Hon. Stewart D. Aaron — Introduction of Richard P. Swanson on May 29, 2025

Introduction of Richard P. Swanson by Hon. Stewart D. Aaron
NYCLA Home of Law
May 29, 2025

Good evening. My name is Stewart Aaron. I sit as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of New York and previously served as the 58^th President of the Association from 2011 to 2013. It is my privilege to introduce NYCLA’s new President, Richard Swanson.

 

Well, the last time I appeared before the Association as President, I sang a song to the tune of Leavin’ on a Jet Plane with accompaniment by a ukulele. In preparing my remarks here today, I gave some thought to a song I could perform a capella since my accompanist went AWOL. What came to mind was to rewrite the lyrics to a 1919 song composed by George Gershwin, called Swanee. It would have gone something like this:

You’ve been with NYCLA for a long time.

We always knew you’d never go.

We know that you yearn for it too.

Swanee, they’re calling you.

Swanee how we love ya, how we love ya.

Our dear old Swanee.

 

But, alas, I thought the better of it and thought I should stick with spoken remarks, so here they are:

 

Richard Paul Swanson hails from New Haven, Connecticut. He received his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Wesleyan University in 1977 and his Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Harvard University Law School in 1980.

 

Richard was an associate at Milbank Tweed from 1980 to 1983 and an associate at Spengler Carlson from 1983 to 1986. He became partner at Spengler Carlson in 1987. Richard stayed at his law firm for almost the next 20 years, which after two mergers was the firm Thelen Reid & Priest. In 2005, Richard left Thelen Reid & Priest to join Arnold & Porter as a partner. In 2012, he became Chief Legal Officer at York Capital Management, a position from which he retired in 2021.

 

I first met Richard in the 1980s when he was serving as Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Federal Legislation. I was a young associate and became secretary of the Committee when Richard was the Chair of the Committee. Richard and I have been friends ever since.

 

At a Federal Bar Council dinner that Richard and I were attending in 2004 the two of us were standing behind a table at which former Governor Mario Cuomo was sitting. Richard mentioned that he was in discussions to join a new law firm, and I mentioned that I also was in discussions to join a new law firm. He said that his new firm’s name began with an “A” and I said that my new firm’s name also began with an “A.” We then said that we needed to talk. In 2005, we both joined Arnold & Porter, where we served together as partners until Richard became Chief Legal Officer at York.

 

Now let me talk briefly about Richard’s history with NYCLA, which is extensive. He has been a member of NYCLA for over 40 years. Throughout his over four decades of service to NYCLA, he served as Chair of the Supreme Court Committee, a member of the Board of Directors, Chair of the Board’s Investments Committee and Treasurer, as well as countless other positions.

 

I am very confident that NYCLA and its members will flourish with Richard at the helm. I know this because of the success he has had over the course his career and, most significantly because of how Richard has impacted the lives and careers of others.

 

I reached out to some of Richard’s friends and former colleagues for them to provide their thoughts about Richard. I can’t recite all of what they said due to time limitations, but I wanted to share some of it with you.

 

Veronica Callahan, a partner at Arnold & Porter, had this to say: “Richard’s commitment to the rule of law runs deep. For the more than 20 years that I have known and practiced with him, Richard has always been faithful to best practices and a profound respect for zealous but respectful advocacy that draws on the best traditions of the profession. Richard has also always served as a mentor who has paved the way for many younger generations to grow up in the law with the same commitment to the rule of law.”

 

Kelli Cooney, the Director of Administration at Arnold & Porter said: “Richard is kind, brilliant, thoughtful and incredibly loyal. He cares deeply about his work, his colleagues and his friends – at every level, from his partners to his assistants. He respects the voices and differing opinions of those around him, and he challenges the people he believes in to push themselves. He is the type of person that you deeply want to do your very best work for, because you don’t want to disappoint the trust he has already given you.”

 

Rob Holton, a Senior Counsel at Arnold & Porter, shared that he saw firsthand Richard’s passion and energy for consistently providing the best possible advice to clients, and the deep trust that his clients placed in him. Rob stated: “Of course, providing the best advice is often a team effort, and Richard poured as much focus and effort into building strong service teams and real friendships and relationships with others at the firm as he did to pitching and representing clients — and we all know how well Richard can work a room.”

 

Kate Reilly, an Arnold & Porter partner and NYCLA Board member, said that “[w]orking with Richard was and is wonderful – he’s incredibly knowledgeable, passionate about the law and a genuinely good human being. Richard is a model of the profession, and I’ve never doubted his commitment to the rule of law, which is so critical now. He’ll be an excellent NYCLA President.”

 

And, finally, Brian Traficante, who is Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel at York Capital Management had this to say: “Richard epitomizes everything you want in a trusted legal advisor, which is saying something giving his juvenile delinquent beginnings.”

 

[I’ll leave it to Richard to talk about that during the reception that will follow.]

 

Brian continued: “Intelligent, a skilled litigator and incredibly hard working are just a few of the traits that made Richard so successful as a law firm partner and later in-house chief legal officer; however, what made Richard truly special to those of us that were lucky enough to work with him was his compassion and advocacy for others.” Brian concludes by saying: “NYCLA is lucky to have such an amazing leader, and I have no doubt he will leave NYCLA just like he has left every other place he has worked…in a much better place than before he was there. Congratulations Richard. We are all rooting for you.”

 

I agree wholeheartedly with all that I’ve just shared about Richard. And I can sum up my thoughts about him succinctly. Richard is smart, loyal, doggedly persistent and most importantly of all, a real mensch (for the few of you who aren’t familiar with the term, a mensch is a person like Richard of integrity and honor).

 

I now present to you the 66^th President of the New York County Lawyers Association, Richard Swanson.