The 100-year-old attorney has 75 years of experience in personal injury law.
NORFOLK, Va. – He is a father, grandfather, former representative of Virginia, and the Second World War.
But outside of Norfolk, and across the country, Stanley Sacks is showing up for something else. He is believed to be the oldest and longest serving attorney in the United States.
“I never thought about anything else,” Sacks said. “I never wanted to be anything else.”
The only thing that is stacked higher than his 75 years of experience in law, the files cover almost every table in his Ghent home in Norfolk.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Stanley and his son Andrew run the Sacks & Sacks firm in Norfolk.
Born and raised in the Mermaid City, the 100-year-old is a Maury High School and Washington and Lee University graduate. Before beginning his seven-decade legal career in 1948, he served in the Army Air Force during World War II.
“Arguing between lawyers…is a battle in itself,” Sacks said. “This is my favorite cancellation.”
He is no longer charged in court, but Stanley has a lot of work to do at home on his phone, internet, and constant communication with his paralegal in town.
His motto has always been “no corners cut.”
“You work hard and you get rewarded,” Sacks said.
This month of May, Stanley turns 101 years old. It’s an achievement that few see.
But there was no time to rest; retirement is not on his radar.
“I’m just as excited as when I started,” Sacks said. “I’ll go as long as I can.”
It’s not just the law, but longevity is in their blood. Stanley’s father, Herman Sacks, lived to be 97 years old and worked until a week before his death.
The family reached out to government bars across the country to see if there was anyone who could dispute Stanley’s claim of being the oldest lawyer. They didn’t find any challenges.