Floyd Abrams

Floyd Abrams (born in July 9, 1936) is an American lawyer. A member of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, he has argued in 13 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. Abrams represented The New York Times in 1972 during the Pentagon Papers case, Judith Miller in the CIA leak grand jury investigation, Standard & Poor's and Lorillard Tobacco Company. He also argued for Citizens United during the 2010 Supreme Court case. Early life and education Abrams was born in New York City on July 9, 1936, the son of Rae (née Eberlin) and Isadore Abrams. He is of Jewish descent and had a bar mitzvah ceremony. His first cousin is Elliot Abrams, President George W. Bush's deputy national-security advisor. He earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University in 1956, and after trying to decide between a PhD in American History and law, he decided to obtain his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1960. While at Cornell, Abrams participated in Reserve Officers' Training Corps and was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Career From 1961 to 1963, Abrams clerked for Judge Paul Conway Leahy of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Abrams joined Cahill Gordon & Reindel in 1963 and became a partner in 1970. He was also a Visiting Lecturer at Columbia Law School from 1981 to 1985.