It is hard to imagine a more deserving recipient of a lifetime achievement award in the legal profession than Judge Richard J. Bartlett. During his career, Bartlett has made his mark as the founder of a major law firm, a prominent elected official, New York’s first chief administrative judge, the dean of a highly regarded law school and the head of our state’s bar admissions board. In all these roles, Judge Bartlett was an innovator who brought fresh ideas and pragmatic solutions to everything he touched. He truly merits this honor.
After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1949, Bartlett began practicing law in his home town of Glens Falls, N.Y. Ultimately, he formed the firm that is now known as Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart & Rhodes, which is a powerhouse in the upstate communities where the firm practices. He brought interesting cases to the firm such as a copyright suit by famed conductor Leopold Stokowski against Disney for the rights to the well-known film, Fantasia.
