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Christine Malafi
Partner
Campolo, Middleton & McCormick

Christine Malafi chairs the corporate department at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, which has offices in Ronkonkoma and Bridgehampton. She focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and complex transactions, and also maintains a busy labor and employment practice, serving in a general counsel role for many of the firm’s internationally based clients. Prior to joining CMM, Malafi earned the distinction of being the first woman and youngest person ever to serve as Suffolk County attorney. She was recognized by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for 2018.

By Adina Genn, Long Island Business News

Keep cell phones and keys off the table. Limit yourself to one alcoholic drink. And dress appropriately.

Attorneys meeting with clients must know proper form for not only the courtroom but also the dining room. And while much of this is common sense, it never hurts to brush up on etiquette.

That was the thinking behind a recent Campolo, Middleton & McCormick event. The law firm, with headquarters in Ronkonkoma, recently invited its 35 attorneys to a three-course dinner at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in East Setauket. The theme? Basic manners and etiquette tips for business and formal events.

Although the interactive evening was lighthearted and fun, it did fit in the firm’s mission of training and investing in its employees.

And when it comes to best practices, understanding etiquette is “equally important” as other training, said Joe Campolo, the firm’s managing partner.

It’s the kind of training Campolo went through as a student at Fordham Law School, but when speaking with CMM attorneys, it turned out that no one had gone through similar training. But the coaching, he said, would go a long way.

“We’re probably not going to ever win a client over because we have great manners, but we certainly could lose a client if we’re a bunch of slobs,” he said.

Certainly, if breaking bread is the opportunity to build business, good etiquette only furthers the cause.

The training comes at a time that Campolo calls “the casualization of society” where diners sometimes show up to fine restaurants in shorts and flip-flops. And while he wasn’t aiming to “re-create Downton Abbey,” the event provided the opportunity for the firm’s colleagues to bond, laugh and get a refresher on the basics of decent manners.

For example, when it comes to hosting a meal out, consider your guest’s tastes and travel time, and avoid places that are cramped, crowded and known for their slow service, said Joan Jerkens, the owner of Melville-based Act As If Etiquette & Protocol, the evening’s etiquette expert. If you’re the guest, respond to the invitation and consider scoping out the location in advance.

And, she cautioned, be on time.

Diners who aren’t sure about table settings are not alone.

“As I attend business lunches, there’s a lot of confusion,” Campolo said. “People drink water from a glass someone already drank out of, or eat bread that’s already been eaten – it gets awkward.”

Jerkens recommended an acronym: BMW (bread plate on the left, main-course plate in the center, water glass to the right). The breadbasket should get passed clockwise. And when finished with utensils, rest them on the plate, never on the linens.

As for talking shop? Wait at least until after the order has been placed, if not until the main course. Focus instead on small talk, Jerkens said. Not surprisingly, ordering non-messy food is recommended.

And when it comes to drinks, less is more, she noted, recommending no more than one drink.

But that doesn’t mean no alcohol. And it never hurts to know which kinds of wines go with which dishes. Samantha Macleod, the evening’s wine expert, shared some helpful tips. For example, if you’re having a dish with mushrooms and truffles, consider a Pinot Noir. For fatty fish, or fish in a rich sauce, Chardonnay is a good go-to, while light fish dishes pair well with Pinot Grigio.

Champagne goes with anything salty, while Cabernet Sauvignon works well with steaks or chops. And Malbec and spicy barbecue sauces are a recommended combination.

And there’s no need to order a $200 bottle of wine. Rather than try to impress with a hefty price tag, look to make your guest comfortable, with enjoyment being the main focus.

When it comes to struggling over who is going to foot the bill, as host, you can make that challenge a nonstarter by giving your credit card in advance to the maître-d’ to pay the bill, Jerkens said. That way the restaurant settles up with you, and the bill never arrives at the table prompting an awkward moment. But if you intend to split the bill, make it clear when first making plans to get together.

And if you’re the guest, order in the middle price range, Jerkens said.

