Advocacy, whether it's in the courtroom, board room or for community affairs, has been at the center of my trial practice for 40+ years.
About Alan
With over 40 years of experience as a trial lawyer, Alan represents clients in complex commercial, securities litigation, white collar and regulatory defense. Alan was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 1991. He has been recognized by the New York Law Journal and Chambers USA for his prominence and experience in litigating cases involving complex financial transactions. In addition, he has represented public and private companies under criminal investigation and senior corporate officers in criminal investigations and parallel civil/criminal matters, and law firms in professional malpractice actions, partnership disputes, insurance coverage disputes and other matters arising out of the business of law firms.
Alan has repeatedly been asked by his peers to assume leadership roles in the legal community in the American College of Trial Lawyers, The Legal Aid Society, the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. He currently serves as President of Legal Aid Society and Executive Vice President of the Historical Society of New York Courts. From 2007 through 2011, he served as chairman of the board of The Legal Aid Society. He is currently Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Representation of Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department. In 2000, he was called upon to represent the Legal Services Corporation in a landmark case involving federal legal services funding, which he argued before the United States Supreme Court.
Alan has received numerous awards for his contributions including the Servant of Justice Award from The Legal Aid Society, The Torch of Learning Award from American Friends of the Hebrew University and The Human Relations Award from the Anti-Defamation League. In 2006, the Police Athletic League honored him with The Robert M. Morgenthau Award for being "a tireless advocate for the community, and in 2014 by the New York Law Journal as "Lawyers Who Lead by Example" for his demonstration of leadership through his devotion to improving the legal system and the profession in New York. Alan served for six years on the management and compensation committees of the firm and for the prior eight years (1998-2006) as managing partner of Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP, a premier, 110-lawyer firm in Manhattan, which merged into Cooley in 2006. Prior to joining Kronish Lieb, Alan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he played a key role in the investigation and prosecution of union corruption on the New York City waterfront. He served as Law Clerk to Hon. Lee P. Gagliardi, United States District Judge for Southern District of New York.
Education
New York University School of Law
JD, Editor, Law Review, 1973
University of Pennsylvania
BS, 1970
Court admissions
US Supreme Court
US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
US District Court for the Southern District of New York
Rankings and accolades
Chambers USA: Litigation: General Commercial – New York (2020 – 2024)
New York SuperLawyers: Top 100 Lawyers in New York
The Legal Aid Society: Servant of Justice Award
New York Magazine: The New York Area's Best Lawyers
Benchmark Litigation: Litigation Star
Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
The Legal 500 US: Commercial Litigation
The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
The International Who's Who of Commercial Litigators
American Friends of the Hebrew University: The Torch of Learning Award
New York Law Journal: Lawyers Who Lead by Example
Anti-Defamation League: The Human Relations Award
Police Athletic League: The Robert M. Morgenthau Award
Memberships and affiliations
Federal Bar Council
New York Council of Defense Lawyers