NJCCA Profiles - Joseph Aronds

1. Tell us a little bit about your personal background.
I’ve lived almost my entire life in Westfield.  I obtained my undergraduate degree at Rutgers University – New Brunswick, where I majored in French and Political Science and minored in Philosophy.  I spent my Junior Year studying abroad in Tours, France at the Faculte des Lettres – Universite de Francois Rabelais.  I received my J.D. from Georgetown in 1988.  I joined the Legal Department of Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. in 1998.

2. What was your first job?
I had a summer job during high school driving a Penguin Italian Ice Truck.  I got paid on a straight commission basis, so the more ice I sold, the more money I made.  One time, I happened upon a walk-a-thon followed by a baseball tournament and sold out the entire truck before noon, which, I’m certain, is a record that still stands to this day.  Many years later, my wife met a woman who remembered me from when she was a kid because (apparently) I used to let her ride in the truck.  So, my legacy as an ice truck driver lives on.

3. What motivated you to become a lawyer?
I was inspired to become a lawyer when I went to see “The Verdict” starring Paul Newman during high school.  I identified with Newman’s crusading plaintiff’s lawyer, but I also was intrigued by the behind-the-scenes machinations of the defense attorneys and the judge, and wondered if that was how the world actually works.  Fortunately, that has not been my experience.

4. Tell us about your in-house experience.
I litigate and try cases for Hartz and its related or affiliated entities.  I love standing on my feet in a courtroom arguing a motion or trying a case.  I’m fortunate to work with extremely bright and highly qualified attorneys who are tops in their field.  It’s a very professional atmosphere.

5. Tell us about your position with NJCCA.
I currently serve as a member of the Executive Committee and as the Vice President – Program Chair.  I’m also the NJCCA’s “official” cartoonist.

6. When did you become interested in cartooning and who are your influences?
I’ve been doodling since I was a little kid.  I began by copying Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy characters.  The Blank was easiest to draw because he didn’t have a face.  Some of my childhood cartooning influences were Jack Kirby (his 1960’s-era Fantastic Four period), Don Martin of Mad Magazine, and the artwork from the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine movie.   More recently, I’ve admired the skills of Berke Breathed (Bloom County), Darby Conley (I love Bucky and Satchel), and New Jersey’s own Patrick McDonnell (Mutts).

7. How do you come up with your ideas for your cartoons?
The hardest part of cartooning is thinking of a funny idea that doesn’t offend anyone.  I find that if I actively try to think of an idea, none will come to me.  This month’s cartoon idea popped into my head out of nowhere as I was driving to work.

8. What do you like to do in your spare time?
I spend as much quality time as possible with my wife and children.  I also try to work out at a local health club several times a week to maintain my physical and mental health.  My parents instilled a love of reading in me from childhood.  I enjoy reading about obscure figures from American history.  For example, I recently finished reading a biography of Gouverneur Morris, who, it turns out, actually wrote most of the Constitution, including the Preamble.  My favorite novel is “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac.   On a lark last year, I read every novel by Kurt Vonnegut that I could find in the public library.

9. What advice do you have for young lawyers?
My primary advice is to make as many friends, colleagues, and contacts as possible in the legal and business communities.  A person you befriend today might be the person who brings a job opportunity or a good case to you sometime down the road.  Additionally, always take pride in your work and try to do the best job you possibly can.