Alan Dershowitz

Alan Dershowitz
Sage Ross · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Alan Dershowitz
Birth date	September 1, 1938
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York City
Occupation	Lawyer, Harvard Law School professor

Alan Dershowitz is a renowned American lawyer, Harvard Law School professor, and civil liberties advocate, known for his involvement in several high-profile cases, including the O.J. Simpson murder case and the Julian Assange extradition case. He has also been a prominent commentator on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, often discussing topics related to Constitutional law, Supreme Court decisions, and Middle East politics. Dershowitz has taught at Harvard Law School alongside notable professors such as Laurence Tribe and Noam Chomsky's colleague, Catherine McKinnon. His work has been influenced by the ideas of John Stuart Mill, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., and Felix Frankfurter.

● Early Life and Education

Dershowitz was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to a family of Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia. He grew up in the Boro Park neighborhood and attended Yeshiva of Brooklyn, where he developed an interest in Talmudic studies and Jewish law. Dershowitz went on to study at Yeshiva University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Yeshivat Chaim Berlin's affiliate program. He then attended Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor degree and serving as the editor of the Harvard Law Review, alongside future Supreme Court justices Stephen Breyer and David Souter. During his time at Harvard Law School, Dershowitz was influenced by the teachings of Paul Freund, Erwin Griswold, and Archibald Cox.

● Career

Dershowitz began his career as a law clerk for David L. Bazelon at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He then joined the faculty of Harvard Law School as an assistant professor, becoming a full professor in 1973. Dershowitz has also been a visiting professor at University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has argued cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and Texas v. Johnson, and has worked with notable lawyers such as Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Antonin Scalia. Dershowitz has also been involved in various ACLU cases, including New York Times Co. v. Sullivan and Brandenburg v. Ohio.

● Notable Cases

Dershowitz has been involved in several high-profile cases, including the O.J. Simpson murder case, where he was a member of the Dream Team alongside Robert Shapiro, Robert Kardashian, and F. Lee Bailey. He also represented Julian Assange in his extradition case, arguing that the WikiLeaks founder's actions were protected by the First Amendment. Dershowitz has also worked on cases related to Middle East politics, including the Goldstone Report and the Gaza flotilla raid. He has argued before the International Court of Justice and the United Nations General Assembly, and has worked with international lawyers such as Amal Clooney and Geoffrey Robertson.

● Writings and Philosophy

Dershowitz has written numerous books on law, politics, and philosophy, including The Vanishing American Jew, Letters to a Young Lawyer, and Preemption: A Knife That Cuts Both Ways. His work has been influenced by the ideas of John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant. Dershowitz has also written for various publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post, often discussing topics related to Constitutional law, Supreme Court decisions, and Middle East politics. He has debated notable thinkers such as Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, and Richard Dawkins on topics ranging from Middle East politics to atheism and secularism.

● Controversies and Criticisms

Dershowitz has been involved in several controversies throughout his career, including his defense of O.J. Simpson and his criticism of the Goldstone Report. He has also been accused of plagiarism and academic dishonesty by Norman Finkelstein and Joel Beinin. Dershowitz has responded to these criticisms, arguing that they are motivated by anti-Semitism and a desire to delegitimize the State of Israel. He has also been criticized by Palestinian activists and human rights organizations for his support of Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Dershowitz has debated these issues with notable thinkers such as Ali Abunimah and Omar Barghouti.

● Personal Life

Dershowitz is married to Carolyn Cohen, and they have three children together. He is a longtime resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has also lived in New York City and Miami Beach, Florida. Dershowitz is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, and has received numerous awards for his work, including the National Jewish Book Award and the Emet Prize. He has also been honored by organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee. Dershowitz has been a vocal supporter of Israel and has worked with organizations such as the Israel Democracy Institute and the Shalom Hartman Institute.