Attorney Spinelli does civic ‘pro bono’ work as Kiwanis Club leader

Pro Bono Barrister

July 15, 2014 By Charles F. Otey, Esq. Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Steve Spinelli, president of the 86th Street Bath Beach Kiwanis Club

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Historically, lawyers have been getting “bad press” since the profession began. Even Shakespeare has been misinterpreted to tarnish our image; for example, one of his characters proclaims, “First, we kill all the lawyers.”

The accepted “wisdom” here has been the incorrect assumption that the goal is to kill them because they’re evil.

In truth, “Dick The Butcher,” who uttered that infamous phrase in “Henry VI: Part II,” had the contrary goal of tearing down the system of justice so that anarchy could rule. “Dick” feared the profession as the bulwark protecting law-abiding citizens of the day.

Yet, as far back as 1381, practicing law was a risky business. According to a quote by Richard Du Cann in the preciously titled, humorous tome “The Law Is an Ass,” authored by English barrister Ronald Irving, that long-ago year was a bad one for lawyers.

“In the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, more judges and lawyers were killed than any other single class of person. When the men of Kent reached London, they first burnt down the house of the Lord Chancellor, then the Temple, the home of the advocate for 200 years,” the quote reads.

Over the last eight centuries, lawyers have still gotten pilloried in most media whenever the opportunity has presented itself. With most of the press — print, broadcast, cable, web — highlighting the alleged misdeeds of a very small percentage of bar members, it’s important to tell about the “good that lawyers do.”

That’s been the main theme of this appropriately titled column for almost 14 years and, this week, we take a look at Steve Spinelli, who has held a number of offices in the Bay Ridge Lawyers Association — which is, by the way, the most successful neighborhood bar association in the city.

Barrister Spinelli helps see to the excellent web efforts of the BRLA and is a well-known community organizer in Bath Beach, where he heads the 86th Street Bath Beach Kiwanis Club. As all Kiwanians know, this countrywide service organization develops special relations with students in local schools. (Full disclosure, this writer was an active member of the Weir High School Key Club, affiliated with the Kiwanis Club of Weirton, W.Va.)

Lawyer Helps Autistic Youth Enjoy Their Own ‘Spring Prom’

Spinelli’s group recently did a wonderful thing for autistic youth, treating them to their own prom and doing it in fine style on June 24. We heard about it and learned that it was a “Dream Prom” for some 60 autistic teens who attend the HeartShare School in Bath Beach.

The 86th Street Bath Beach Kiwanis Club event was held at Sirico’s Catering Hall in Dyker Heights.

“With generous donations from community members and local merchants, including Xaverian High School, Romantique Limousines and Investors Bank, the night was filled with all aspects of a traditional high school prom, but was tailored to the teens’ special needs,” our source said. “Donations included prom dresses, corsages and boutonnieres, a photo booth, a hot dog cart, a limousine, a DJ and a visit from ‘Miss Cosmopolitan 2014’ Christina Moore.”

Gracious in victory, President Spinelli told us, “It was an honor for our club to host this wonderful group of teens on their special night.” Spinelli added that his fellow Kiwanians were “humbled by the outpouring of support and generosity from the members of our community who made this event possible.”

In the true Kiwanian spirit, volunteers from the John Dewey High School Key Club helped ensure that all prom goers danced the night away and made memories that will last a lifetime. And a lawyer — colleague Steve Spinelli — was one of the guys who led the effort.

Of course, it’s hard not to mention that HeartShare, one of the largest and most effective service organizations in the state, is led by Bill Guarinello, a major civic leader in the same Bensonhurst Bath Beach area served by the 86th Street Kiwanians.