Monthly Feature: Get to Know... Tracie Lopardi
October 1, 2024
As much as she might wish to be a behind-the-scenes trusted advocate, Tracie Lopardi’s talent, career accomplishments, and strong relationships shine a light on her and her labor & employment and school law practice.
It’s not that she’s shy. In fact, for more than 10 years while growing up, she represented and competed throughout the country for the Town of Tonawanda’s synchronized swim team, the “Aquettes.” The Town of Tonawanda, Tracie’s home town, is a suburb of Buffalo. “Those early years swimming definitely taught me responsibility and commitment. We were not traveling with our parents, as is often the case with young athletes now, but with one another and our coaches beginning at about the age of 10.”
Now, in her profession, Tracie often works on delicate and confidential personnel matters which could have thrust her into the public eye. These matters are “due to unfortunate actions and decisions people have made” and rather than be known for the critical counsel she provides; she would rather provide support and address the issue quietly and confidentially. “My goal is to provide solutions and make the entity better so they can focus on their mission.”
Her excellence has not gone unnoticed in the Buffalo community. Tracie has been named among the Legal Elite of Western New York for several years, recognized as a Wellness Champion, and honored for Distinguished Service.
She’s also been pulled into the spotlight over the last year because of several notable events. In March, Tracie and a group of her colleagues joined Bond’s School Law and Labor & Employment practices after many years at another Buffalo law firm. Her daughter, Serena, was named Salutatorian of her graduating class at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. (Her son, Carter, also works with the powerhouse football team as a public relations student intern at the University of Georgia.) Then, in what Tracie refers to as a happening that “ripped the Band Aid off of my reluctance to post about myself and my family,” her husband, Chris Brown, was hired as the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the Buffalo Bills.
Tracie is proud of her state school education at SUNY Geneseo, not only because she met her husband there, but she found it to be a wonderful place to explore and safely make mistakes. “It was not only a protected place, but a place to meet new people and have fresh experiences and opportunities. Geneseo is more than a college town, it’s a community that still feels like home in a way.”
At Syracuse Law, while also focusing on her studies, she sought out and became a teaching assistant for undergraduate students in public speaking classes, which included some of the University’s then high-profile athletes. Tracie continued in a teaching role as a third-year law student and teaching assistant for the Law School’s Research and Writing class. Then as a newer attorney, she also taught a course as an adjunct professor at Niagara University (where she later created the office and became the University’s first General Counsel).
Tracie’s teaching background can be traced to her parents who are both retired educators, and her three older siblings who are all educators as well. With her family, and client relationships that span decades, Tracie understands the demands of teachers and administrators in both K-12 and higher education. She keenly understands that her role is to help teach her clients on how to apply the law as well as the way a judge, court or other third party might view a particular decision. Her degree in organizational communication furthers her ability to be a big picture thinker, with the attendant practicalities always playing a significant role in each individual matter.
“I address so many varying legal issues, but always try to look beyond the specific situation at hand to address the client’s needs in a more holistic way. For example, how does a decision pertaining to a personnel matter affect the education of the students or the faculty, or the workers or customers of an employer?” Importantly, she wants the way a personnel action is handled “to feel respectful and fair.”
While Tracie is relatively new to Bond, her connection to the Firm spans decades. At Syracuse Law, she studied with Suzanne Galbato and Laura Harshbarger. She first met Steve Sharkey as a fellow student at Geneseo. What’s more, when Tracie first considered the idea of becoming a lawyer, her mother introduced her to Dan Forsyth. “Not coming from a family of lawyers, Dan was the first attorney I ever met with before I went to law school. Today, he sits next to me at the office.
“Every law school student at Syracuse had Bond on their radar. Bond was very well respected, the law firm that we all aspired to be a part of. It was the go-to firm. However, I always wanted to make my home in Buffalo, and at the time Bond did not have a Buffalo office. Having the opportunity to now join Bond in Buffalo was somewhat of a full circle moment. Now I’m happily looking years down the road, planning to enjoy a rewarding career at Bond.”
