That rocked. Six talented bands of brilliant New York City legal professionals battled it out for amazing NYC nonprofits (and rock glory) at the first ever Law Rocks New York City! The bands rocked and fundraised hard, raising over $73,000 - a Law Rocks record for the first time in a city. All six bands rocked the Gramercy and raised funds for worthy local nonprofits. In the end, The Meltones of Greenberg Traurig won for their nonprofit pick, East Harlem Tutorial Program.
Thank you, New York - we love you!
Meet the bands.
DOC McCOOL AND THE FOOLS
Playing for Connecticut Veterans Legal Center
Featuring talented legal professionals from Edwards Wildman
The members of DOC MCCOOL AND THE FOOLS are honored to be raising money for the amazing veterans, lawyers, and staff at the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center in New Haven CT. The CVLC, with the help of its growing team of community volunteer lawyers, are helping to improve the lives of our veterans every day in overcoming life-impacting struggles. Please come and join us to help support the CVLC! DOC MCCOOL AND THE FOOLS have a long and winding history of separately developing their musical stylings and tastes over the years, ultimately culminating in the formation of this extra cool, wildly fun, and foolishly clever Rock Band of the Ages!!! The band embraces all sorts of styles of music but was able to easily select a most excellent and kick-ass set list that includes a range of musical stylings from the 70s through today. Kids, be prepared to GIT DOWN with DOC MCCOOL AND THE FOOLS and all of the awesome bands on Dec 11th! Remember, for those about to ROCK, we salute you! Now to introduce the band:
Gabe McCool – aka “DOC MCCOOL” – bass/vocals
Dan Fiorello – aka “IL CAPITANO” – lead guitar/lead vocals
Joy Whitney – aka “SHOTGUN” – vocals
Brian Lothson – aka “FOOL #2” - guitar / lead vocals
Ted Bednarczyk – aka “T.E.D.” – drums
Their awesome nonprofit pick:
The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center's mission is to help veterans recovering from homelessness and mental illness overcome legal barriers to housing, healthcare and income.
Proudly sponsored by
JUST CAUSE
Playing for Why Hunger
Featuring talented legal professionals from Buzzel, Blanda & Visconti, DeJesu, Maio & Associates, Law Offices of James F. Matthews, Law Offices of Christopher Modelewski, Naness, Chaiet & Naness, and Suffolk County District Court
Just Cause is a classic rock band playing covers from the 60's to current. Emphasis on high energy dancing music. Just Cause is dedicated to charity work and has raised over $75,000 for "just causes" since 2010. We have supported organized non-profit charities like Cow Harbor Wounded Warriors Project, March of Dimes, Northport Ecumenical Food Pantry, Salvation Army Home for Homeless Veterans, Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, Metropolitan Area Benevolent Fund for Families of Law Enforcement Officers killed in the line of duty, DDI School for Autistic Children. We have also performed to support persons and their families in need due to traumatic illness, disability and families in need due to loss of a loved one.
Their awesome nonprofit pick:
WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment.
Proudly sponsored by
THE HOGAMATICS
Playing for Nazareth Housing
Featuring talented legal professionals from Hogan Lovells and Silver Golub & Teitell
Veterans of many firm parties, countless reunions, one rock opera, and many gigs in high school and college before choosing day jobs in the law, this band plays a mixture of blues, rhythm and blues, soul and sixties music. The lead singer (and ringer) performs frequently at clubs thoughout New York City, but she still likes the music that her father played when she was growing up. This band is very tight and experienced, except when they get into arguments over chord progressions -- which can happen at any time.
Their awesome nonprofit pick:
Founded in 1983, Nazareth Housing is committed to the promotion of housing stability and economic independence among low income families and individuals of New York City.
THE MELTONES
Playing for East Harlem Tutorial Program
Featuring talented legal professionals from Greenberg Traurig
Named for Greenberg Traurig founder Mel Greenberg, The Meltones have rocked many a firm gathering, everywhere from New York to Miami to the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Their awesome nonprofit pick:
Founded in 1958, East Harlem Tutorial Program prepares students with the academic skills, strength of character and emotional well-being to excel in high school and college, to lead in their communities, and to realize their best possible selves.
THE PLIMPTONES
Playing for Nazareth Housing
Featuring talented legal professionals from Debevoise & Plimpton
The Plimptones may be the hardest working band in rock and roll, but that’s just their billable hours. Musically, they strive to walk on the right side of the fine line between clever and stupid, whichever that may be. Their combination of raucous rhythms, sonorous strings, honking horns and multi-part harmonies pays homage to the masters of rock, yesterday and today. They also are known, on occasion, to come up one alliteration short.
Their nonprofit pick:
Founded in 1983, Nazareth Housing is committed to the promotion of housing stability and economic independence among low income families and individuals of New York City.
