69 Notable alumni of
Brooklyn Law School
Updated:
Brooklyn Law School is 855th in the world, 313th in North America, and 292nd in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 69 notable alumni from Brooklyn Law School sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Paul Simon
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- 1963-1964 graduated with not completed
- Occupations
- recording artistsingerrecord producercomposeractor
- Biography
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Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. Their blend of folk and rock, including hits such as "The Sound of Silence" (1965), "Mrs. Robinson" (1968), "America" (1968) and "The Boxer" (1969), served as a soundtrack to the 1960s counterculture. Their final album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), is among the best-selling of all time.
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Geraldo Rivera
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- Graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- non-fiction writerjournalisttelevision presenterwriterpolitical reporter
- Biography
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Geraldo Rivera is an American journalist, attorney, author, and political commentator who worked at the Fox News Channel from 2001 to 2023. He hosted the tabloid talk show Geraldo from 1987 to 1998. He gained publicity with the live 1986 TV special The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults. Rivera hosted the news magazine program Geraldo at Large, hosts the occasional broadcast of Geraldo Rivera Reports (in lieu of hosting At Large). He served as a rotating co-host of The Five from 2022 to 2023. As of February 2024, Rivera retains the spot of correspondent-at-large with NewsNation.
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Larry Silverstein
- Occupations
- real estate agentarchitect
- Biography
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Larry A. Silverstein is an American billionaire businessman. Among his real estate projects, he is the developer of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City, as well as one of New York's tallest residential towers at 30 Park Place, where he owns a home. As of December 2024, he had an estimated net worth of US$1 billion according to Forbes.
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David Dinkins
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- Graduated with Bachelor of Laws
- Occupations
- mayorpoliticianjurist
- Biography
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David Norman Dinkins was an American politician, lawyer, and author who served as the 106th mayor of New York City from 1990 to 1993.
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Kevin Heffernan
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directorfilm actor
- Biography
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Kevin Heffernan is an American actor, writer, producer, and director, and member of the Broken Lizard comedy group.
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Norm Coleman
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Norman Bertram Coleman Jr. is an American politician, attorney, and lobbyist. From 2003 to 2009, he served as a United States Senator for Minnesota. From 1994 to 2002, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota. First elected as a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Coleman became a Republican in 1996. Elected to the Senate in 2002, he was narrowly defeated in his 2008 reelection bid. As of 2024, he is the most recent Republican to have represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate.
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Mickey Marcus
- Occupations
- military personnelmilitary officerlawyer
- Biography
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David Daniel "Mickey" Marcus was a United States Army colonel, later Israel's first General, who was a principal architect of the U.S. military's World War II civil affairs policies, including the organization of the war crimes trials in Germany and in Japan.
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Alexander Lowen
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- In 1934 graduated with Bachelor of Laws in jurisprudence
- In 1936 graduated with Doctor of Juridical Science
- Occupations
- psychotherapist
- Biography
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Alexander Lowen was an American physician and psychotherapist.
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Robert Rosenthal
- Occupations
- lawyerprosecutor
- Biography
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Lieutenant Colonel Robert Rosenthal was an American lawyer and Army officer. A highly decorated B-17 commander of the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, Rosenthal was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross and two Silver Stars. Although bomber crews were initially only required to complete 25 combat missions in a combat tour to earn the right to rotate home, Rosenthal flew a total of 52 missions and was shot down twice. After the war, Rosenthal served as an assistant to the U.S. prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials.
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Sheldon Silver
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- Graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sheldon Silver was an American Democratic Party politician and attorney from New York City who served as Speaker of the New York State Assembly from 1994 to 2015. A native of Manhattan's Lower East Side, Silver served in the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 2015. In 1994, he was elected as Speaker; he held that position for two decades. During this period, Silver was known as one of the most powerful politicians in the state.
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Mark Lane
- Occupations
- politicianconspiracy theoristlawyerwriterjurist
- Biography
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Mark Lane was an American attorney, New York state legislator, civil rights activist, and Vietnam war-crimes investigator. Sometimes referred to as a gadfly, Lane is best known as a leading researcher, author, and conspiracy theorist on the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy. Lane authored many books, including 10 on the JFK assassination, such as Rush to Judgment,, the 1966 number-one bestselling critique of the Warren Commission and Last Word: My Indictment of the CIA in the Murder of JFK, published in 2011.
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Irving Paul Lazar
- Occupations
- television producertalent agentlawyerfilm producer
- Biography
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Irving Paul "Swifty" Lazar was an American lawyer, talent agent and dealmaker, representing both movie stars and authors (including Richard Nixon).
