New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 3
R Michael Shafer
Vermont alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1980, registered office in Syracuse, NY. A half-lifetime's worth of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1980
- Admitted
- 46
- Years in bar
- 1729920
- NY reg #
The record in one line
R Michael Shafer has spent 46 years on the register since admission in 1980, one of the longest-standing active practitioners the state bar carries at 92% tenure percentile.
- 46 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #160 of 1,636
- by tenure in Syracuse office peers
- Law school
- Vermont
Data updated August 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
R Michael Shafer has carried New York bar registration 1729920 for the better part of a career, still active and in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 3, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Scolaro Fetter Grizanti & Mcgough, located in Syracuse, NY (Onondaga County), ZIP 13204. Educational background: VERMONT (210 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
Across a career spanning 46 years, R Michael Shafer has remained part of the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
R Michael Shafer's 46 years since a 1980 admission places this record near the far edge of the statewide tenure curve below.
46 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
46 Top 8% higher than 92% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Tenure among Syracuse, NY office peers
R Michael Shafer is earlier in the Syracuse, NY office cohort than most peers: local tenure rank #160 of 1,636 (10th percentile). See the Syracuse attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #160
- City cohort
- 1,636
- Local percentile
- 10th
- Admitted
- 1980
Nearest tenure peers in Syracuse
- Robert Harold Askounes Ashford admitted 1980 · 46 yr
- William Lawrence Balduf admitted 1980 · 46 yr
- R Daniel Bordoni admitted 1980 · 46 yr
- James John Canfield admitted 1980 · 46 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of August 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How R compares to fellow Vermont alumni
Among the 187 Vermont graduates in the New York register, R Michael Shafer is longer-tenured than 94%.
46 years vs. Vermont alumni
Years since admission - 187 NY-registered alumni of this school
46 Top 6% higher than 94% of 187 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Vermont's active-bar rate
Of Vermont's 210 alumni in the New York register, 62.4% currently hold "Currently registered" status, below the statewide average.
The 1980 admission class today
Of the 4,659 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1980, 52% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 1729920
- Year Admitted
- 1980 (46 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 3
- Next Registration
- May 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- Scolaro Fetter Grizanti & Mcgough
- City
- Syracuse, NY
- County
- Onondaga
- ZIP Code
- 13204
- Phone
- (315) 471-8111
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
R Michael Shafer's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Near-tenure Vermont alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1980 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1980), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1980 whose listed office city differs from Syracuse, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for R Michael Shafer: closest NY bar admission year outside NY, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~1,637 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1980)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
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Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
R Michael Shafer's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is R Shafer licensed?
R Shafer is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was R Michael Shafer admitted to the bar?
R Michael Shafer's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1980.
Where did R Michael Shafer go to law school?
R Michael Shafer attended VERMONT.
What company does R Michael Shafer work for?
R Michael Shafer is associated with Scolaro Fetter Grizanti & Mcgough in Syracuse, NY.
Is R Michael Shafer in good standing?
Yes, R Michael Shafer holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.