Gerald B. Lefcourt
Encyclopedia
Gerald B. Lefcourt is a criminal defense lawyer with a reputation for taking on unpopular and high-profile clients, including such clients as the Black Panthers, Abbie Hoffman
, Harry Helmsley
, a co-defendant of Michael Milken
, former New York State Assembly
Speaker
, Mel Miller
, Russell Crowe
, and Tracy Morgan
. He was a featured personality in the 2006 documentary Giuliani Time
. Recent victories include a full acquittal of rap mogul and Murder, Inc. Records founder Irv Gotti on federal money laundering charges. Lefcourt is currently one of the attorneys in the federal KPMG tax shelter fraud
prosecution, believed to be the largest tax fraud case ever brought in the history of the United States.
Lefcourt graduated Brooklyn Law School
, class of 1967, and heads a four-lawyer firm in New York City
that specializes in criminal defense. Considered one of the nation's best trial lawyers and a leading spokesman of the defense bar, he is past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
, the New York Criminal Bar Association, and a founder of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Lefcourt is also a lecturer and panelist, and has authored publications on legal subjects including asset forfeiture, legal ethics, wire-tapping, plea bargaining, subpoenas to lawyers, and representation of grand jury witnesses.
He was named as among the finest NY trial attorneys by the New York Law Journal
's 1983 "Who's Who in Criminal Defense Bar", and received the New York State Bar's Outstanding Practitioner Award in 1985 and 1993, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
' highest honor, the Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, in 1993. In 1997 he was presented the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award by The New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Abbie Hoffman
Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ....
, Harry Helmsley
Harry Helmsley
Harry B. Helmsley was an Americanentrepreneur who built a company that became one of the biggest property holders in the United States...
, a co-defendant of Michael Milken
Michael Milken
Michael Robert Milken is an American business magnate, financier, and philanthropist noted for his role in the development of the market for high-yield bonds during the 1970s and 1980s, for his 1990 guilty plea to felony charges for violating US securities laws, and for his funding of medical...
, former New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
, Mel Miller
Mel Miller
Melvin H. Miller is an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He graduated from Brooklyn College and New York University School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1964, and is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association...
, Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
, and Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
. He was a featured personality in the 2006 documentary Giuliani Time
Giuliani Time
Giuliani Time is a documentary by Kevin Keating about Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City.The Village Voice called this 2006 documentary "an incisive portrait of power seizure and class combat as it was performed, by the numbers, on the municipal level." The film contains several archival...
. Recent victories include a full acquittal of rap mogul and Murder, Inc. Records founder Irv Gotti on federal money laundering charges. Lefcourt is currently one of the attorneys in the federal KPMG tax shelter fraud
KPMG tax shelter fraud
The KPMG tax shelter fraud scandal involves allegedly illegal U.S. tax shelters by KPMG that were exposed beginning in 2003. In early 2005, the United States member firm of KPMG International, KPMG LLP, was accused by the United States Department of Justice of fraud in marketing abusive tax...
prosecution, believed to be the largest tax fraud case ever brought in the history of the United States.
Lefcourt graduated Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
, class of 1967, and heads a four-lawyer firm in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that specializes in criminal defense. Considered one of the nation's best trial lawyers and a leading spokesman of the defense bar, he is past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is an American criminal defense organization. Their stated mission is to "Ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime. Foster the integrity, independence and expertise of the criminal defense profession...
, the New York Criminal Bar Association, and a founder of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Lefcourt is also a lecturer and panelist, and has authored publications on legal subjects including asset forfeiture, legal ethics, wire-tapping, plea bargaining, subpoenas to lawyers, and representation of grand jury witnesses.
He was named as among the finest NY trial attorneys by the New York Law Journal
New York Law Journal
The New York Law Journal, founded in 1888, is a legal periodical covering the legal profession in New York, United States. The newspaper covers legal news, decisions, court calendars, and legislation, and provides analysis and insight in columns written by leading professionals...
's 1983 "Who's Who in Criminal Defense Bar", and received the New York State Bar's Outstanding Practitioner Award in 1985 and 1993, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is an American criminal defense organization. Their stated mission is to "Ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime. Foster the integrity, independence and expertise of the criminal defense profession...
' highest honor, the Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, in 1993. In 1997 he was presented the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award by The New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.