Stephen G. Schwarz

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Managing Partner, Faraci Lange, LLP

Years in current role: 28

What professional accomplishment have you been most proud of this year?

After almost seven years of litigation, my firm and our co-counsel were able to favorably resolve over 30 cases involving residents of Rensselaer County who developed cancer and other illnesses from drinking water contaminated with the chemical PFOA. This was a major undertaking against some of the largest corporations in the world involving multiple experts in various scientific and medical fields. I also published my first book, which I co-authored with David Savitz, Ph.D., an epidemiologist I have worked with on several cases, entitled Epidemiology and the Law. I enjoyed collaborating with Dr. Savitz to provide an accessible book for lawyers and judges on a complex topic.

What do you think the biggest change in the legal industry will be over the next 3-5 years?

I think AI will become integrated into the tool kit of most lawyers in the next five years. I recently published an article in the ACTL Journal about the misadventures of a couple lawyers who used ChatGPT to write a brief and wound up in major trouble as a result, but I think careful and targeted use of AI will eventually improve written work products and save substantial time.

What are the most important skills lawyers need that they didn’t need 10-20 years ago?

When I started practicing, most lawyers were still dictating written work product. Now, I would never consider hiring a lawyer who was not completely computer literate, if any such young lawyers even exist. Lawyers now need familiarity and skills with all sorts of software products, and I am a big proponent of using trial presentation software to make trials more interesting and interactive for jurors.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish before the end of next year?

I have been managing partner at my firm for almost three decades but will be giving up this role at the end of the year and next year will be a transition to new leadership. I hope to make that transition as seamless as possible. It will be a challenge for me to step back, but I plan to continue practicing and being able to focus more on my own caseload and less on running the firm. I also hope to publish one of the three novels I’ve written before the end of 2024.

What Rochester-area organizations do you support and why?

I have been on the Board of Starbridge for many years and will be ending my second stint as Board Co-Chair next year. It is a wonderful organization that provides support, advocacy and programming for the disabled. I have also been a longtime supporter of United Way of Rochester, as I believe it is an organization that measures outcomes and directs resources to the most effective charities in our area. I also have been a longtime supporter of the Campaign for Justice and the legal service organizations it supports that provide legal services to those otherwise unable to afford it.

This profile is part of our Power 50 Law list for 2023. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list at nydailyrecord.com.