Upon this auspicious occasion, seeing before us this eloquence of attorneys, let us recount the mighty deeds of one Herbert Lee Beskin.
WHEREAS, Herbert was born and began his legal career in the last century (or we presume); and
WHEREAS, a double Hoo, Herbert graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in 1972, and stayed in Charlottesville to obtain his J.D. from the University of Virginia in 1975;
WHEREAS, Herbert was admitted to the Virginia State Bar and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association in 1975, in the last century;
WHEREAS several courts have allowed Herbert to practice before them, including, to the amazement of some, the Fourth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court;
WHEREAS, Herbert began practicing law, as such, with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Legal Aid Society in 1975 and remained with them until 1982, in the last century;
WHEREAS during his time a Legal Aid his signature hair was so long that photos of him from that period continue to trigger Homeland Security alerts, even now;
WHEREAS during his tenure as “the Trustee” Herbert served on the Bankruptcy Section Board of Governors from 1991-1997, all of which was also long, long ago, in the previous century;
WHEREAS, Herbert practiced with the illustrious firm of Tucker, Parker & Beskin, P.C. from 1983-1989 and the reconstituted firm of Parker, McElwain & Jacobs, P.C. from 1990-2003;
WHEREAS, the third year of this century (2003 for those of us unfamiliar with century designations) was a big year for Herbert. In that hallowed year, he was listed in the Best Lawyers in America and appointed as the Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Western District of Virginia, and the rest is history, or it will be, soon;
WHEREAS, during his term as “the Trustee” – which term went on and on and on for twenty (20) years — Mr. Baskin accomplished a few things of note:
WHEREAS, one court, one little time, found him responsible for “mal-administration” – just once;
WHEREAS, one time, he went up to the Fourth Circuit and prevailed – just once – in this century;
WHEREAS, one time, Herbert won the Employer of the Year Award upon the glowing and mostly accurate recommendation of his amazing staff – just once;
WHEREAS, Herbert conducted 2.4 million creditor meetings and appeared at 1.2 million confirmation hearings, all of which remain of record in the notes which fill a room of shelves and cabinets and tables;
WHEREAS, Debtors from every corner of the realm will escape the scrutiny of “The Trustee” of their tattered and torn and very well-worn Social Security cards (or lack thereof) but conversely Debtors will lose out on the elation of “The Trustee” at the sight of a well-preserved card;
WHEREAS, as Herbert is a true historian, there are among the records of the Trusteeship annual reports which recite in great detail the comings and goings of staff, attorneys, family and friends, including all weddings, births, promotions, achievements, and engagements;
WHEREAS, never did anyone ever take more notes at a conference than Herbert, in this century or the last century;
WHEREAS, Herbert’s case summaries of important bankruptcy legal opinions, and some not so important opinions, have been shared year after year after year from one attorney to another;
WHEREAS, Mr. Baskin will never again ask the Judge if her ruling will be the “official policy” going forward; and, attorneys will no longer need to fear that he will bring to “the attention” of said Judge things which might better be left without attention;
THEREFORE, be it declared, from this point onward, even into the next century, that sweater vests are no longer to be worn before any Bankruptcy Court in this Commonwealth, as such fashion items are hereby officially retired, as is the one who wore them best.
SIGNED, this 27th day of March, 2023, by those who love him well.
