Brilliant Business People: Mover and Shaker Matt Semino, Star Legal Analyst and Attorney Talks With Whom You Know About His Profession, Cocktail Parties, Charities and Cornell Hockey

Since his first Mover and Shaker interview in May, 2010, Mover and Shaker Matt Semino has continued working as a private practice attorney in New York City, became a contributor to The Huffington Post and is now an on-air legal analyst on both national and local television networks where he reports on breaking legal and policy news. Semino appears regularly on CNN's Headline News (HLN), MSNBC, truTV's In Session (formerly CourtTV), Inside Edition, The Geraldo Rivera Show, PIX 11 News and CBC News. His commentary has also been featured on NPR Radio, in The Phoenix New Times as well as in The Los Angeles Times. 

Matt has covered such high-profile stories as the Ohio Kidnapping Case, the Boston Marathon Terror Attacks, the Jodi Arias Trial, the New York City Large Soda Ban, the Cannibal Cop Trial, the Colorado Movie Theater Shooting, the Drew Peterson Trial, the Michael Skakel Murder Case, the Jerry Sandusky Trial, the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin Case, the Etan Patz Case, the Dharun Ravi/Tyler Clementi Cyber-Bullying Trial, Whitney Houston’s Death, the Joran van der Sloot Trial, the Dr. Conrad Murray Trial and the Casey Anthony Trial, among other headline-grabbing news topics. 

Through his media work, Semino has appeared on-air with such notable television news personalities as Geraldo Rivera, Deborah Norville, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Tamron Hall, Thomas Roberts, Chris Jansing, Richard Lui, Ted Rowlands, Susan Candiotti, Ed Lavandera, Vinnie Politan, Ryan Smith, Christi Paul, Jean Casarez, Beth Karas, Sunny Hostin, Lisa Bloom, Marcia Clark, Mark Geragos, Tamsen Fadal, Frances Rivera and Sukanya Krishnan.  

Matt recently interviewed award winning ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff and his wife Lee Woodruff, a New York Times bestselling author and CBS Morning Show contributor, about the pressing mental health needs of military veterans for his column on The Huffington Post. Semino will also be covering the high-profile George Zimmerman trial that is set to begin this June. 

Since 2010, Semino became involved as an active philanthropic member on the junior committees of The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC), The Princess Grace Foundation-USA and Silver Hill Hospital.  

Matt resides in Greenwich Village with his wife Linette Semino, a luxury real estate broker who stars in HGTV’s hit television show Selling New York and is a contributor to NY Resident Magazine.  We are thrilled to present him as our latest interview in Brilliant Businesspeople.  Peachy Deegan interviewed Matt Semino for Whom You Know.

Peachy Deegan: What are some common misperceptions about lawyers and what should people know about the people behind the profession?

Matt Semino: The two biggest misconceptions about lawyers are that they are greedy and will unethically manipulate the law to achieve preferred outcomes for themselves and their clients. While there are always individuals who will negatively impact the public image of their profession, the majority of lawyers are extremely hard working and honest people who are dedicated to servicing the needs of their clients as well as helping society. 

While the legal profession can be quite lucrative, many lawyers forego great financial rewards by dedicating themselves to public sector legal jobs in governmental agencies, non-profit organizations as well with groups that provide legal services to the disadvantaged. In addition, most private sector lawyers commit a significant amount of time to pro bono legal work throughout their careers, improving our society along the way. 

When you analyze a legal situation, do you have a set plan for different scenarios and how do you go about evaluating each?

When analyzing a legal situation, I first gather all the facts and evidence available to me, then carefully evaluate it together to draw conclusions as to what a likely outcome will be. However, as an attorney, it is always important to analyze how a different set of facts or new evidence could possibly change a legal result. 

As an example, I have recently been covering in the media the Ohio Kidnapping Case, the Boston Bombing Case and the Jodi Arias Trial. As these high-profile legal stories evolve, new information and details about the crimes, the defendants and the victims emerge on a daily basis. When providing my legal analysis on-air about these stories, I am constantly evaluating any new facts and evidence to provide the most current interpretation on their impact on the likely legal conclusion. 

What did you learn from Columbia Law school that has been most essential in your career?

I feel extremely fortunate to have received my legal education from Columbia Law School. The school’s distinguished professors are many of the leading legal scholars in the world, the curriculum is among the most comprehensive and diverse of any law school in the United States and the vast resources of Columbia University and New York City are right at your fingertips. Most importantly, my education at Columbia Law School taught me how to thinking critically about complex legal problems. Highly refined problem solving and analytical skills are essential for any type of legal career. Those skills are the tools that I use most frequently as private practice attorney and legal analyst.

