleagues a lack of support for you leading the firm.
3:32:37
After all, in this hearing, we are considering whether you should lead the city's law office.
Randy Mastro
3:32:44
Well, I led Gibson Dunn for 20 years.
3:32:48
And was on its executive committee and on its management committee for most of that time.
3:32:54
And I led its litigation group, co chaired, that group 2 preeminence nationally.
3:33:01
And you're going to hear from former colleagues from Gibson Dunn and and current colleagues about what kind of leader I was at Gibson Dunn, including leading the New York Litigation Partnership to more than from 0 to more than 30% women and many diverse parts.
Amanda Farías
3:33:21
Sure.
3:33:21
So why leave the law firm, if that's the case?
Randy Mastro
3:33:24
I'm sorry.
3:33:25
Why leave?
3:33:25
Because I hit 865, and I was no longer in firm management.
3:33:29
I I I I don't Mhmm.
3:33:32
I've said that publicly.
3:33:33
So I would look forward to the unique opportunity to build something new, and that's what some of the attraction of returning to city government to do something transformative with the law department to bring affirmative litigation more of it for the benefit of the city, civil rights, constitutional rights, social justice, public safety.
Amanda Farías
3:34:00
It seems like current and former city law department attorneys also have had doubts about your leadership and do not support you becoming corporation counsel.
3:34:08
We have received several statements from several long time current and former attorneys at the law department.
3:34:14
Who provided their statements anonymously for fear of retribution by you based on some of the tactics you've employed.
3:34:19
One stated, I have a hard time thinking of a person more ill suited for that position than Mister Mastro.
3:34:25
He has argued countless cases against the city, challenging its local laws and regulations as preempted by state or federal law or as otherwise unconstitutional.
3:34:34
Do the the the through line being his view that local government should not be able to adjust the problems facing the city and its citizens, perhaps ever, if they adversely affect the bottom line of one of those clients.
3:34:47
Another stated during my law department career, I litigated several cases against Randy Mastro.
3:34:52
As far as I can recall, the city won most or all of them.
3:34:56
He was always a difficult adversary.
3:34:58
Full of bluster, puffed up with self importance, and disdainful of line of attorneys, and they're often winning legal arguments.
3:35:06
While Randy certainly represented his clients, Zelas Li, he could also be over Zelas.
3:35:11
Making highly questionable factual assertions and borderline frivolous legal arguments.
3:35:16
It would be unsettling to see someone with Randy's values and his history of litigating against the city in high profile cases becoming corporation counsel.
3:35:25
Why should the council place extraordinary faith in the idea that all of these people, including those who have served the city's law department for decades collectively, are wrong?
Randy Mastro
3:35:36
So it's it's hard to respond when you quote so called anonymous sources, but I will say this.
3:35:46
I've listed all the cases I brought against the city, and, you know, I won many of them.
3:35:52
But leaving that aside, you know, in in the in the heat of litigation, sometimes people take things personally.
3:35:59
I take nothing personally.
3:36:00
I don't take your questions personally.
3:36:02
I don't take anyone's questions personally on this counsel.
3:36:06
And I think that I could produce dozens of people from the law department who would say how much they enjoyed working with me, and they do it on the record.
3:36:15
So I I I have to say that it doesn't surprise me, that One or more people in the in the heat of battle came away with less of a broader perspective, but in most of my litigation work.
3:36:36
You develop relationships and bonds that go beyond just that litigation and, you know, we're professionals.
3:36:45
We respect each other.
3:36:47
I respect the law department.
3:36:48
I respect you to all of them.
3:36:50
And that's why I would like to serve because I think it's a great department.
Amanda Farías
3:36:55
Thank you.
3:36:55
I mean, I'm sure many of us can aggregate a dossier of people that can be on either sides, but I think it's important for all of us to consider as many sides as possible coming into this.
Randy Mastro
3:37:06
A couple of anonymous people you're quoting, but go ahead.
Amanda Farías
3:37:08
There will be lots of folks testifying today, so I'm sure the anonymity of the 2 that I've given as an example are irrelevant.
Randy Mastro
3:37:15
Please go ahead.
Amanda Farías
3:37:15
It has been widely reported that judge Heinz Radix left her role as corporation counsel because she believed that the law department and city resources should not be used to defend a top associate of the mayor's against sexual assault and harassment allegations.