Frederick C. Riester (1942 – 2012)

Fred Riester, a founding partner of Iseman Cunningham Riester & Hyde, LLP (ICRH), passed away on August 28, 2012. A native of Manhattan, Fred was a 1961 graduate of The Stony Brook School in Long Island. He attended college at the University of Rochester and graduated from Albany Law School of Union University in 1968.

After law school, Fred entered private practice with the Albany law firm of DeGraff, Foy, Conway, Holt-Harris & Mealey, and became a partner in the firm in 1975. Over the years he represented clients in a variety of litigation matters, including personal injury and wrongful death claims. Those claims arose from incidents involving hydraulic cranes, propane gas controls, heavy-duty trucks, automobile power steering systems, ore-handling equipment, and bottle closure design. Fred was known for his knowledge and understanding of complicated engineering and mechanical issues, which he used to the advantage of those he represented.

Fred left the DeGraff firm in 1991 with Bob Iseman, Mike Cunningham and Carol Hyde to form Iseman Cunningham Riester & Hyde, LLP. After starting the new venture, Fred expanded his practice to include health care law, including medical staff credentialing, risk management, representation of physicians before the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), and disputes pertaining to the construction of medical facilities. He also served as the town attorney for the Town of New Scotland (Albany County) from 1980-91 and 1998-99, where he was able to put his extensive technical knowledge to use in helping the town to plan and finance a major improvement to the Clarksville Water District in the late 1990s.

Fred received professional recognition from Martindale-Hubbell, the prestigious attorney rating system, and the Super Lawyers rating service. Martindale awarded its highest rating, AV, to Fred in 1989. The rating process evaluates lawyers based solely upon peer review by bar members and the judiciary. In 2010 and 2011, Fred was also designated a “Super Lawyer” in Upstate New York by the Super Lawyers rating service. Selection for this award is decided by independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

Fred left the full-time practice of law in 2009, but remained active as senior counsel to ICRH until the time of his death. His passing is a loss not only to his family and friends, but also to the legal community. Fred was truly a gentleman and a scholar.