Lawdragon profiled Chairman Eric J. Belfi as part of their Lawyer Limelight series giving an in-depth look into his role leading Labaton Keller Sucharow.  In this Q&A, Eric dives into his more than three decades of experience, the qualities that have shaped his evolution as a leader, and the meaningful mentorship and technology initiatives that set Labaton apart as a leading force in the plaintiffs bar.

Highlighting his extensive institutional knowledge, Lawdragon characterizes Eric as “driven by facts, grounded in justice, and shaped by a prosecutorial mindset he’s carried since his early days in public service,” noting that his elevation to Chairman reflects “a steady hand and deep commitment to the Firm’s core values—developing talent, maintaining culture, and staying laser-focused on impactful litigation.”

Having long been an integral part of Labaton’s leadership team, Eric describes stepping into his new role as Chairman as a “crowning achievement.” As an innovative and forward-looking leader, Eric notes that he has been instrumental in the strategic growth of Labaton, adding that he is committed to growing the Firm “in an integral way.”  

Along with strategic growth, Eric cites technology as another major initiative, noting that, “for any firm looking to thrive in the future, leveraging technology is not optional—it’s imperative.”  Emphasizing Labaton’s own proprietary systems built to meet the unique demand of clients, Eric tells Lawdragon that these innovative technologies allow the Firm “to manage complex matters at scale while still keeping the client experience front and center.”

Speaking on the Firm’s one-of-a-kind culture, Eric shares that “We have a very special culture that you don’t see regularly at law firms—we really work on promoting people from within.”  Eric references the mentorship and women’s initiatives as essential ways the Firm supports associates.  “We try to find people who have an inner fire and give them the tools to grow into strong lawyers,” Eric explains.

Reflecting on his approach to leadership, Eric underlines the importance of collaboration, saying that “it’s important to take input from across the team,” but that he is “prepared to make the final call when necessary.”