Charles E. Clayman, CRK&L founder and partner, was recently presented with the 2024 “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the New York Law Journal. The editors and publisher presented Clayman with the award at the publication’s annual dinner on September 5.

For more than 50 years, Clayman, more commonly known as “Chuck,”  has fought for justice in the courtrooms of New York City and is considered by many to be one of the elder statesmen of criminal defense attorneys. His pioneering work as a steadfast advocate for justice, combined with a deep philanthropic commitment and civic engagement, has made him a foundational member of New York City’s defense bar.

A native of Quincy, Massachusetts, Clayman’s life has been driven by a mission to humanize the accused and serve as a “merchant of hope.” He has been a steady, unflappable voice of calm for clients seeking counsel in their hour of greatest need. In accepting the award, Clayman reflected on the words and deeds of another lawyer from Massachusetts, John Adams, to describe the essential role of defense attorneys in a democratic society.

As a young lawyer in 1770, Adams famously represented the eight British soldiers accused of murder during the Boston Massacre.  Recognizing that the rule of law must be respected and applied equally to all in order for a true democracy to exist and function properly, Adams undertook the defense of the soldiers.  It was, in Adams own estimation, one of the “best pieces of service he ever rendered his country.”

Clayman remarked, “As lawyers we must emulate (John) Adams and do all in our power to protect the rule of law, with the same unbreakable belief, to protect our democracy and resist those who act against it.”

Shaping the Criminal Defense Landscape of New York City

After first serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan and then as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, Clayman has consistently been drawn into the eye of legal storms that have reshaped New York and the nation. As one of the very first attorneys to establish a boutique white collar criminal defense law firm directly from a prosecutor’s office, Clayman almost single-handedly forged a career path that is now well trodden.

Yet in a profession that regularly draws the attention of gossip columnists and screenwriters, Clayman has quietly earned a reputation for maintaining an almost invisible profile. Steadfastly avoiding the spotlight, preferring instead to serve his clients with exceptional discretion, Clayman has become “the man to see” in the highest corridors of power and prestige throughout the country.

Under Clayman’s leadership, CRK&L has counseled individuals charged in the infamous Pizza Connection trial; the Mafia Commission trial; and two of the largest tax fraud cases ever tried in the Southern District of New York. The firm remains one of the few to defeat the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at trial before the SEC’s own administrative law judge, winning a dismissal of all charges against a hedge fund operator after a month-long trial.

In the very recent past, the firm has represented individuals caught up in the FBI’s “Varsity Blues” college admissions investigation; business executives like former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg; political leaders including former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman; as well as prominent healthcare workers linked to the national opioid epidemic.

Giving Back to His Community

As a gifted attorney with a remarkable educational pedigree, Clayman is the first to acknowledge that lawyers have a moral obligation to give back to society and he has worked hard to set an example for others in the profession. For more than three decades he served on the boards of the Churchill School and Center, as well as two other schools educating children with learning challenges: Winston Preparatory School and Pine Ridge Academy.

He has actively served on the boards of Young Playwrights Inc., the groundbreaking program founded in 1981 by Stephen Sondheim, and the non-profit organization Hale House. In 2017 he was appointed by then Mayor Bill DeBlasio to serve on the New York City Youth Board.

In addition to serving his community, Clayman has been actively engaged in supporting numerous organizations that promote the overall fairness of the criminal justice system. He is a past board member of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, where he served on the Criminal Law Committee and the Committee on International Human Rights. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society and a Director of the Fund for Modern Courts.

In 2019, Clayman was named to the Board of Directors of Gideon’s Promise, a national non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring access to justice in under-served communities across America. A sought-after voice on criminal defense matters, Clayman has lectured widely and taught CLE courses for the New York State Bar Association and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He is also a long-time faculty member of the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

A legal pioneer, public servant, entrepreneur, and law firm visionary are just a few of the characteristics that make Charles Clayman an exceptional recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.