BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Paul Vaygen, director of operations of the Brooklyn Bar Association, wants to make the most of his tenure, he told the Brooklyn Eagle in an exclusive interview from the BBA’s historic headquarters at 123 Remsen St.
Vaygen, who assumed his position in September 2025, wants to strengthen and expand the reach of the association, which was founded in 1872.
Vaygen sat down with the Brooklyn Eagle for an exclusive interview at the BBA’s historic headquarters at 123 Remsen St.
“My vision is for the bar association to be a premier professional home for attorneys in Brooklyn,” he said. “We want to be known for innovation, mentorship, professional development and public service.”
Vaygen is looking for new ways to engage attorneys at every stage of their careers, from law students to judges, and build programs that have a tangible impact on their professions.
Vaygen has built a legal career spanning more than 30 years. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
He discussed two programs he plans to implement at the BBA: The Small Firm Success Academy would help graduating law students and new lawyers start their own firms, and the Law Firm Incubator would provide attorneys who serve underserved communities with business development skills, like technology and AI education.
As director of operations, Vaygen oversees the association’s day-to-day needs, helping coordinate its extensive calendar of continuing legal education programs, networking events, committee meetings and other activities that support Brooklyn’s legal community.
“I’m sort of a jack of all trades,” he said. “I’m also involved in marketing, I work with board members on financial and practical matters and engage with sponsors on both technical and personal levels.”
Vaygen’s parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1978 from Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, seeking the opportunities they believed the country could offer.
“Where I came from, there was institutional discrimination,” Vaygen said. “My father didn’t get to go to college, even though he was at the top of his class in math, and he wanted to pursue a career in mathematics and science. He ended up going into the garment industry, working in a large factory in Odessa. He later met my mother, who was in the same industry.”
BBA Director of Operations Paul Vaygen. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
Vaygen has been interested in computers for as long as he can remember, so he chose to study Information Technology at New York University. However, his career path took an unexpected turn.
“One of my friends at NYU really wanted to go to law school,” Vaygen said. “One day, we attended a career fair, and there were lawyers there talking about their field and how much money they were making. The experience won me over, but I still wanted to go into IT, my original plan, as I really liked computers.”
Later, the same friend was having trouble with the LSAT exam, and Vaygen tried to help him out.
“When I was at his house, I said to myself, ‘Let me try a few questions,’” Vaygen said. “There was a lot of logic and critical thinking involved, but I saw that I was doing fairly well. Ultimately, I took the LSAT myself, and I got a high enough score to get into law school. I later took the bar, passed it, and I ended up opening my own practice.”
He earned his law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Russian literature from NYU, where he minored in history and computer science.
Vaygen, who currently lives in south Brooklyn, has built a legal career spanning more than 30 years, concentrating on real estate, business law, personal injury and international business matters.
Throughout his career, Vaygen has represented individuals and businesses in a broad range of legal matters while maintaining a private practice in Brooklyn. He has also served as an administrative law judge with the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Vaygen said his vision for the BBA is to be a premier professional home for attorneys in Brooklyn. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
The future of the BBA
The BBA is a professional organization for attorneys, judges and legal professionals dedicated to promoting the legal profession, supporting the judiciary and fostering community engagement.
Its long-time headquarters in Brooklyn Heights dates back to the 1870s, when it was built as the Charles Condon House. The building spans four stories plus a basement, with more than 14,000 gross square feet, with nearly 10,600 above ground. In April 2026, the association listed the property for $12 million. On July 9, the building was sold to Robin Damaghi through the entity Develv LLC.
Vaygen said the BBA is still searching for a new home. “We’re not looking to rush into anything. We want to make sure we select the right location.”
They’re looking at something “a little smaller and more modest” than the 123 Remsen St. location but will likely stay in the same neighborhood.
“Currently, we’ve secured temporary offices in Brooklyn Heights,” Vaygen said. “But we’re looking for a more permanent space. Ideally, we need, besides office space, large enough conference rooms for the board to have their meetings, and event space for CLEs and the like.”
Vaygen hopes to see the organization settled in its new home with a larger range of membership and internal programming.
“This year has been very challenging so far,” Vaygen said. “But I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and all good things are in store for this organization.”