Duwaine Bascoe

Practice Profile: Duwaine Bascoe's practice focuses on employment law, commercial law and personal injury law. He regularly leads seminars for myriad professionals entering their first employment contracts to ensure they go into these agreements with their eyes open, and best negotiate appropriate aspects of their compensation and benefits.

Leadership, Pro Bono and Civic Work: Mr. Bascoe is active with Black Professional Collaboration, an organization he co-founded in 2017 which aims to bring together Rochester-based black affinity groups that had no prior history of interaction or collaboration. He also spearheads continuing education courses on such topics as implicit bias, police accountability, diversity and inclusion. This past fall, he volunteered for the political campaign of Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for Governor of Florida in the 2018 election, serving as Regional Deputy for Voter Protection in Broward County. In this role, Mr. Bascoe was responsible for such work as: conducting public seminars on what voters should know about voter intimidation and tactics expected on election day; securing and training volunteers to monitor various polling places; and recording and submitting complaints of voter intimidation.

Prior Experience: Associate, Woods Oviatt Gilman

Education:

J.D., University at Buffalo Law School

B.A., Morehouse College

What advice would you give to young lawyers? 

When I began my legal career, a mentor told me the following: "A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action becomes reality." Identify what you want, make a plan, seek mentors, and execute your plan.