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Rachel Freier
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Rachel "Ruchie" Freier is a New York Supreme Court justice.
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Todd Blanche
- Years
- 1974-.. (age 51)
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Todd Wallace Blanche is an American lawyer and former prosecutor. Blanche is best known for representing U.S. president Donald Trump in the 2024 criminal trial in New York. Blanche worked at Wall Street's oldest law firm, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, serving as a partner at the firm for nearly six years—and represented clients such as Rudy Guiliani, associate Igor Fruman and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
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Percy Sutton
- Occupations
- aircraft pilotpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Percy Ellis Sutton was an American political and business leader. An activist in the Civil Rights Movement and lawyer, he was also a Freedom Rider and the legal representative for Malcolm X. He was the highest-ranking African-American elected official in New York City when he was Manhattan borough president from 1966 to 1977, the longest tenure at that position. He later became an entrepreneur whose investments included the New York Amsterdam News and the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
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Charles S. Cohen
- Years
- 1952-.. (age 73)
- Occupations
- film producer
- Biography
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Charles Steven Cohen is an American real estate developer and film distributor.
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Errol Louis
- Occupations
- journalisteditor
- Biography
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Errol T. Louis is a New York City journalist and television show host. He has unsuccessfully run for office several times.
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Brian Sullivan
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Brian Sullivan is a television news anchor and business journalist for CNBC.
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Sal Albanese
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sal F. Albanese is a politician from New York City. He served as a New York City Council member, and ran unsuccessfully for several other public offices including New York State Assembly, United States Congress, and Mayor of New York City.
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Herman Badillo
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Herman Badillo was an American lawyer and politician who served as borough president of The Bronx and United States Representative, and ran for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican elected to these posts, and the first Puerto Rican mayoral candidate in a major city in the continental United States.
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Carrie Goldberg
- Occupations
- lawyerjurist
- Biography
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Carrie Goldberg is an American lawyer specializing in sex crimes with her law firm C.A. Goldberg PLLC. She has represented: five clients who described sexual abuse committed by Harvey Weinstein; the former Democratic Member of Congress Katie Hill after her naked photos were published in the media; and the author Emma Cline after an ex-partner sued for plagiarism. Her legal cases with low-profile individuals—involving revenge porn, intimate partner violence and online abuse—often draw national media attention.
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Leonard Garment
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Leonard Garment was an American attorney, public servant, and arts advocate. He served U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the White House in various positions from 1969 to 1976, including Counselor to the President, acting Special Counsel to Nixon for the last two years of his presidency, and U.S. Ambassador to the Third Committee at the United Nations. He played a key role in the Ford pardon of Nixon.
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Howard Golden
- Occupations
- civil servantpolitician
- Biography
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Howard Golden was an American lawyer and politician in the Democratic Party who served as the borough president of Brooklyn from January 3, 1977, to December 31, 2001. He concurrently served as chairman of the Brooklyn Democratic Party from January 1984 to October 1990. Golden also served on the New York City Council from 1970 until 1976.
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I. Leo Glasser
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Israel Leo Glasser, also known as I. Leo Glasser or Leo Glasser, is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
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Leon Charney
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Leon Charney was an American real estate tycoon, attorney, author, philanthropist, political pundit, media personality and Jewish cantor. He lived in Manhattan in New York City, dividing his time between his residences in Tel Aviv and Boca Raton, Florida. In March 2012, Forbes listed Charney as No. 353 among the wealthiest Americans. He was a graduate of Yeshiva University where he participated in demonstrations to free Soviet Jewry, and Brooklyn Law School.
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Oscar Holmes
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- Graduated with Master of Laws
- Occupations
- chemistair traffic controlleruniversity teacherlawyeraircraft pilot
- Biography
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Oscar Wayman Holmes was an American naval aviator in World War II and civilian flight controller, the first African-American in each position.
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Sterling Johnson, Jr
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- In 1966 graduated with Bachelor of Laws
- Occupations
- judgemilitary officerlawyer
- Biography
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Sterling Johnson Jr. was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Before his appointment to the bench in 1991, Johnson was an attorney for 25 years, specializing in drug enforcement and the prosecution of narcotics cases. As Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, he supervised assistant district attorneys and investigators responsible for the preparation and prosecution of more than 7,000 criminal cases. He has been a guest lecturer at many American universities and law schools, as well as in various countries.
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Jeffrey Dinowitz
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jeffrey Dinowitz is an American politician who represents District 81 in the New York State Assembly, which comprises Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn Heights. Dinowitz has served in the New York State Assembly since 1994.
