
<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.8
 
                                    CONSENT
 
    I hereby consent to being named as a person chosen to become a director of
First Empire State Corporation in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 1998.
 
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<S>                             <C>  <C>
                                                /s/ RUSSELL A. KING
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                  Russell A. King
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