J. Joseph McGowan: Reflecting on Past, Present, and Future

Partners of McCabe and Mack LLP recently announced that longtime Poughkeepsie resident and attorney J. Joseph McGowan, Of Counsel, has retired from the Firm after 56 years of service.

McGowan, who’s helped area business people bring their professional visions to life as the longest-running member of our banking and secured lending team, graduated from Georgetown University in 1958 (Bachelor of Science, cum laude) and earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Harvard University Law School in 1961. After serving as Appellate Counsel (Captain) of the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army (1962-1963), he returned to his home Hudson Valley to begin a career in law that has spanned nearly six decades.

We asked Mr. McGowan, who was born in Orange County and raised in Ulster County, to reflect a bit as he celebrates what has been an extraordinary journey. Here’s what he had to say:

Q. Tell us about your service to the U.S. Army JAG Corps.

A. After I graduated from Harvard Law School and was admitted to the New York Bar, I went on active duty in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, the legal arm for the United States Army. I did Court Martial Appeals, and theoretically worked from the Pentagon, but most of the time our group was located in a ramshackle building (now demolished) by the Lincoln Memorial.

A. My office mate and I knew that the rule was that if there was a military plane going to a destination and it had space available for passengers, they had to include any active duty or retired military person seeking to travel to that same spot. We arrived at Andrews Air Force Base as directed to get onboard, and discovered the presidential jet (Air Force One, if occupied) waiting to go! So there we were, on a very comfortable presidential jet, sitting at regular dining room tables and getting served by wait staff who had nice white towels draped over their arms. Having that opportunity had nothing to do with where I was in my career, it was simply about being in the right place at the right time. The jet was heading to Copenhagen where it was supposed to pick up a diplomat who would then head to Afghanistan to greet the King who would then get transported back to the United States for a visit. We didn’t go any further or have the chance to meet the King of course, but just riding on that jet is a pretty incredible memory.

Q. Tell us about your family.

A. My wife Mary and I met in 1961. My law school roommate was going stir crazy as we’d been studying hard for exams, and he persuaded me to go out with him to a club called the Chancery for a St. Patrick’s Day party. That’s where I met Mary. She grew up in Mamaroneck, actually, which isn’t that far from where I was raised. We dated and she’d travel as far as Charlottesville when I was at UVA for JAG School, and we eventually moved home to New York. We have two daughters, who’ve had their own successes- one is a clinical nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the other is a Senior Vice President at NBC Universal. They’re six years apart and still best friends, which is so nice. We also love being grandparents to our one granddaughter. We’re lucky that our family lives not too far away in New York City, so we get to see a lot of each other.

Q. How did you land at McCabe and Mack?

A. I was actually first hired as an area lawyer by Joe Quinn in Poughkeepsie, who asked me what I wanted to get paid and I threw out a number that matched what my friends were earning at big firms in New York City. To my great surprise, he said yes, which allowed us to start building our lives in Dutchess County. But it wasn’t the right fit for the long term, so I only worked there for a year before getting the opportunity to join the firm as its first full-time associate when it was still McCabe and McCabe. That was in 1965. There I stayed.

Q. What’s it been like to work with so many locals?

A. I’ve enjoyed it every step of the way, especially because this whole region is home to me since I was born. There have been so many good people and so much good work to do. I was the guy who was always out in the community as a public face, I had the chance to meet countless people and help many of them as clients. Some of our most interesting deals resulted in many of the buildings you see today around the mid-Hudson Valley, where businesses have been able to thrive, offer employment opportunities, and give back to good causes just as the firm has done. And it’s been fun getting to work with fellow lawyers, not only on our team, but from other firms. They are talented and intelligent and are among my best friends. Some would’ve made great comedians, like the late Mickey Hayes and the late Hal Mangold. Hal was always in high demand for any organizations that needed an emcee! I enjoyed working with those guys. They were so funny.

And of course, working with Phil Shatz also was a career highlight. We were partners for 35 years and worked very well together throughout all that time. I’m grateful for all of it.

Q. What’s it been like to see the firm grow?

A. I remember the McCabe and McCabe days when we were in the Church Building across from the courthouse in Poughkeepsie. There were 3 McCabes then – Joseph (a World War I Veteran) and his two sons, Dick and Joe. Joe was a very good mentor. All are deceased now. But at the time they purchased their property on Catherine Street, I had to move to an interim location where you had to walk through the building manager’s office to get to mine. The firm later moved to Catharine Street and then Washington Street. I think that helped the firm grow very quickly from that point on because it’s such a well-traveled section of Dutchess County – everyone sees it. Over the years, we’ve continued growing our team of attorneys, and now we really offer comprehensive counsel in all areas of practice. We’ve got an incredible group who serve our clients with utmost integrity. And they did remarkable work especially over the last year during the pandemic, when they really had to be flexible in how they conducted business. They quickly figured out how to keep providing an exceptional level of service even with so many Covid-19 guidelines and limitations, and even when everyone had to worry about their own health and that of their families.

