John Francis Flaherty

John Francis Xavier Flaherty, born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 24, 1937, and raised in Queens, passed away peacefully on September 29 listening to big band music, surrounded by his family, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

A New Yorker at heart, John remained a devoted Dodgers baseball fan after the team moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. He was an avid golfer who enjoyed his home courses at Silver Spring Country Club in Ridgefield, Connecticut and The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Florida, and visited many golf courses during his travels domestically and internationally. His favorites were Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and Pine Valley Golf Club, played with his son John Jr., and Pebble Beach Golf Links, accompanied by his wife Judith and daughter Courtney.

John graduated St. John’s University and St. John’s University School of Law with a BA and LLM, respectively, and completed a Master of Studies in Law in Taxation at New York University. After working for the Welfare Department of New York City, he served at Arthur Andersen and then joined, as an attorney, a law firm that later was renamed Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP (GAF). John retired as Senior Partner of GAF in 2016 after growing the corporate immigration practice to the second largest in the United States. He was passionate about advancing the firm’s professionals and its services across anticounterfeiting, athlete management, corporate restructuring, intellectual property, international law, real estate, and trademark protection.

In addition to his nearly 50-year GAF career, John was General Counsel and Chairman of the Board at Rolex USA, Inc.

Outside of his profession, John was a philanthropist dedicated to New York City. He was president of the New England Society of New York, a board member of The Christophers and St. Christopher’s Inn organizations, the latter of which provides a much-needed refuge to those in recovery. John received several notable awards for his outstanding leadership and impact toward them. He also served his country honorably as a member of the U.S. Army and was a Ridgefield Lions Club president overseeing multiple events that engendered great civic pride.

John was a member of the New York City Economic Development Committee under two mayoral administrations from1993 to 2009. Additionally, he collaborated judiciously with the NYPD’s International Anticounterfeiting Coalition’s task force in curbing the import and sale of illicit goods and products.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Judith, and his children, John and Courtney.

For those interested in making memorial contributions to continue John’s legacy of helping those in need, the family kindly requests donating to St. Christopher’s Inn (https://stchristophersinn-graymoor.org/support-recovery/donate/).