Page 22 - NYLJ Professional Excellence 2021

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

SANFORD RUBENSTEIN

FOUNDING PARTNER, RUBENSTEIN & RYNECKI

When reviewing the accomplishments of Sanford Rubenstein, the first thing that comes to mind to me

as a civil rights activist who has worked with him for over 20 years is his compassion for his clients,
on whose side he always remains as an advocate, long after the cameras are gone.

Recently featured in cover stories in both suffered a bilateral amputation and hearing
“Dekad” and “Resident” magazines, Ruben- loss. In 2019 he obtained a $3.3 million settle-
stein is one of New York’s most sought after ment for a Rikers inmate who spent 400 days
advocates for victim’s rights in personal injury, in isolation leading to his suicide, which led to
medical malpractice and civil rights matters. a commitment by city officials to close Rikers.
Described by the Belli Society of ATLA as one of Appearing frequently on national and local
the nation’ top lawyers, he has been described TV news, he has been quoted in all of New
by the New York Post’s Page Six as “a high York’s daily newspapers. Rubenstein has been
BY REV. KEVIN powered personal injury lawyer” and the New a guest on Good Morning America, Good Day
McCALL York Daily News as “a famed attorney.” In 2019 New York, Geraldo At Large, Inside Edition and
he was named as one of New York state’s most Montel. He has appeared as a legal analyst on
influential lawyers by City & State New York CNN, Fox and MSNBC. He was a regular pan-
Magazine. elist on the Fox News show “Strategy Room”
Rubenstein has handled numerous multi- as well as on the “Law and Crime Network.”
million dollar high profile cases in which he Rubenstein has spoken at the Harvard Law
has represented victims in tragic occurrences School Criminal Justice Institute and Brooklyn
in New York City including the police torture Law School. The recipient of numerous awards,
of a man who was sodomized by a New York Rubenstein has been recognized for his work
City police officer in a police precinct bath- in social justice by civil rights organizations
room for which he obtained a $8.75 million including, among others, The NAACP, Black
settlement and a 50-shot police shooting that Lives Matter Greater New York, The National
killed one man the night before his wedding, Action Network, The Foundation For Ethnic
and wounded his two friends, settled for $7.15 Understanding and The Black Institute. He was
million. He also obtained a $17.9 million award the recipient of the Johnnie Cochran Jr. Justice
for negligence and malpractice for a woman Award, an honor of special meaning to him as
who suffered the amputation of her hands the late Johnny Cochran Jr. was his mentor.
and feet and an $18.1 million settlement for a In 2016 he was elected to the Fellows of the
student who went into a coma and died after New York Bar Foundation an honor recognizing
a hospital diagnostic test. In 2014 he and his his career of outstanding professional achieve-
malpractice team were successful in obtaining ments as an attorney. In 2017 he was named
a $62 million jury verdict for a woman who by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the
top 100 civil plaintiffs lawyers in the country
and has been selected and featured in the Top
Rev. Kevin McCall is a civil rights leader and activ- Attorneys of North America 2018-2019 edition.
ist. He is the president of the Crisis Action Center in In 2019 he was the recipient of the prestigious
Brooklyn, N.Y. National Bar Association Judicial » Page 108

20 October 2021 |