Stanley

Long before celebrities attempted to achieve the degree of fame signified by use of a single name (in their cases through crude, exploitative behavior that is passed off for daring), there was Stanley. Stanley achieved his status the old fashioned way: he earned it. And he earned it by quietly engaging in torah lishmah, sharing his formidable knowledge freely, and by quietly engaging in tzedakah and mitzvot. He was a partner at Moses and Singer from 1979 until his death Friday.

Stanley was involved in many celebrity cases, beginning with the Maltese Falcon case in which Dashiell Hammett successfully battled a motion picture studio for rights to his Sam Spade character, as well as cases involving the Amos N Andy characters, the Cosby Show, and Rocky and Bullwinkle. He was also the President of the Copyright Society and many other organizations. But neither these cases nor his unparalleled knowledge of copyright law are not what made Stanley Stanley. What made Stanley Stanley and not Stanley Rothenberg was his beautiful neshamah (reflected in an ever-present warm smile for everyone), and the good deeds he did for everyone without them ever knowing. There are few enough people who live an upright life, who are genuinely concerned for their fellow humans. There are far fewer who do so without wanting to take credit for the good they did. That's what made Stanley Stanley and why I miss him so much. His name will be a blessing forever.