Who have you enjoyed working with the most in the media world and why?

During the sensational Casey Anthony Trial in 2011, I was interviewed by MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall on her show NewsNation with Tamron Hall. It was a phenomenal experience working with Tamron as she has recently been dubbed by The New York Post as “The hardest working woman in TV news.” This title is fitting for Hall because not only does she host her show on MSNBC, she frequently guest co-hosts The Today Show, helms Dateline on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN and this fall will be hosting Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall on Investigation Discovery Channel. 

Tamron Hall’s talent lies in her ability to move seamlessly from hard news to crime stories to pop culture topics, all while exuding an easy on-air chemistry with her co-hosts and guests. I look forward to seeing Hall’s television career continue to rise and working with her on many more breaking news stories in the future. 

What are the hottest legal issues in Manhattan today and what makes them so?

One of the hottest legal issues in Manhattan this year has been the Bloomberg administration’s attempt to ban large sugary drinks throughout the city. While I do not believe this is the most pressing legal issue facing New York City today, it has captivated the attention of the media and the public by igniting heated controversy and debate. The reason for this is that the attempted ban touches upon the hot button issues of urban public health, economic disparity within our city, costs to business and the question of whether the government should have the right to exert this type of policy control over individual choice.

I had an opportunity to speak on PIX 11 News about the legal issues surrounding the proposed ban and the reasons it was rejected by a Manhattan Supreme Court in March. The city’s Law Department appealed the court’s decision and has vowed to have the large sugary drink ban put in place. It will be intriguing to see how the legal and political wrangling over this issue plays out in the next few months and whether the Manhattan Supreme Court’s decision will ultimately be overturned. 

What should our readers know about the legal field that they probably don't know yet?

Many people perceive lawyers and the legal profession to be similar to what they see dramatized in films, on television and in the news media. While many lawyers do spend their careers trying cases in court and sometimes those cases are as sensational and high-profile as what is portrayed by Hollywood, it is not necessarily a fully accurate depiction of what encompasses the legal field. 

The legal field is quite broad and also includes many lawyers who never actually step foot into a courtroom. This is because these types of lawyers serve as counsel to corporations, financial institutions, non-profit organizations or regulatory bodies where their work is specialized on legal matters related to transactions, policy making, compliance and operations. 

Since there is so much variety in the ways lawyers can practice, the skills that attorneys develop through their education and work can frequently be utilized in other professions. Therefore, it is quite common to find lawyers who actually stop practicing law altogether and transition into successful careers in business, media, entertainment, design, journalism, teaching, philanthropy, among many other diverse vocations.

Cornell has a pretty good hockey team but you know especially today in light of what happened in Boston that we are even more GO BC than usual. Can you believe Yale won the NCAA championship and would you like to comment on Cornell's season and the overall competitiveness in Ivy League NCAA hockey?

I was very surprised to see Yale win the NCAA hockey championship as it was the first one in the school’s long, illustrious history. Yale has been playing hockey since 1896 but had only made the tournament twice before coach Keith Allain took over in 2006. However, when Allain took the job, he vowed to make Yale hockey competitive which he certainly was able to do this season by taking them to the top.

As a student at Cornell, it was always a great tradition to attend Big Red hockey games, particularly when we were playing our archrival Harvard. Although Cornell did not win any championships this season, historically we have been one of the most successful teams in the Ivy League. Cornell has won the NCAA Championship twice, the ECAC Tournament Championship a record 12 times and has won the Ivy League Title 20 times, second only to Harvard’s 23. I think that’s a pretty fantastic record. Go Big Red!! 

If you could hire anybody who would it be and why?

I would hire star litigator David Boies because he is a brilliant lawyer who has led, with great success, some of the most challenging and high-profile legal cases in the United States. Among his many accomplishments in the legal field, David Boies has represented with intellect and vigor some of the most powerful names in politics, business, sports and media at every level of the U.S. judicial system. In hiring Boies, I would know that our clients will be represented by one of the most skilled and experienced attorneys in the world. 

What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you at a cocktail party?