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Caitlin Bassett
- Years
- 1990-.. (age 35)
- Occupations
- actorsoldier
- Biography
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Caitlin Amanda Bassett is an American actress and US Army veteran. Best known for her work as a lead on NBC's Quantum Leap, Bassett is the first American female combat veteran to work as an actress in Hollywood.
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Sean Ryan
- Years
- 1965-.. (age 60)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sean M. Ryan is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the New York State Senate from the 61st District. A Democrat, he previously served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2021, and the 60th District from 2021 to 2022.
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Edward R. Korman
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Edward Robert Korman is a senior United States district judge serving on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, in Brooklyn, New York.
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Bertram L. Podell
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Bertram Lawrence "Bert" Podell was an American politician who served in the New York State Assembly for six terms and part of a seventh, and was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York for part of one term and three full terms. He was a Democrat.
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John Marchi
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Joseph Marchi was an American politician, attorney and jurist. A member of the Republican Party from Staten Island, New York, he was a member of the New York State Senate from 1957 to 2006, making him the longest-serving state legislator in New York history. He was the Republican nominee for Mayor of New York City in 1969 and 1973.
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Jennifer P. Wilson
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Jennifer Marie Philpott Wilson is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
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Mark Weprin
- Years
- 1961-.. (age 64)
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Mark Weprin represented District 23 in the New York City Council, then the most ethnically diverse district in New York City, which contains the Queens neighborhoods of Hollis Hills, Queens Village, Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, Hollis, Hollis Park Gardens, Holliswood, Fresh Meadows, and Oakland Gardens.
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James F. Brennan
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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James F. Brennan is an American politician. He is a former Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 44th Assembly District (Brooklyn).
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Vinoo Varghese
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Vinoo Varghese is an American lawyer who has defended high-profile clients in New York State and federal courts around the country. He provides legal commentary in print and on television. He has appeared on programs such as Hardball with Chris Matthews, The Ingraham Angle, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, and CBS This Morning. A former prosecutor, Varghese is an outspoken critic of the nearly unlimited power of prosecutors. On March 21, 2020, the New York Daily News published an op-ed that Varghese wrote blasting Governor Andrew Cuomo's decision not to include criminal defense lawyers as "essential" in Cuomo's COVID-19 shutdown order. The next day, criminal defense lawyers were deemed "essential." On May 29, 2020, Varghese wrote an op-ed about the Manhattan DA engaging in selective prosecution by prosecuting Yasmin Seweid in 2016 for a false criminal report, but not Amy Cooper in the Central Park “Karen” incident. Two weeks after the publication of this op-ed, then District Attorney Cy Vance, ordered her arrest.
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Lawrence J. Smith
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Lawrence Jack Smith is an American politician, lawyer, lobbyist, and a former five-term member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida, serving from 1983 to 1993.
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Rosalie Gardiner Jones
- Occupations
- suffragistpolitician
- Biography
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Rosalie Gardiner Jones was an American suffragette. She took the "Pankhursts" as role models and after hearing of the "Brown Women" she organised marches to draw attention to the suffrage cause. She was known as "General Jones" because of her following.
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Steven Cymbrowitz
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Steven H. Cymbrowitz is a former Democratic member of the New York State Assembly representing Assembly District 45, which consists of Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach and Midwood, among other communities located in the borough of Brooklyn. He lost to Michael Novakhov in the 2022 midterm election.
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Abraham Pomerantz
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Abraham Louis Pomerantz was an American attorney who "pioneered shareholder suits against major corporations and for a time directed the prosecution of German industrialists after World War II." He also defended Soviet diplomat Valentin A. Gubitchev in the 1949-1950 Judith Coplon case.
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Irving H. Saypol
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Irving Howard Saypol was a United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and a New York Supreme Court Justice. He directed several high-profile prosecutions of Communists, including the cases of Alger Hiss, William Remington, Abraham Brothman, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
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Susan Kaiser Greenland
- Biography
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Susan Kaiser Greenland is an American author and teacher of mindfulness and meditation, practicing a state of present-moment awareness to develop overall attentiveness and social/emotional skills. Susan played a foundational role in making mindfulness practices developmentally appropriate for young people, and with her first book The Mindful Child she helped pioneer activity-based mindfulness. This technique is now practiced in American schools throughout the country to help children learn how to reduce and alleviate their stress levels.
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Morris Michael Edelstein
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Morris Michael Edelstein was a Polish-born Congressional Representative and lawyer from the state of New York, serving from 1940 to 1941.
