Jeffrey Novak, an associate attorney in the Business Litigation department at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria, was recently interviewed by the Buffalo Law Journal about his time spent serving on the ProZoo Board at the Buffalo Zoo. The full interview is available on the Buffalo Law Journal website.
Meeting fundraising goals
Mr. Novak is nearly a year into his membership on the ProZoo Board. He told the Law Journal that what he is impressed by the most is “how, recently, [the Board seems] to be meeting [its] goals and doing better in raising funds for the Zoo”. Mr. Novak said that this, combined with how much each board member cares about the Zoo, says a great deal about the ProZoo Board as a whole.
Mr. Novak told the Buffalo Law Journal that the board focuses most heavily on the two main fundraisers the Zoo holds every year, including the Polar Bites winter fundraiser being held on February 23 at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. “I think everyone is excited about Buffalo and excited about the direction we are heading,” he said. “Every city needs its zoos, art galleries, libraries, and museums. I am really happy to be playing a small part in that.”
Fostering a passion for protecting wildlife
Mr. Novak does not practice environmental law, but he told the Law Journal that it was an area of interest for him in law school. “Taking classes turned into keeping up with the issues on my own time, which turned into wanting to do what I can for the environment/animals,” he said.
“In my mind, what the zoo is doing is so important,” Mr. Novak told the Law Journal. “In addition to activities like breeding programs to support species that might otherwise be gone forever, education and exposure are so important to preserving wildlife,” he explained. “These animals are ambassadors—a child of 5 or 6 who gets to see their favorite animal in person, whether it be a gorilla, tiger, or elephant, is going to carry that with them as an adult and be supportive of protecting them in the wild.”
About Jeffrey B. Novak
Jeffrey B. Novak is an Associate at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria. He concentrates his practice in the area of Business Litigation. He represents businesses in a variety of legal situations, including contract disputes and employee non-competes. Mr. Novak has experience in several areas of commercial litigation, including construction litigation, intellectual property litigation, and mergers & acquisitions.
