In the Spotlight - LOUIS A. CAPPADONA OF NORDMAN CORMANY HAIR & COMPTON LLP

by Meghan Clark

About five years ago, I considered expanding my employment law practice. The unequivocal response from my mentor at NCHC was “if you want to learn employment law, go talk to Lou Cappadona.” I did. Lou’s willingness to step in and provide guidance to me and several other employment law attorneys is an accurate reflection of his generous spirit. This is my chance to not only thank him for his help but to embarrass him a little by sharing his many accomplishments with the rest of the East Ventura County EAC.

Lou was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. His father was the neighborhood shoemaker and his mother the neighborhood bank teller. Lou’s neighborhood was Greenville and he started his education at Greenville’s PS 20. (That’s East Coast lingo for “public school” for us Left Coasters.) Although an admirable school, there were few, if any, students that went on to college.

After spotting a rising star, the teachers at PS 20 convinced Lou’s father that it would be a worthwhile investment to send Lou to St. Peter’s Prep, a Jesuit high school. Lou got his shot at St. Peter’s Prep and wound up in the honors program and as a lineman on their powerhouse football team. He then attended St. Peter’s College in Jersey City where he played football and soccer. Lou earned his bachelor’s degree in 1961 and was simultaneously commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army. Lou had also earned full academic scholarships to three law schools and intended to take the one from Notre Dame Law School.

As fate would have it, Lou’s path would not include a stint as one of the Fightin’ Irish. Conflicts between the US and the Soviet Union hastened the draft and Lou’s goal to go to law school had to wait. He instead spent a great deal of time “outdoors” going through Paratrooper school and serving as an infantry officer. He also married a Texan named Patsy, who has never been intimidated by this “Jersey Italian.”

Two years later the Army saw fit to allow Lou to pursue his law degree at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas (on scholarship.) The law school was within a stone’s throw of Fort Sam Houston where he was stationed. Lou attended law school full time, did research for the professors and worked on various law school publications. During school vacations, he worked with Army lawyers in the Fort Sam Houston JAG office. After he earned his law degree, Lou remained in the Army and served as a JAG officer for three years. Although he cannot prove it, he suspects all those years of Army haircuts are the reason for his current challenged hairline.

Patsy and Lou returned to New Jersey in 1968 where Lou worked at the National Labor Relations Board in Newark until 1970. Lou jokes that working for the NLRB in New Jersey for those two years was like dog years. He says he learned more about labor law in those two years than most lawyers learn in ten.

After beating the pants off of an attorney from Litton Industries in a NRLB hearing, Litton offered Lou a job and whisked him off to Beverly Hills to serve as their Labor Counsel. Lou left Litton in 1976 to enter private practice. His practice always focused exclusively on labor and employment law. Lou was a name partner at Potter Ellinghouse & Cappadona and later at Cappadona & Oldman in Encino.

Lou joined Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton as an “Of Counsel” (lawyer-speak for an experienced attorney who has earned the right not to hassle with administrative issues) in 1998. Many “Of Counsel” wind down their practices in preparation for much needed retirement, but Lou continues to forge ahead although he threatens to retire when Employment Law Department meetings run too long.

Lou has been a member of the board for East Ventura County Employer’s Advisory Council since 1995, making him the hands down winner for number of years of service to our organization. He is the one responsible for our wonderful programs every month. Simply put, Lou is an irreplaceable cog in our EAC wheel.

Lou and Patsy’s active involvement in local community groups means there is a steady stream of visitors to their front door. Their laid-back Black Labrador Retriever “Basil” happily acts as Wal-Mart greeter rather than junkyard dog and offers a half-hearted “woof” when you go to see the Cappadonas'.

Lou’s community activities include serving as a Lector at St. Jude’s in Westlake Village. He donates time and energy to Para Los Ninos and the Inner City Foundation of Los Angeles. Both organizations are key players in providing charter schools and after school care to children some of the roughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

Lou and his wife Patsy are avid hikers. Until recently, Lou was a serious bicycle nut. Lou and Patsy’s three children and three grandchildren are key players in Lou and Patsy’s schedule. There are frequent trips to and from the Bay Area and Arizona to keep tabs on the grandkids. The Cappadonas' also enjoy an active exotic travel schedule with recent trips through the ‘rivers of Europe’ and an upcoming three week trip to China.

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