Alan Dershowitz Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Alan Dershowitz is a lawyer, author, and professor as well as a criminal and constitutional law expert.  Alan Dershowitz is also known as one of the members of the O.J. Simpson criminal defense team.

Childhood And Early Life

Alan Dershowitz was born on September 1, 1938, in New York City, New York.   His father Harry Dershowitz was the founder and president of the Young Israel Synagogue.  Alan Dershowitz was also one of the directors is of the Etz Chaim school in Borough Park.

Education

Alan Dershowitz attended Yeshiva University High School.  There Alan Dershowitz played basketball and was sometimes troublesome for his teachers.  Alan Dershowitz enrolled at Brooklyn College and earned his Bachelor's of Arts degree in political science in 1959. 

Later Alan Dershowitz attended Yale Law School where he was the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal.  Alan Dershowitz graduated at the top of his class in 1962 with a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Career

After obtaining his law license, Alan Dershowitz worked for David L. Bazelon as a clerk.  Bazelon was a lawyer and the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In 1963, Alan Dershowitz worked for Arthur Goldberg, the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.  While working as Goldberg's law clerk, Dershowitz started as an assistant professor at Harvard Law School. Alan Dershowitz was promoted to professor in 1967, making him the youngest law professor in the school's history.

When Alan Dershowitz became an independent lawyer, Alan Dershowitz started taking on high profile cases.  Alan Dershowitz defended the famous including Leona Helmsley, Harry Reems, Mike Tyson, Patty Hearst, the Archbishop of Warsaw, and O.J. Simpson. 

From pornography to first-degree murder, many of his cases have been challenging.  In most cases, his clients have been acquitted or found not guilty.

Later Life

Alan Dershowitz retired from his Harvard Law professorship in 2013.  Alan Dershowitz continues to write books and articles as well as advise for high profile legal teams.

Personal Life And Legacy

Alan Dershowitz married Sue Barlach, but they divorced.  He later married Carolyn Cohen.  The couple has three children.

Alan Dershowitz has many books to his name that are based on his experiences and cases.  One book, Reversal of Fortune:  Inside the von Bülow Case, is the basis of the movie title Reversal of Fortune.

Philanthropic Works / Humanitarian Work

Alan Dershowitz is actively involved in political issues, especially those that pertain to Israel and Palestine.  Alan Dershowitz supports Israel and many of their politicies.  

Awards And Achievements  

•    Youngest law professor at Harvard Law School (age 29), 1967
•    Guggenheim Fellow, 1979
•    William O. Douglas First Amendment Award from the Anti-Defamation League, 1983
•    Soviet Jewry Freedom Award, 2007
•    Menachem Begin Award, 2011
•    Several honorary doctorates from colleges and universities around the world

Controversies

In 2003, Alan Dershowitz published his book, The Case for Israel.  Norman Finkelstein accused Dershowitz of plagiarism. After an investigation by Harvard University, no plagiarism had been discovered.  

In 2014, Alan Dershowitz, along with other high profile figures, were accused of sexual activities with a minor. 

That minor, Virginia Roberts, was employed by Dershowitz's former client and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  

Summary Of Major Works

Books:

•    The Best Defense (1982)
•    Reversal of Fortune:  Inside the von Bülow Case (1985)
•    Chutzpah (1991)
•    The Advocate's Devil fiction (1994)
•    Reasonable Doubts:  The Criminal Justice System and the O.J. Simpson Case (1996)
•    The Case for Israel (2003)
•    The Case for Peace:  How the Arab-Israeli Conflict Can be Resolved (2005)
•    Taking the Stand:  My Life in the Law (2013)

Famous Cases:

•    Harry Reems, distribution of obscenity (pornography), 1976
•    Claus von Bülow, attempted murder of his wife, 1984
•    against Cardinal Józef Glemp, then Archbishop of Warsaw, defamation suit, 1989
•    O.J. Simpson, two counts of  murder, 1995