Lawrence approves new village attorney

For the first time in more than 15 years, Ronald Goldman will not have the title of Lawrence village attorney. Goldman submitted a letter of resignation on Nov. 30 and the Lawrence village Board of Trustees voted unanimously to hire lifelong Rockville Centre resident A. Thomas Levin as the municipality's new village attorney during its Dec. 10th meeting.

While Goldman will no longer serve as attorney to the Lawrence Board of Trustees, he will remain involved with village legal affairs as an attorney to its Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Board, Board of Building Design and Park Commission, as well as village prosecutor.

"If the majority of the current board believes this is the best decision for the benefit of the village then I will do anything in support of the village employees and residents," said Goldman. "I am proud to continue to serve other boards and to serve as village prosecutor."

Levin had been hired as a special counsel by the Lawrence trustees at its August re-organizational meeting. Since then Levin was taking on much of the duties of a village attorney and giving him the official title made sense, said Lawrence trustee Michael Fragin, who would not specify why the special counsel appointment was made. "I think there was some confusion amongst the board as to whether a new village attorney was named at the re-organization meeting in August," said Fragin.

"Ronald Goldman indicated that he thought it was in the best interest for the functioning of the administration that there be a clear indication of who would be filling the functions of village attorney," said Lawrence mayor Simon Felder. "It was really his call."

Levin is a member of the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein P.C., and chair of the firm's Municipal Law, Land Use and Environmental Compliance practice and the Professional Responsibility practice. He serves as village attorney for seven other Nassau County villages, including Rockville Centre, and has also served as special counsel to numerous school districts, including Hewlett-Woodmere. "His expertise in municipal law is unparalleled," said new Lawrence village administrator David Smollett.