As an undergraduate student at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Nicholas Tarkazikis was a baseball player. He developed qualities like focus, drive, and determination on the field, and was unknowingly paving the way for great success off the field as well.
Nick reflected: “I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. It was an internship at the Rockland County District Attorney’s office that finally helped me solidify a career path. Everyone there enjoyed their work, and I found all of it really interesting. So I decided that the legal profession might be a great fit for me.”
Upon earning a Juris Doctor degree from Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law (Cum Laude, 2019), the new lawyer landed a role at the Bronx County District Attorney’s office as an Assistant District Attorney. Just as he did in ball games throughout his life, Nick knocked it out of the park there for 2 years, navigating complex criminal investigations and seeking justice at all hours of the day and night.
“When I was hired, I went into narcotics investigation and worked in the gang unit. I was primarily focused on long-term cases that involved narcotics trafficking, gangs, and gun possession. I looked at pattern robberies and pattern burglaries, and was fascinated by how investigations took shape, including how undercover officers would use body cameras and impersonate people going in to buy narcotics. It was an extremely eye-opening experience for me.”
Nick noted, however, that this type of role required his attention “24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” adding: “I would get calls at all times of the night to write up search warrants or to craft and submit detailed logs and reports on incidents that had taken place.”
After marrying Ashlea, who he credits for keeping him motivated and inspired throughout his undergraduate years, law school, bar exam preparation, and every step of the way, Nick said that he began to feel fatigued from the demands of his work. He began to realize just how little free time he had compared to some of his peers.
“It was a really tough balance; I would drive down to the city every day from the Mid-Hudson Valley – and not only was the commute tough but the work was so exhausting on every level as well, and I was sleep-deprived from the overnight calls and responsibilities. I just could not imagine doing it long-term as Ashlea and I built our life together.”
The game-changer?
A global pandemic, during which time Nick began working remotely for the DA’s office full-time – at which point it became crystal clear that his top priority was to develop a “healthier work-life balance” for his future.
Nick discovered that McCabe and Mack LLP, located just minutes from his home in Fishkill NY, was hiring. Nick said he had long admired the company’s history of being a well-respected, successful civil practice, and when he met the team, he knew it was where he belonged.
Nick said, “I could tell immediately that they deserved every bit of the reputation they had built as legal experts who are both family- and community-oriented. And when I met with the partners, I could see that this was a team who would help me professionally and personally; I took the opportunity and felt supported right out of the gate.”
The former college athlete (who now enjoys golfing in his leisure time) went on to add that the McCabe and Mack team has since become another group of “coaches” in his life who are helping him grow, learn, and become the best attorney he can be.
Indeed, it has been a mutually beneficial relationship. Nick’s areas of practice include litigation and insurance defense, appellate practice, and civil rights/police liability, and he is a member of the Dutchess County Bar Association and New York State Bar Association. He brings exceptional critical thinking skills and a stellar work ethic to the firm and his clients every day.
When asked about the difference between working on criminal and civil litigation, Nick responded: “Now I get to serve each client individually as opposed to working on PSNY-type situations (People of the State of New York). My time was previously spent studying behaviors of criminals and ultimately getting them off the streets; but now working in this capacity, it requires a very different kind of process. For example, I now ask permission from the clients before making any move – which is quite different from making decisions unilaterally on criminal cases – but I enjoy the communication and collaboration involved. It feels really good to engage others, talk to people, and get their opinions.”
Nick added that his work with the DA’s office really prepared him for the role in a civil practice.
“Starting my career in the District Attorney’s office taught me how to be ready for anything at any time, because you never know what’s going to pop up from one moment to the next. Although the kinds of things that come up in the DA’s office rarely do in civil practice, I think the experience showed me how to be flexible, how to think on my feet, and how to respond quickly. It also, of course, taught me the value of hard work.”
Nick does note that while a solid work ethic is key to success, it must be balanced out if it is going to be sustainable. He says that civil practice allows him to bring his A-game to his clients because he has achieved such balance.
Nick stated, “Humans can’t work all the time – we need to rest our brains if we are going to have clarity of thought and show up feeling sharp and ready to go. Constantly being on call with the DA’s office meant that I didn’t have time to recharge. Now, I can get a healthy sleep every night, have time for loved ones, and have the energy to be at my best for our clients.”
He also highlighted an important life lesson that applied to all aspects of life, which is about how he defines success.
“Outcomes show up differently – and are weighted differently – depending on the situation in life. If you look at law, in criminal practice, winning is very clear-cut – but in a civil situation, there are so many shades of grey and positive outcomes can come in all different forms. It’s a lesson for life, really.”
“I am young and have a lot of time to learn and gain experience. I have a great group of mentors at McCabe and Mack, some of whom have been practicing law longer than I have even been alive. I feel very fortunate to have secured a position with such a highly regarded law firm, and I am excited to see what else I will learn as time goes on.”
And we look forward to watching Nick learn, grow, and use everything he learns to continue to “knock it out of the park.”
Learn more about McCabe and Mack LLP Associate Nicholas Tarkazikis at: https://mccm.com/nicholas-tarkazikis/.