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Randall Amster
- Occupations
- activistuniversity teacherpeace activistjournalistjurist
- Biography
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Randall Jay Amster is an American author, activist, and educator in areas including peace, ecology, homelessness, and anarchism. He is the co-director of the Environmental Studies program at Georgetown University, and writes for outlets ranging from academic journals to online news media. Amster has worked as an attorney, judicial clerk, university lecturer and academic administrator.
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Claire R. Kelly
- Occupations
- judge
- Biography
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Claire Rita Kelly is a United States judge of the United States Court of International Trade.
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Nelson S. Roman
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Nelson Stephen Román is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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Frank J. Brasco
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Frank James Brasco was an American politician who served four terms as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1967 to 1975.
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John Joseph Delaney
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- In 1914 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- businesspersonpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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John Joseph Delaney was an American lawyer and politician who served ten terms as a United States representative from New York from 1918 to 1919, and then from 1931 to 1948. He was elected to an 11th term in 1948 but died shortly after the election.
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Victor Anfuso
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Victor L'Episcopo Anfuso was an American lawyer, World War II veteran, and politician who served five terms as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1951 to 1953, then again from 1955 to 1963.
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John Carro
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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John Carro is a former American judge. He served as a judge for 25 years and was involved in many high-profile cases. A New York Supreme Court Justice serving in the Appellate Division, where he served as an associate justice for the last 15 of his 25 years as a judge. After retirement from the bench in 1994, Carro founded Carro, Velez, Carro & Mitchell (now known as Carro, Carro & Mitchell), a private law firm in New York City. Carro is an ardent advocate for the Hispanic and Latino American community and human rights throughout the world, and has been a major leader in the founding and management of many bar groups, committees and legal and educational associations. He was described by The New York Times as a "legendary Justice."
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Abraham Jacob Multer
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- In 1922 graduated with Bachelor of Laws
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Abraham Jacob Multer was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served ten terms as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1947 to 1967.
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E. Leo Milonas
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Elias Leo Milonas was an American judge and lawyer who served for 26 years as a judge in New York State. He chaired the New York Commission on Judicial Nomination from 2019 until his death, and retired from his position as a partner with the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop at the end of 2023.
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John J. Bennett, Jr
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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John James Bennett was an American lawyer and politician.
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Harry Halpern
- Occupations
- rabbi
- Biography
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Harry Halpern was an American Conservative Jewish educator and rabbi who for almost 49 years was the rabbi of the East Midwood Jewish Center (EMJC), in Brooklyn, New York.
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Lester D. Volk
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Lester David Volk was an American physician, lawyer and politician from New York.
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Henry Jepson Latham
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- Graduated with Bachelor of Laws
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyermember
- Biography
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Henry Jepson Latham was an American attorney, politician, and jurist from New York. A Republican, he served in the New York State Assembly from 1941 to 1942, the United States House of Representatives from 1945 to 1958, and as a Justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1959 to 1978.
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John D. Clarke
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Davenport Clarke was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.
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James H. Fay
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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James Herbert Fay was an American lawyer and Democratic politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York, serving two non-consecutive terms from 1939 to 1941, and from 1943 to 1945.
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Frank X. Altimari
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Frank Xavier Altimari was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and previously was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
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Henry Bramwell
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Henry Bramwell was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
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Peter Weinstein
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Peter M. Weinstein is an American politician in the state of Florida.
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Benjamin Stanley Rosenthal
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Benjamin Stanley Rosenthal was an American Democratic Party politician from New York who represented the northern portion of Queens during twelve Congressional terms, from 1962 until his death. Upon his death at age 59, he was the third-most senior Representative in the New York delegation.
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Matthew T. Abruzzo
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Matthew T. Abruzzo was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He was the first Italian American to be appointed as a federal judge.
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Joseph V. Flynn
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Joseph Vincent Flynn of Brooklyn, New York was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1915 to 1919. He was a Democrat.
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David Matthew Potts
- Enrolled in Brooklyn Law School
- In 1932 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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David Matthew Potts was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1947 to 1949.
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Jerome Schutzer
- Years
- 1930-2021 (aged 91)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jerome Schutzer was an American lawyer and politician from New York.
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Fred M. Ahern
- Years
- 1884-1950 (aged 66)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Fred M. Ahern was an American lawyer and politician from New York.
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Morton J. Gold
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Morton Joseph Gold was a United States Air Force (USAF) brigadier general who was staff judge advocate for Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. In this position he was responsible for advising the commander in chief, PACAF, on all legal matters and interpreting and administering military law and justice for the command.
