Elkan Abramowitz

Elkan Abramowitz is a top white collar criminal defense lawyer who has handled civil and criminal cases in state and federal court for both individuals and businesses. In and out of the courtroom, he has created a career as a trial lawyer defending prestigious clients who have been involved in high-stakes personal and professional crises.

Elkan has received numerous awards, including the Milton S. Gould Award for Outstanding Oral Advocacy from the Office of the Appellate Defender, the Norman S. Ostrow Award for the Defense of Liberty and the Preservation of Individual Rights from the New York Council of Defense Lawyers, the New York Law Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Police Athletic League's Robert M. Morgenthau Award. He was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Chambers USA: America's Top Lawyers for Business, and has been named a leading lawyer in the area of Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations by Chambers USA every year since the publication's inception in 2003. He's been called “an unquestioned dean of the field … with a potent combination of experience, intelligence and composure” and “[o]ne of the best trial lawyers in the nation.” In addition, he was named "Trial Lawyer of the Year" by Benchmark Litigation: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys, as well as a "Top 100 Trial Lawyer in America," a "Top 10 Practitioner," and a "Litigation Star" in the area of White-Collar Crime/Enforcement/Investigations. Elkan is ranked in The Legal 500 United States as a "Leading Lawyer" and a "Leading Trial Lawyer" in White Collar Criminal Defense. Law360 called Elkan a White Collar "MVP of the Year" and "Trial Ace," while the National Law Journal labeled him a "White Collar Crime Trailblazer." Best Lawyers in America has named him a Best Lawyer in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Criminal Defense: White Collar. Elkan was also named one of eight "Most Highly Regarded Individuals" by Who's Who Legal - The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers. Elkan is hailed as a "'superb strategist and tactician' who has represented a slew of well-known persons and corporations throughout the course of his 'illustrious career' to date," according to that publication. He has also been named to Thomson Reuters' Super Lawyers and Top 100 lists on a regular basis.

In 1979, Elkan joined a predecessor firm to Morvillo Abramowitz as a principal. In 1990, he was assigned Special Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation to look into Mayor David Dinkins' stock transfer to his son. In 1992, he was counsel to the Special Master in the antitrust lawsuit involving garment centers. Elkan has also held positions as Assistant Deputy Mayor of New York City, Special Counsel to the House Select Committee on Crime, and Chief of the Criminal Division at the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

Education

• Brown University, graduated 1961
• Brown University, AB, graduated 1961

Award List

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

• Criminal Defense: White-Collar, New York City (2014)

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Criminal Defense: White-Collar