Recently I was cleaning out my desk. I have all of these little pieces of paper with notes on them, and they tell all kinds of stories on their own. One of them reminded me of when we first hired Ellen Baker. I never imagined when I first interviewed her, fresh out of law school, that I’d know her one day as a grandmother as I do now. Now she’s Of Counsel. Like David Posner – another person who’s been with us for so many years who held a senior position on our management team – and now Scott Bergin & Rick DuVall are doing an excellent job in that role. Most of our attorneys build their entire careers with the firm, so we get to work together on all kinds of projects and become a real team.

Q. Tell us about your area of practice.

In the beginning, I represented banks and insurance companies as the firm’s major clients, like the First National Bank of Poughkeepsie and Nationwide Insurance, but over time I began to focus on transactional law for the banks – not for residential closings, but for commercial real estate deals and businesses.

Q. What projects have been the most fulfilling for you?

I think if you really enjoy what you’re doing and take pride in it, you always want to bring your best to your work so it all ends up being rewarding. I’ve had the good fortune of bringing legal expertise to businesses as they bring projects from financing to fruition. There were so many construction efforts that I was lucky enough to be a part of. When I saw some of those buildings get constructed and knew that I had a hand in making them possible, I always felt pride and accomplishment. Three of the areas I really had fun working on over the years were real property tax certifications, “diners”, and aircraft. I remember having aircraft closings where you’d have people from all over on the line: U. S. Federal Aviation Agency from Oklahoma City and Brussels, as representatives of manufacturers from France and Northern Ireland, Command Airways and bankers and pilots over in Europe and the U.S. A. The moment the papers were signed and filed, the plane ownership was official and you knew the pilots were about to take off. It was always fun, different, and exciting to be a part of that.

Q. Looking back, did you have a mentor who helped inspire you?

Definitely Joseph C. McCabe. I learned a great deal from him, and I enjoyed surprising him with unexpected successes. For example, at one point I was trying to settle a death case for a fairly young man who left behind a wife who was pregnant at the time and their four kids. Had to do a lot of math on life expectancy of decedents, his wife, etc., to quantify the impact of his death. I added the unborn infant to the equation, and we secured an award for it at a time when the legal system wasn’t yet set up to help someone much in a situation like that. I got a gold star for that one! We ended up talking through the application of a lesson I learned in Army JAG, which is the “cut and paste rule.” The idea is that once you successfully win your case, you remember that you can cut that argument out of the old and paste it into a new situation, then customize it as needed. AWOL was typical. I enjoyed sharing minor victories with him and discussing ways of approaching problems. He was a true friend and mentor for me.

Q. What makes the firm so unique?

Definitely our community work. We’re involved with most of the region’s nonprofits – our lawyers serve as board members and volunteers and do a great deal to help out. Every one of the organizations we serve is important to us.

I think what’s also helped to drive our success is that our attorneys tend to stay for many years. We’ve had exceptions, typically when a lawyer is following a spouse’s career, relocates, or decides he or she needs to be home to raise children. But overall, the team’s longevity with McCabe and Mack helps us build long lasting, trusting relationships. I think you will find that staff longevity is also outstanding.

Q. What advice would you give to a young lawyer?

I’d say that it might be harder than they think, but if they put in the time and effort, and are happy with people they work with, it’s a very rewarding profession. I’d also say that it’s important to find a place like McCabe and Mack where the philosophy is ‘come work WITH us’ – not ‘come work FOR us.’ We’ve always looked to hire people who want to be part of a team – and who aspire to one day become partners. Lawyers who really want to build a career with us. I think that is what ends up making their professional experiences more fulfilling, and ultimately what makes lawyers more successful as they work to meet the needs of their clients and communities.

Q. What has it been like to serve for almost 60 years?

It’s been a privilege to provide legal services to businesses and individuals throughout the region for most of my professional life. It’s great work and I’ve truly enjoyed it. I’ve watched our firm and entire profession grow, evolve, and expand its impact in many ways. We have a highly talented team at McCabe and Mack, and I am confident that they’ll do great work for generations to come.

In addition to McGowan’s role as a longtime local attorney, he also became well-known for his commitment to community service over the years. Volunteer roles have included those with organizations such as Astor Services for Children and Families (where McGowan was Trustee from 1989-2018, Trustee Emeritus 2018-present, and Board President 1992-2004), Mount Saint Mary College (Trustee 1980-1989), Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley (Board Member 2000-2011, Secretary 2006-2011), Mid-Hudson Civic Center (Board President 1984-1985), as well as service to Abilities First and the City of Poughkeepsie Planning board.

Joe has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Army Condemnation Medal (Meritorious Service, 1963), Garden Party Honoree (Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, 2013), Phelan Meritorious Trustee Award (Archdiocese of New York, 2012), Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award (Catharine Street Community Center, 2009), Serena Branson Leadership Award (Astor Services for Children and Families, 2004), and Dutchess County Bar Association Award (Gartland Award for Community Service, 2012).

Learn more at https://mccm.com/j-joseph-mcgowan/.