Proudly sponsored by
Meet the judges.
We were honored to have these awesome judges.
“Not only does the striking Brazilian-born New Yorker have enough style to put most off-duty models to shame, but she’s got some serious music chops. A background in drumming provided her with a knack for the beat, and her visual and audial taste has helped her land gigs spinning for some of the best NY spots — The Boom Boom Room, The Electric Room, Le Bain — and as an opener for The Dead Weather, The Black Keys, Guns N’ Roses, Courtney Love, The Kills, and others.”
-Refinery 29
Warren Goz co-founded Grand Army Entertainment in 2006. While at Grand Army, Warren produced and financed numerous cast driven commercial independent feature films and television productions, such as Mad Money, starring Queen Latifa, Diane Keaton and Katy Holmes, Hatchi, starring Richard Gere, Leaves of Grass, starring Ed Norton, and New York I Love You, starring Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Shia LeBeouf and Blake Lively. Mr. Goz recently opened a new media company, Sculptor Media, backed by a New York based private equity firm to produce and finance a slate of upcoming commercial, cast driven, independent feature films and television programs. Prior to founding Grand Army, Warren was a finance and tax attorney. Mr. Goz is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, where he received a JD and of the New York University School of Law, where he received an LL.M. (masters of laws) in Taxation.
Warren Goz
Andy Hilfiger has been fusing the worlds of fashion and music for decades. He has played in bands, discovered new ones, dressed celebrities and creating lines inspired by them.
At 12 years old, his first job was in his brother Tommy's store. At the same time, he picked up a bass and discovered music, eventually, moving to NYC from upstate New York to pursue music. Since then, he has played with a number of artists, including Marky Ramone, Kid Rock, and members of Blue Oyster Cult who play in his band, The X Brothers.
In the 90s, Andy was instrumental in styling celebrities and musicians, and sponsoring tours at Tommy Hilfiger, USA. He also started the accessories division, where he designed hats, bags, and outerwear. He left to co-found the JLO by Jennifer Lopez clothing and fragrance line in 2001. Now, a partner at Star Branding, Andy is developing new lines inspired by celebrities and music, including Andrew Charles, inspired by Steven Tyler.
Andy Hilfiger
R. Adam Smith is an experienced investor and builder of tens of early stage and venture backed companies with a focus on the branded space. Adam is an expert in the areas of consumer, luxury, accessories, wellness, food, retail, apparel, beauty, art and design, digital, media, and real estate.
In 2002, Mr. Smith founded Circle Peak Capital LLC, a private investment partnership based in Manhattan through which he has held principal positions at, and sat on the Board of Directors for, eight privately-held companies with a combined $600 million in sales and over $250 million of contributed equity invested capital.
Adam earlier served as a principal at two leading private equity firms based in New York City, Caxton-Iseman Capital and Castle Harlan, Inc., each holding over $2 billion in aggregate managed equity capital, and started his career on Wall Street.
Adam holds an MBA with honors from the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University, and a BA cum laude in International Relations and Economics from Boston University. He is an active alumnus of the Columbia Business School, and a founding member of the school’s Private Equity Advisory Board and Investment Management Conference.
While he spends most of this time as Founder & CEO of three management companies, Adam is also an advisor, mentor, and/or angel to several private companies, including Rocket Dog Holdings LLC and Stride Capital LLC. He is an avid music fan, and has played classical piano since he was 5.
R. Adam Smith
DJ Elle Dee
 Law Rocks NYC |  The Meltones |  The Meltones |
|---|---|---|
 The Meltones |  The Meltones |  Doc McCool and the Fools |
 Doc McCool and the Fools |  Doc McCool and the Fools |  Just Cause |
 Just Cause |  Just Cause |  The Hogamatics |
 The Hogamatics |  The Hogamatics |  The Objections |
 The Objections |  The Objections |  The Objections |
 The Plimptones |  The Plimptones |  The Plimptones |
THE OBJECTIONS
Playing for Advocates for Children of New York
Featuring talented legal professionals from Davis Polk and Marsh McLennan
“A classic rock band whose appeal
can never be denied”
Featuring:
Owen Heimer – fearsome prosecutor, renowned compliance guru, and an absolute magician with a Fender bass
Jerry Snider – playing guitar since before most of you were born, and even shared a gig with Springsteen back in the day
Robbie Harris – bringing new meaning to playing and singing with a lot of soul (he is a professor of Bible and rabbi in his day job)
Barbara Orwick – mild-mannered bookkeeper by day, quintessential queen of the keyboards by night, and a kickass vocalist to boot
Carey Dunne - drummer, former Bar tender, defender of virtue and right
Their awesome nonprofit pick:
The mission of Advocates for Children of New York is to promote access to the best education New York can provide for all students, especially students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
Proudly sponsored by
