Born in 1952, Marc Kasowitz built a prestigious law career in New York City. He has earned the moniker of the toughest lawyer on Wall Street and is considered one of the top trial attorneys in the country. He has earned numerous awards throughout his career, including being named one of the country’s top 100 trial lawyers. His reputation as a powerhouse attorney who is an expert litigator has meant he can provide for his clients, which includes individuals, corporations, and politicians, with expert representation in a court of law. While others seek to make a deal, he seeks to do what is right.
Early Life and Education
Kasowitz grew up in Connecticut, where he and his fraternal twin brother spent time working with their father in his scrap metal yard. His father had emigrated from Poland and became the American Dream story. Through this experience, Kasowitz learned the importance of hard work, honesty, having strong morals, and that love and respect for others can go a long way.
He attended a private school, Hopkins School, located in New Haven. After, he enrolled in the prestigious Yale University, where he earned a BA in American History. From there, he attended Cornell Law School with a JD graduating in 1977.
Career
After passing the bar, Marc Kasowitz worked for the law firm Mayer Brown until he and 18 other lawyers and two clients left to begin the firm Kasowitz Benson Torres in 1993. This move came at a difficult but opportune time – the first attack on the World Trade Center. When the center was attacked in 1993, the victims of the tragic event sued the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Kasowitz was the lead defender of these entities and helped him earn a name for himself in the legal world. While the Port Authority was eventually found negligent in 2005, Kasowitz showed his abilities as a litigator. Recently, Marc Kasozitzdid an interview with Benjamin Lau called, Champion of Clients (Top of the Line).
However, his real prominence rose during the height of the tobacco wars that first saw him defending one of the largest tobacco companies, Liggett. He staunchly defended them from claims that tobacco problems were causing extensive health concerns. Liggett eventually owned up to the claims and settled, but it pushed Kasowitz to the other side of the fight. In conjunction with the admission from Liggett, Kasowitz proposed legislation that would help warn the public about the dangers of tobacco while also protecting the tobacco companies.
Marc Kasowitz recognized that companies were refusing to settle and decided that he could help. Through his efforts, Kasowitz was able to convince the US Government to enforce a warning label on tobacco products that warn against their contributions to diseases such as cancer and heart disease. That little label was thanks to the efforts of Kasowitz and Liggett.
His tactics are used in many areas of law, and he has helped numerous businesses through both litigation and investigation. This helps give businesses the foot they need to stand on to help continue healthy growth and opportunity. His work has led him to serve on national trial counsels in some of the most complex commercial cases that focus on antitrust, banking, securities, product liability, mass tort, corporate governance, and much more. His work is well-rounded and well-recognized in the legal field.
Helping Others Find Their Footing
His firm now boasts over 300 employees, all of whom speak to the type of attorney Kasowitz is. He instills in others the importance of standing up for what is right while also remembering that they represent clients who need their best efforts to help them with their legal troubles. As a mentor, he helps shape the work of others so that they can learn from his successes.
He pushes law students to remember their why, often taking time to speak to them about how complex the world can be. In these complex lives, the law creates opportunity and fairness for all, which makes the role of an attorney so important. His investment in law students is an investment in the future of law, something he wants to contribute to continuously.
Philanthropist
Above all, he is a family man who enjoys spending time with his wife and children. Instilling in his children that kindness exists in the world, he seeks to make them proud through his philanthropic efforts as he leads by example. Marc Kasowitz has set up scholarship opportunities with his wife that provide for students attending Cornell Law School. He has done the same with his brother at their old alma mater, the Hopkins School.Kasowitz has also given back to American politics through donations to several political campaigns.
In addition to this charity work, he often takes on cases pro bono for those who need it the most. Clients who face immigration, domestic violence, child abuse, and other cases in which clients may not know where to turn or may not have the resources available to get the help that they deserve.
Marc Kasowitz wants to be remembered as someone who always thinks of others, just as he hopes that others think of him. He wants to show the mutual respect and understanding that people should offer each other each day.Be Honest, Be Kind
For those who know Kasowitz, he is a man who looks out for others and wants to see each person experience the best life that they can because people treat them the way they deserve to be. That includes honesty and kindness, just as his father taught him. While he may not be the name you want to see on the other side of a courtroom, it certainly is a name that can bring comfort and compassion when it’s needed.
Kasowitz has always believed in the law and has made spreading that passion to others his priority. Understanding who he is makes it clear to see why he is a nationally recognized and award-winning attorney. He lives his life as a reflection of what he believes, which means he walks the walk and talks the talk.
