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Twelve Years After Leaving Albany, a Quieter Life in Law for Ohrenstein

Former Democratic leader still involved in lobbying and LMDC
By James Caldwell

Manfred Ohrenstein led the Democrats in the State Senate for 20 out of his 34 years in Albany, but he says his start in politics was distinctly anti-establishment.

“I started as a rebel,” Ohrenstein said, recalling his first election to the State Senate in 1960. He won that year on the Upper West Side as part of a reform movement against the existing Democratic Party machine. He soon became a leader among reform Democrats, and in 1975 was elected his chamber's minority leader, a position he held until 1994, when he left politics.

Ohrenstein said his decision not to seek reelection came when he realized he had no further political ambition.

“I've watched a lot of political people who go on and on,” he said, “but I think there comes a time where you either go up or out.”

Ohrenstein returned to what he called his “second love,” practicing law. Today, he heads the firm of Ohrenstein & Brown, where he specializes in government relations and issues management.

Although he never saw Democrats in the State Senate majority during his time as leader, Ohrenstein said both he and the party had played “a very intimate role” in shaping policy, particularly in responding to the state's fiscal crises of the 1970s. However, he said, being minority leader afforded him wide influence “far beyond what the average member gets to do.”

“In those days it wasn't the big three—it was the big five,” Ohrenstein said, referring to the fact that the minority leaders of both houses were included in leaders' meetings at the time.

Looking back, Ohrenstein said handling the statewide fiscal crises was the high point of his long career.

He was also quick to remember the low point, in 1987, when he was indicted on charges of misusing government money by having legislative employees work full-time on Democratic senatorial campaigns. Many at the time defended Ohrenstein, calling the practice common then in Albany, and Ohrestein remained in office. In 1990, both the state's highest court and the prosecutor in the case dismissed the charges, saying no laws had been broken.

Despite his exoneration, Ohrenstein remains reluctant to talk about the indictment, calling it, “a chapter of my life that closed many years ago.”

The transition from politics back to law was easy, Ohrenstein said, with his private practice allowing him to remain active as both a civic leader and a lawyer. As part of his practice, he is involved in lobbying Albany and Washington on various public policy issues, including redevelopment plans for Lower Manhattan.

His law firm had offices in the World Trade Center's North Tower, and following the Sept. 11th attacks, Ohrenstein was on the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's advisory council.

Surveying today's political terrain, Ohrenstein said that there has been enormous change, though adding, “but I don't know whether it's for the better or for the worse.”

But he said he was excited by the Democrats' prospects this year.

“I think the prospects are extraordinary,” he said. “I think the Democratic Party in New York is going to be a significant force, not only in the state, but nationally.”

Despite that enthusiasm, Ohrenstein said he did not miss political life and did not regret leaving Albany when he did.

“I did my thing,” he said.