The Radomski family - a legal tradition

For over one hundred years the various members of our family, both along the maternal and the paternal lines, have been accumulating a wealth of professional experience in the science and practice of law, passing their skills and experience down the generations. You can thus say that the law is our family tradition.
The recorded history of my family’s ties with the legal profession goes back to my great-grandfather, Pawel Niklewski (1853-1922). The Niklewski family comes from the town of Kwidzyn, but war and political turbulence forced them to move to Torun. The senior family member, Pawel Niklewski must have made outstanding efforts in the fight for Poland’s independence as the city of Kwidzyn officially celebrated his one-hundredth birthday anniversary. The Dziennik Baltycki daily, issue of 31 January 1953, reported these celebrations and commented that Pawel Niklewski had been a modest court clerk and a patriot who had earned credit for fighting to keep the Kwidzyn lands Polish. Pawel had four children: three sons and a daughter Irena (my Grandmother). As many as three of them tied their lives to the law. Marian Niklewski (1900-1970), a graduate of the Dresden University, was Torun District Prosecutor between 1926 and 1929. After the end of World War II he started his private practice of law as an advocate. His offices were located in Torun at 1 Szczytna Street. Marian was an avid philatelist and an active member of the Polish Philatelist Society. Marian’s law practice was managed by my grandmother, Irena Radomska nee Niklewska (1906-1988). The younger of Pawel’s sons, Stefan Niklewski, left for France, where he settled in Nancy. Stefan graduated from the local university and earned an L.LD. Although he did not practice law, he made friends in France with my Grandfather, Zdzislaw Radomski (1908-1971). Zdzislaw graduated from Ecole Superieure de Comerce et D’Industrie de Nancy. Until 1940 he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a diplomatic envoy in Brussels. In 1928 he was awarded the Srebrny Krzyz Zaslugi distinction for outstanding public service. During World War II he served in the military in Polish forces stationed in Scotland. The post-war political turn forced him out of the diplomatic service.
My grandfather had a brother, Boleslaw Radomski (1904-1956), who deserves a note although he was not a lawyer. Boleslaw began studying at Lwow Technical University, but gave it up after a year and joined the theological seminary. He ultimately graduated from Pontificia Universitatis Gregoriana in Rome. Boleslaw was a doctor of theology and philosophy, a professor of the Catholic University of Lublin, Dean of the Department of Theology. The duties of his university and church offices did not prevent him from engaging in motor cycling, his passion and a cause of continuous concern for Church officials.
Coming back to the stem of my family tree, a note should be made of the fact that my grandparents, Zdislaw and Irena, met thanks to Stefan Niklewski. This lead to the birth of my father, Wieslaw Radomski.
Wieslaw Radomski, L.LD graduated from Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun. Between 1965 and 1991 he worked as a researcher and lecturer for the Department of Law and Administration (Chair of Civil Procedure) at the University. Wieslaw Radomski is a legal counsel by profession. He was a co-founder of legal counsels professional association in Torun. He has received a number of awards and distinctions, including Zloty Krzyz Zaslugi and Medal Komisji Edukacji Narodowej. In 1980s Wieslaw set up a law firm called “Doradca”, one of the first private firms of legal counsels in Torun, which he has been running up till now. He is an expert in civil procedure, tourist law and real estate transactions, and a qualified real estate advisor.
Like my father, my mother, Ewa Radomska, is a graduate of Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun and an L.LD. She has worked as a researcher and lecturer for the Department of Law and Administration (Chair of Civil Law) at the University since 1969. She has been awarded with the Zloty Krzyz Zaslugi distinction. She is a legal counsel working as partner in the “Doradca” law firm. Her area of expertise includes civil law, co-operative law and family law, as well as modern commercial contracts. My mother’s family has also produced a number of lawyers, such as her sister, Maria Anna Karwowska, a law graduate of Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun and an L.LD.
We might presume that both Ewa and Maria Anna chose her careers under the influence of their uncle, Marian Weclewicz (1903-1986), a colorful character indeed. Already when he was fifteen, Marian Weclewicz took part in combat during the Wielkopolskie uprising in 1918. In 1920 he volunteered to the Polish military forces stationed in the Poznan region and took part in the Polish-Bolshevik war. Having graduated from Department of Law of the Poznan University in 1993, Marian underwent a vocational course and practical training to become a deputy judge, and then Examining Judge with the Circuit Court in Gniezno. He again joined the military in 1939 and fought against the Germans. After Poland capitulated, Marian was captured and held prisoner until the end of the war. Due to his professional qualifications and command of languages, in 1947 Marian became an investigations officer with Polish Military Mission for Investigation of War Crimes. His tasks included tracking nazi criminals to be brought before Polish courts. He pursued his tasks in the American zone in Dachau and Munich, in the British zone with the British Central Military Command, and in Berlin as Head of Extraditions and Investigations Department. After returning to Poland in 1948, Marian was persecuted by the communist authorities, which prevented him from pursuing his profession. For 16 years he was forced to do menial jobs, such as work in a dairy or a sawmill. It wasn’t until 1964 that he could open his advocate practice, which he ran until retirement. He was also the head of Gostyn advocates for several years.
Marian Weclewicz received many awards and distinctions for his efforts and conduct. Between 1919-1939 he received the Medal Pamiatkowy Za Wojne z Lat 1918 - 1921 medal, the Medal Niepodleglosci medal and the Srebrny Krzyz Virtuti Militari cross. The post-war distinctions include the Wielkopolski Krzyz Powstanczy cross, the Krzyz Oficerski Orderu Odrodzenia Polski cross, the Brazowy and Srebrny Medal Za Zaslugi dla Obronnosci Kraju medals, the Krzyz Walecznych cross and the Medal Zasluzonemu dla Adwokatury Poznanskiej medal. In 2003 his achievements were honoured by a commemorative plaque put up on the Gostyn Court building.

This age-old legal tradition ends on me, Marcin Radomski. I also graduated from Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun and I am a legal counsel. I grew up among legal discussions and disputes, already as a child spending long hours in the former Department of Law and Administration building in Torun. We can safely assume that I learnt to speak during summer legal courses taught by my parents, sitting in a court room where the classes were held. When I was six, I took part in my Mom’s L.LD examination. Of course, that was not necessarily my favourite pastime then. I joined the professional life of the “Doradca” law firm as early as at the beginning of my university studies. As part of my law vocational course and practical training, I did a work-study program with “Doradca” and worked in the law department of Bank Gdanski SA. That latter job gave me a wealth of experience in banking relations, registered pledge and law relating to promissory notes/bills of exchange. In 1999 I opened my own law firm, specialising in services to the business sector and banking matters. I team up with my parents to offer our Clients joint services. Our experiences and expertise in the various areas of law make a complete whole and a competitive service offering, while having separate legal practices enables us to pursue our separate plans and ambitions.