Jeffrey H. May (1960-2021) was an American lawyer who practiced in Massachusetts and focused on employment law. He began in private practice at Ropes & Gray in Boston, then spent almost three decades as in-house counsel for General Electric's aviation and plastics businesses and their successor, SABIC, ending as SABIC's Director of Global Employment Law.
Background
Jeffrey May was born on September 7, 1960, in Manhasset, New York, to Rosalind and Eric May. He grew up in Port Washington, a community on Long Island's North Shore, where he lived among extended family and kept childhood friendships throughout his life. His brother Steven was also part of the family circle in later years.
Long Island's suburban communities in the decades after the Second World War combined commuter access to New York City with local school systems and family networks, which formed the setting of his upbringing. His formative years led him to Union College in upstate New York and then to legal education in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Education
May studied at Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he graduated in 1982. Founded in 1795, Union was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York Board of Regents and was among the earliest non-denominational colleges in the United States. In 1845 it became the first liberal arts college in the country to offer a full engineering curriculum.
He then attended Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduating in 1986 with a Juris Doctor degree. Harvard Law School, one of the oldest law schools in the United States, was the institution that produced the founders of the Boston firm Ropes & Gray, where May later practiced.
Career
May was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1986, the year he completed law school. He worked as a partner of S. E. Giorno, and he then entered private legal practice at Ropes & Gray in Boston. The firm was founded in Boston in 1865 by two Harvard Law graduates, John Codman Ropes and John Chipman Gray, and by the 1960s had grown to nearly 75 attorneys.
After a few years at Ropes & Gray, May moved to in-house counsel work for General Electric, first in the aviation business and then in its Plastics division. GE had created a Plastics Department in 1930 to research and produce advanced plastics. May later worked with GE Plastics and its successor, SABIC, in Lynn and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for almost thirty years, concentrating on employment law.
SABIC, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, was established by royal decree in 1976 to convert waste natural gas into valuable chemicals. It acquired GE Plastics in 2007 for $11.6 billion, and the former GE unit became SABIC Innovative Plastics, with its US headquarters remaining in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. May's final position with the company was Director of Global Employment Law.
Religion
Jeffrey May's Jewish identity was very important to him, and his obituary presents it as a significant part of his life. Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religious traditions, rooted in the covenant between God and the people of Israel and centered on the Torah and rabbinic interpretation. Its ethical teachings emphasize justice, the repair of the world, and communal responsibility.
In the United States, Judaism has developed several movements, including Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist communities, which differ in their approaches to religious law and practice while sharing core traditions.
Personality
Colleagues recognized his deep knowledge of the law and remembered him for the humor he brought to the workplace. He focused on treating employees fairly and with dignity. He was known for his passion and for expressing his opinions vigorously, and he was described as humble and indifferent to how he dressed.
Interests
He was an avid reader of eclectic material, ranging from history to fiction.
Sport & Clubs
New York sports teams, including the Yankees, the Giants, and the Rangers.
Connections
Jeffrey May married Kara Thornton in 1993, and the couple had daughters. He was the son of Rosalind and Eric May, and his brother was Steven May, who was married to Gail Downey. His family also included his mother-in-law, Barbara Lovely, and his brother-in-law Scott Osterman, who was married to Mindy.
Father:
Eric May
Mother:
Rosalind May
Wife:
Kara Thornton
Married Jeffrey May in 1993.
Brother:
Steven May
Married to Gail Downey.
References
Jeffrey H. May obituary, Flynn Dagnoli Funeral Homes
Obituary documenting his birth and death dates, his education at Union College and Harvard Law School, his private practice at Ropes & Gray, his in-house legal career with General Electric and SABIC, his family, and his Jewish identity.