A few years ago, I attended the opening reception for artist Gregory Colbert’s Ashes and Snow exhibition in downtown Manhattan. I didn’t know this, but the person who invited me to the reception also invited actor Ben Stiller (her friend) to join us. When Ben arrived, he walked up to me, shook my hand and casually said, “Hi, I’m Ben.” Trying to be a totally cool New Yorker, I didn’t flinch in his presence except for when he started to talk to me seriously about the art. All that I could think of when I was looking at him were some seriously funny scenes, characterized by some seriously funny Ben Stiller expressions from the comedies There’s Something About Mary and Zoolander. Ben kept talking to me about the art but I couldn’t take it anymore. I just cracked, laughed and excused myself for another glass of wine. Funny and slightly embarrassing at the same time…only in New York! 

Who would you like to be for a day and why?

It would be exciting to be NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams for a day because his work combines my passions for law, current affairs and television news. Many of the stories that Williams covers on his show relate to important issues involving law, policy and the economy. Through his influential media platform, Williams is able to help inform and educate the public about the news that shapes their lives and the society they live in. That is an extremely powerful gift to be able to give others. 

Is the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic still your best Manhattan athletic experience (there were some pretty awesome people in attendance that day...)?

Yes, the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic is still my favorite Manhattan athletic experience. Not only is the polo match amazing to watch but the spectators who come out for the day are simply phenomenal. Each year, the Polo Classic draws royalty, Hollywood A-listers, fashion icons and society stars. When you throw in beautiful weather and lots of champagne, it’s hard not to love this event. 

If you could have dinner with any person living or passed, who would it be and why?

It would be fascinating to have dinner with John F. Kennedy and talk to him about all of the monumental events that shaped his presidency, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the Civil Rights Movement and the early stages of the Vietnam War. I would want to gain a better understanding of his leadership philosophy and his decision making process as it related to these significant points in our nation’s history. 

What do you personally do or what have you done to give back to the world?

As an attorney and television legal analyst, I have frequently reported in the media on cases where children have been subjected to severe abuse and neglect and in many instances have lost their lives as a result of this horrific treatment. Being exposed to these tragic stories and recognizing how pervasive the problem of child abuse and neglect is in our society, I was very eager to become involved with an organization that worked to help children who have been victimized. 

In 2011, Linette and I became junior committee members of The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (The NYSPCC), the first and one of the most highly respected child protective agencies in the world. The NYSPCC (www.nyspcc.org) successfully responds to the complex needs of abused and neglected children, and those involved with their care, by providing best practice counseling, legal and educational services. The organization also educates the public about the issues of child abuse and neglect and how it can be prevented in our communities. Through our work, we help raise funds for The NYSPCC’s essential programs as well as raise awareness of its vital mission through the media and our professional networks.

Additionally, this year we have become members of the junior committees of The Princess Grace Foundation-USA (www.pgfusa.org) and Silver Hill Hospital (www.silverhillhospital.org). The Prince Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater, dance and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Silver Hill Hospital is a nationally recognized, non-profit hospital for the treatment of psychiatric and addictive disorders that both adolescent and adult patients have relied on since 1931 to help them find the path back to mental health and wellness. 

Other than Movers and Shakers of course, what is your favorite Whom You Know column and what do you like about it?

Nightlight is my favorite Whom You Know column because it brings you inside Manhattan’s most exclusive events and it shines a spotlight on New York’s most important philanthropic organizations. There are so many charitable galas and events that occur each night in New York City that is can be difficult to determine which to support. Nighlight serves as a fantastic guide to the Manhattan social swirl by focusing on only the highest quality events and most notable causes.  

Have you tried The Peachy Deegan yet and if not, why not? 

Yes, I have tried The Peachy Deegan cocktail with Star Vodka many times at different restaurants around Manhattan including Swifty’s, Brasserie Cognac, Del Frisco’s and La Mediterranee. I absolutely love it!

What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?

Growing up in Boston, my grandfather first took me to New York City when I was eight- years-old and from the moment I laid my eyes on the Manhattan skyline, I knew this was where I wanted to live. Since I moved to New York City almost fourteen years ago, I have tried to savor all that this vibrant city has to offer. Outside of my professional pursuits in law and media, Linette and I love to fully experience the international flare as well as the artistic, cultural and culinary richness of New York. The desire to experience Manhattan’s best in class is what ultimately led me to Peachy Deegan and Whom You Know. I am very thankful for that and for the life we have been fortunate to build in the best city on earth! 

How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?

Whom You Know readers can contact me directly by email at matt@mattsemino.com and can follow me on Twitter @MattSemino. They can also find me and my work at the links below.

Matt Semino’s Channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/SuperHollywoods

Matt Semino on The Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-semino/