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Bar News - July 18, 2008 Honorary Member Profiles: 50 Years of Service David Nixon: Fondly Looking Back While Moving Forward
David L. Nixon, of the Nixon, Raiche, Vogelman, Barry & Slawsky firm in Manchester, says reaching his 50-year milestone of legal practice does not mean it is time to hang it up. "I still enjoy the practice of law, and working hard," he replied in a questionnaire submitted to those members of the Bar who reached the honorary NHBA member status this year. In fact, he’s getting even busier, having recently filed to run for the NH House of Representatives, after having been active in the Legislature for six years in the mid-1970s, including service in the State Senate as chair of the judiciary committee and one year as State Senate president. "I plan to continue to work hard to bring New Hampshire’s legal and judicial systems back to where they were in the days of the late and beloved Chief Justice Frank R. Kenison, the finest jurist (as well as fly fisherman) I’ve had the honor to know and learn from," Nixon wrote. "I strongly believe the legal system should be ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’" Nixon also was a past gubernatorial candidate and a delegate to two Constitutional Conventions. An NHBA past president (1980-81) and secretary-treasurer of the Bar before it was unified, Nixon continues to be actively involved in the Bar, particularly as a volunteer attorney for the DOVE Project. He was also recently appointed by Gov. Lynch as chair of the Executive Branch Ethics Committee, and serves on a number of other community and professional boards and associations. Attorney Nixon also is a special source of knowledge about the NH Bar Association and its members, and he enjoys telling anecdotes about his mentors and luminaries of the NH Bench and Bar from the time of his admission in 1958 through the present. A Massachusetts native, Nixon attended the University of Michigan Law School after serving in the US Army. "I thought that lawyers had (and still think they have) a unique opportunity to improve the lives of those around them," he says of his motivation to become a lawyer. Readers are encouraged to read Nixon’s survey responses in their entirety as they feature anecdotes and interesting details and personalities in the practice of law in NH. Find his answers here (PDF).
"I’m thankful that I can still carry on my practice within limits," said David E. Tardif of his 50 years in the legal community. Born and raised in Concord, Tardif attended the University of New Hampshire, graduating in 1953, when he joined the Army. After three years in the Army, Tardif attended Boston College Law School in 1958. "I was a solo practitioner from 1958 to 1965," he said. "And in 1965 I entered into partnership with John W. Stanley, Jr." Tardif spent the next 5 years working with Stanley and in 1970 helped start the firm Tardif, Shapiro and Cassidy, where he worked until 2005. In 2005 he moved back into solo practice and still works two days a week on estates, deeds and trusts. "I became a lawyer because I wanted to be independent and become active in community affairs," he said. He did both things, serving 12 years on the Concord Board of Alderman and City Council and 15 years as a trustee of the Timothy and Abigail B. Walker Lecture Fund. Tardif is still working two days a week and travels regularly, returning recently from a tour of Spain and Portugal. He also recently toured Poland and hopes to continue his travels around the world.
Lucille Kozlowski, the 29th female attorney in the state of New Hampshire, was on a trip with a friend to Seabrook Beach when she decided that she’d pursue an education in the law. "My friend and I wanted to leave our small town and talked about going into the foreign service," she said. "But before we entered the service, we needed a college education." Shortly after this, Kozlowski enrolled in the Northeastern University evening division to earn pre-legal credits, working days as a secretary in the law office of Leonard Velishka. After three years, when Northeastern closed its law program, she moved to Boston College’s new School of Law where she traveled to school with classmates Arthur Gormley and Senator Warren Rudman, both residents of Nashua at the time. After finishing law school and passing the bar, Kozlowski began working as an attorney with Leonard Velishka. "He made me a partner right away," she said. "He was a great man." Lucille Kozlowski was very active in the Nashua Bar Association early in her career, serving as secretary/treasurer from 1958 to 1978. She fondly remembers the camaraderie among the members of the association, citing a time when the passing of an attorney motivated the entire association to donate money to the man’s wife and children. "It was the best bar in the state," she said. "Everyone always supported each other and it was great." Today, Kozlowski remains in practice but is slowly working on the transition into retirement. She plans to spend the rest of her summer enjoying her backyard and pool. Editor’s Note: Due to space constraints, Bar News is unable to print several historical and nostalgic photos submitted by the 50-year members. They will appear in the next issue.
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