I've Moved my Blog!!

I have moved my blog to my web site, which can be accessed at http://www.pbnylaw.com/insurance-ioi/.  Please note this new blog address in your bookmarks.  While there, also check out my updated website.  I look forward to your continued support for my musings.

New Column

I was asked recently by Steve Acunto, the publisher and editor of Insurance Advocate magazine to write a regular column on developing issues, particularly on the legislative and regulatory fronts.  The first installment of my column, Insight, appears in the May 21, 2012 issue of IA.  The column, which will be a regular feature of IA, can be viewed at http://www.insurance-advocate.com.  In his introduction, Steve stated:

In this issue of the Insurance Advocate Peter Bickford’s column premieres on page 12. Peter is a longtime, rather astute observer of the business, whose work we have featured with great pride over the years. We believe that, in keeping with the Insurance Advocate’s mission to observe regulation and legislation that affect the progress of insurance, as well as to look out for the livelihood of independent insurance agents and brokers, always seeking to improve the system as it now exists, we are advocates for good insuring practice on all sides. Peter Bickford has earned many stripes in this very same advocacy sphere and we welcome him to our pages.

Now all I have to do is deliver the goods . . .   regularly. . .   No pressure!

I look forward to your comments and suggestions for items of interest that you believe should be explored.

Thank you Mr. Roberts!

I was sad to hear about the recent passing of Burton Roberts who was purportedly the model for the judge in Thomas Wolfe’s “The Bonfire of the Vanities.” My sadness, however, was on a more personal note – Mr. Roberts is probably the reason I ended up in the insurance industry.

When I was looking for a job in NYC following my graduation from Law School, a friend who had graduated the year before and was an assistant DA in the Manhattan DA's office of the Frank Hogan era, arranged an interview for me. It turned out that the interviewer was the gruff, intimidating Burton Roberts, then a senior assistant to Mr. Hogan. After informing me about the rigors of the position and questioning me at length about my background and aspirations, Mr. Roberts informed me: “Young man, you seem like a smart, pleasant person, but you are far too nice to be working in the district attorney’s office.” It was not presented as a put-down, but merely an honest assessment of his view. After having had several condescending interviews with “white shoe” firms (“We only hire from Harvard or Yale, but I told [so-and-so] I would talk to you, so go ahead.”), I actually left Mr. Roberts’ office feeling a lot better about myself. He listened and then gave what was probably an accurate assessment.

Soon thereafter I accepted a position in the legal department of United States Life Insurance Company, and the rest, as they say, is history. So, thank you Mr. Roberts, for knowing more about me than I did at the time.

New Office Address and Phone Number

NEW OFFICE ADDRESS:

Peter H. Bickford, Esq.
50 Park Avenue
12th Floor
New York, NY 10016

NEW OFFICE PHONE NUMBER:

(212) 889-7384

SAME OLD E-MAIL

pbickford@pbnylaw.com

SAME OLD ME!