Member Spotlight Dean Xenick , Esq .
Reid Burman Lebedeker Xenick Pepin By : Lynne Poirier
Dean Xenick was elected to the Palm Beach County Bar Association ’ s Board of Directors in 2013 and is currently the Immediate Past President after serving our Bar under unusual and difficult times due to COVID . Get to know Dean a little better in this month ’ s Member Spotlight .
How has COVID-19 affected your practice ? It has shown us that we are able to adapt and succeed . We were able to work remotely and be productive . That said , it is much nicer to be back in the office where we are at our best and can provide our clients the best representation .
What is the one thing your law firm is known for over your competitors ? Our ability to handle complex and unique cases that many other firms are unable or unwilling to take on . That and our personal service to our clients and our attention to detail .
What is the best piece of advice you ’ ve been given ? It ’ s a conglomeration of a few things from many people , summed up like this :
a ) Your reputation takes a long time to earn but can be destroyed very quickly . b ) Say what you mean and mean what you say . c ) There are very few “ never ” and “ always ” in this world . d ) If you are telling the truth , then you don ’ t need to “ remember ” the story . e ) I ’ d rather die while I ’ m living then live while I ’ m dead ( that one is Jimmy Buffett ).
Who inspires you ? My family , my wife , my kids , and my clients . They are why I do what I do .
What keeps you up at night ? My clients ’ cases ! What non-lawyers don ’ t realize is that lawyers are constantly thinking about our cases , this is not a 9-5 job . As just a small sampling , I have had to take work phone calls while at the Statute of Liberty and Niagara Falls ( while on vacation unfortunately ), come up with a great trial theme at Disney World ( while on Space Mountain ) and been woken up countless nights thinking about an upcoming deposition or trial . I am constantly emailing myself ideas and “ to dos ” about cases when I am out of the office . You never know when that next idea is going to come .
What was the last book you read ? I don ’ t read books for fun , I read for a living ! I love watching the History Channel , their programs , to me , are “ TV books .” That said , I did recently read “ Turning Pages ” by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor , which is the book the PBCBA ’ s Lawyers for Literacy Committee gave to several local children . Her final passage is true however : “ Books are keys that unlock the wisdom of yesterday and open the door to tomorrow .”
If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life , what would it be ? Steak and potatoes . Or maybe BBQ . That ’ s a tough one .
As a child , what did you want to be when you grew up ? An aeronautical engineer or even an astronaut . Then I realized the complicated math that was required , so that dream ended quickly . I took a few law classes in high school and became hooked . Plus , my family always told me I should be a lawyer because I was very “ convincing ” ( meaning I was a pain who would argue almost anything with anyone at any time ).
If you could learn one new professional skill , what would it be ? Golf . I still have dreams , as unrealistic as they may be , of getting on the PGA Tour , which due to my “ advanced ” age , would now be the Senior PGA Tour .
How can members contact you ? The easiest and fastest way to reach me is via email : dtx @ reidburmanlaw . com For better or worse , I am always accessible via email .