The Metro New Jersey Region of AJC honored Michael B. Himmel, a Partner at the firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP, with its prestigious National Judge Learned Hand Award on Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 pm at the Hilton Short Hills.

The National Judge Learned Hand Award was established by AJC in 1964 to honor the memory of Judge Learned Hand for his extensive range of decisions which he tendered in more than 2,000 cases throughout his lifetime, especially those centering on questions of constitutional rights and anti-trust legislation. The annual award was created to cite leaders in the legal profession for excellence and for their contributions to the legal community. The recipients of this award are people who embody much of what the Judge represented: the rights of the individual and the importance of democratic values in an orderly society.

This philosophy also sums up a major thrust of AJC's work: building human bridges of mutual respect and understanding among diverse ethnic and religious groups, supporting Israel's right to exist in peace and security, fighting the scourge of international terrorism, anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred and extremism, and defending democracy, religious freedom and human rights.

This year's honoree, Michael B. Himmel, eloquently spoke about AJC's advocacy work and why the Learned Hand Award means so much to him, "Learned Hand didn't always take the most popular stance and neither does the AJC. Much like what Learned Hand championed during his lifetime, the AJC stands for freedom, tolerance, and human dignity." Michael ended his remarks by saying, "As Americans it is our responsibility to stand shoulder to shoulder with the AJC in its support of these fundamental human ideals and the right of Israel to exist in peace and security."

Michael is the co-chair of Lowenstein Sandler's Litigation Department and chair of the firm's White Collar Defense Practice. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and a former Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County, New York, Michael has significant experience defending entities and individuals in high-profile, bet-the-company matters. His national white collar practice includes matters involving tax fraud, securities fraud, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, political corruption, antitrust, bank fraud, and environmental matters, as well as internal investigations. His clients have included private and public corporations in various industries, including life sciences and the financial sector, officers and directors of private and public corporations, professionals, and state and federal officials. In civil litigation, he has secured multibillion-dollar securities fraud settlements.

Michael currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and is a member of the Federal Bar Council, 2nd Circuit. He previously served on the Lawyers Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, and in 2014, served on the United States Magistrate Judges Judicial Selection Committee for the United States District Court. For more than 10 years, Michael has been ranked in Band 1 of the Chambers USA guide for his white collar crime and government investigations work. He has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2001, in the areas of criminal defense, business litigation, and bet-the-company litigation.

AJC thanks Jonathan L. Goldstein, Managing Partner at Hellring Lindeman Goldstein & Siegal LLP; Lawrence S. Horn, Member of the Firm at Sills Cummis & Gross P.C.; and Gary M. Wingens, Chairman and Managing Partner at Lowenstein Sandler LLP for serving as the Award Dinner Co- Chairs.

With 10 international posts and 22 offices across the US, AJC advocates for Israel, the interests of the Jewish people and democratic values around the world.

For more information about the dinner or AJC, please contact the New Jersey office at (973) 379-7844.

AJC New Jersey
Allison Klein
Director of Development
(973) 379-7844
kleina@ajc.org  

Lowenstein Sandler
Andrea Sheehy
973-422-6758
asheehy@lowenstein.com