Robert C. Brucato

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Senior Appellate Counsel, Counsel Press

Years in current role: 33

What skills do you think are most crucial for new attorneys entering the field today?

COVID changed the way attorneys practice law all over the country. In the Rochester area, and Buffalo too for that matter, we have very cordial bars and networking is critical. New attorneys should realize the importance of making personal connections, with attorneys at their firms and at other firms, with judges and with clerks who work in the court system. While many courts are virtual, it is imperative to make those personal connections. That also should lead to participating in bar associations and other business groups, at networking events and CLEs.

How does the Rochester community influence your work or professional philosophy?

The Rochester legal community is a tightly knit community. It has always been my professional philosophy to get involved in the local community and to always try to boost my interactions with the bar and with paralegals and law firm staff. It is how you build relationships that last decades. The most rewarding parts of my career have been the personal relations I have built over three decades.

What’s your ideal way to spend a weekend in the Finger Lakes or Western New York?

I love to take advantage of what usually are wonderful summers here in Buffalo and Rochester. I try to relax a bit on the weekends as my schedule of events during the week can get quite hectic. I like to walk my dog, go out for dinner with my wife, do some reading and get ready for the next work week! We garden a lot as well. I joke that Western NY is god’s country, and it really is, at least in the summertime!

This profile is part of our Tax Law Power List for 2025. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list at nydailyrecord.com.