In January 2009, solo practitioner Gary S. Greene sent out a call to the legal community in Southern California. He wanted to form an all-volunteer orchestra, and he wanted it to be composed entirely of lawyers and judges. The response was overwhelming, and the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic was officially established. It’s been so successful that Greene has since founded two additional musical groups: Legal Voices, a 100-member chorus, and Gary S. Greene, Esq., & His Big Band of Barristers, a Glenn Miller-style band. In June, the philharmonic and chorus performed their 8th Annual Concert Extraordinaire fundraiser, headlined by legendary entertainer Dick Van Dyke. As the founder, musical director and conductor of the LA Lawyers Phil, Greene has won numerous awards, including one proclaiming him to be “the only lawyer from whom judges take direction.”
Q. I know you’re a violinist and a conductor, but did you grow up in a musical family?
A. Yes—everyone in my family was involved in music. My late uncle, Ernst Katz, founded the Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra of California in 1937, and he conducted the orchestra into the beginning of its 72nd season. When I was young, I was concertmaster of the orchestra, and I worked closely with him. I was not only trained musically but also learned every aspect of running an orchestra. This was essential in starting the lawyers’ orchestra. I passed these skills on to my daughter, Debra Marisa Greene Kaiser, who is the executive director. Of the thousands of youth who played in the Jr. Phil, a number went on to law school and now play with me in the LA Lawyers Phil.
Read more from Jenny B. Davis about Gary S. Greene.
Attribution: Photo by Michael Kohan; gallery created by Andy Lefkowitz.