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Fall, 2003
  Articles on this page: • C. Jeffrey Cook: Dealing with challenging business situations
C. Jeffrey Cook: Dealing with challenging business situations C. Jeffrey Cook speaks in a warm, clear voice that hints at his ability to resolve disputes around a conference table or in a courtroom. A partner at the Pittsfield law firm Cain, Hibbard, Myers & Cook, he negotiates business acquisitions and transfers, often handling the largest deals in the county. Cook's path to legal prominence in Berkshire County includes what he refers to as "a great story." Born in the Bronx, N.Y., he spent much of his childhood in Liberty, N.Y., in the Catskills. After completing his studies at Columbia College and Columbia Law School, he became involved in the business department of a law firm. "Although my initial academic interests included physics and music," he says, “I decided that I enjoyed the intellectual aspects of law.” When he and his wife had a daughter, they determined to find a home "where the grass could grow between your toes." The couple planned to live in a scenic part of the country for a year, to find a suitable place to move permanently. It was, he says, "a sweet irony" that they ended up in Pittsfield, his wife's hometown. Cook hasn't looked back. "What’s great about the Berkshires," he says, "is that you develop personal relationships with your clients." Oftentimes, in the practice of business law, a lawyer works with different generations of the same family, over a number of years, to help sustain a local company. In a small area, observes Cook, "you can deal with a challenging business situation and then watch the impact you've had unfold over the years." Without mentioning company names, Cook recalls his work helping a local company restructure its finances and renegotiate with creditors. "It was very satisfying to see people get another chance to grow their business," he says. In another instance, Cook resolved the transfer of a family business in which the younger generation received control of the company while the old leadership received a large retirement settlement. He notes the importance "of bringing all the participants to a fair deal." He is particularly gratified to watch younger lawyers begin relationships with clients that will last for decades. "We know the people we work with," he says, "and see the impact in the community." Asked how he assumed his place in the Berkshire legal community, Cook cites hard work and a strong interest in helping different sides resolve their disputes. "I work a long day, of 10 or 12 hours," he says. Cook speaks very passionately about his love of skiing. In 1971, on a lark, he chose to give it a try. "I have never had a bad day on the ski slopes," he recalls. "And that includes some pretty glorious crashes." He tries to ski as many days per year as his age. He lives with his wife, Judith. Cook has two daughters, one son and three grandchildren. "My daughter married a doctor who specializes in sports medicine," he says, "which is very useful, given my predilection for skiing." He also enjoys mountain biking, swimming and reading “at least one book every few months that contains footnotes.” Cook serves on the board of the Berkshire Museum and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and has served with the Chamber of Commerce, the Jewish Federation and First Agricultural Bank, among others. He is also a trustee of Berkshire Community College. He serves as a lay cantor at Knesset Israel Congregation, a position he calls "a wonderful synthesis of my faith and love of music." "I try to pack everything into my days," Cook says. Whether completing a corporate transaction or swooshing down mountains of packed powder, Cook lives in the Berkshires the "rich experience,” that he and his wife left the city to find.  RETURN TO TOP |
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