While cell phones should be off the table, if you do get an urgent call, leave the table and area, Jerkens said. But that triggers the dilemma: what to do with the napkin on your lap? Fold it (covering any soiled spots) and put it on the left of your plate – never on the plate itself.

As for making introductions – for instance, if dining with a client, and the firm’s managing partner stops by the table to say hello – introduce the person you want to honor first, which in this instance is the client. And while standing up during an introduction shows good manners, those at the table should “at the very least, put the utensils down,” Jerkens said.

Choosing the proper attire can also create challenges, which is where Janine Giorgenti, the owner of Giorgenti New York, a custom clothing shop in Garden City, offered tips. Dress for the size you are now, rather than waiting until losing that extra 10 pounds. If it’s a day where you have multiple events on your calendar, consider which requires the most formal attire and dress for that occasion. And remember, even if you aren’t seeing clients that day, dress as though you are: Clients may still be coming into the office, and it’s key to look professional.

Keeping with the evening’s interactive theme, the attorneys had the chance to set the table, so they could garner a better understanding of place settings. They also had an opportunity to ask questions. And there were contests and prizes, which included etiquette books.

“There was huge team building, and the feedback showed how much they learned,” Campolo said.

Jerkens agreed, noting, “Everyone walked out with a little more knowledge.”

Read it on LIBN.

View photos from the event here!

Christine Malafi chairs the firm’s Corporate department, one of the most robust teams in the New York region. Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, routine and complex transactions, labor and employment issues, and other business matters, as well as municipal, insurance coverage, and fraud issues.  She routinely represents buyers and sellers in multimillion dollar transactions (from technology companies to manufacturers to healthcare businesses) and serves in a general counsel role for many of the firm’s internationally-based clients.

In her role leading CMM’s busy Corporate and Labor & Employment practices, Malafi has seen her fair share of non-compete agreements.

“Traditionally, these type of agreements have been used to protect an employer’s interests with respect to specialized matters, trade and business secrets, and highly valuable information (such as customer lists), prohibiting certain employees from working for a rival company for a specific amount of time after leaving employment,” Malafi said. “However, the role of these agreements has evolved, and the New York State Attorney General’s office is pushing back.”

“Over the past year, AG Schneiderman’s office has pursued numerous investigations into the use of non-competes by New York employers, and the findings have shown that an increasing number of employers are requiring low-wage, unskilled workers to sign such agreements, often restricting the employee’s ability to find work after leaving the company,” she said.

“Enforceability of non-compete agreements in New York State has been highly litigated, with courts declining to enforce them unless they are narrowly tailored and reasonable in terms of the length of time, geographic scope, restricted activities, and employer’s industry,” Malafi noted.  “The focus of a non-compete should be to protect the employer’s business, not to unnecessarily and unreasonably restrict an employee from earning a living after leaving employment.”

“Against this changing landscape, I tell my clients to take this as an opportunity to review their existing agreements and update their hiring policies,” advised Malafi. “I encourage them to do away with blanket policies requiring all employees, regardless of skill and pay level, to sign non-competes.  Instead, employers should assess each employee and position individually, considering possible access to proprietary information, whether specialized skills are needed in a specific job, and whether there is a legitimate business interest in barring an employee from working for a competing company after he or she departs.”

Malafi has earned an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Among her many recognitions, she was named a top 2016 Woman in Law from Hofstra University School of Law and received a 2016 Butterfly Award from Girls Inc. of Long Island.

She is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut, and before the United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; United States District Court, Southern District of New York; and United States District Court, Eastern District of New York.

Malafi earned a bachelor’s degree from Dowling College and a juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

She is on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, the Board of Governors for Touro Law School, and the Board of Directors of Natasha’s Justice Project.

A premier law firm, Campolo, Middleton & McCormick does not seek to be the largest law firm as measured by number of lawyers or offices. Instead, it strives to be the firm of choice for clients with respect to their most challenging legal issues, most significant business transactions, and most critical disputes. The firm is committed to handle each of its clients’ legal matters with a blend of dedication, skill, and drive.