A prominent lawyer who advocated for Jewish students following the Oct. 7 attacks is facing accusations of exploiting his clients. A lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court alleges that Marc Kasowitz's firm preyed on 43 Jewish and Israeli students who sued Columbia University, claiming the institution failed to protect them during anti-Israel protests and encampments. The students' suit, filed by attorney Susan Chana Lask, contends that Kasowitz's firm secured a confidential settlement for the students earlier this year, but then allegedly refused to provide billing records while securing over $6.4 million for itself, which represented more than half of the total settlement payout.
Plaintiffs in the new lawsuit claim Kasowitz's firm distributed the remaining settlement funds through a non-appealable process and threatened students who didn't sign the deal with losing his firm's representation. According to the complaint, students were told a third party would cover legal fees, then were given only five days over the Christmas holiday to sign sweeping releases of their claims. Many only learned their individual payouts, which ranged from $34,000 to $300,000, after signing, leaving them no opportunity to challenge the allocation of funds.
Columbia graduate Miles Rubin, who was represented by Kasowitz's firm, told The Post that he felt misled. "Little did I know he was lining his own pockets while touting himself as a hero," Rubin stated. "He's claiming to be the one defending the Jews, and he's just using it as his own personal piggy bank."
The lawsuit challenges the firm's billing records, which claim over 7,700 hours of legal work at a rate of $2,500 per hour. Plaintiffs allege the firm never produced underlying bills to support the $6.4 million fee and that the hours and fees were "inflated and false," especially since the settlement was reached before depositions or formal discovery.
Noah Miller, another plaintiff, stated he felt like a "pawn to Kasowitz" and was deceived by the retainer agreement, which indicated a third party would cover all legal costs. Attorney Susan Chana Lask described the situation as students being "suckered in," noting that the retainer stated there would be no legal fees, and students signed away their claims before understanding the financial details.
Kasowitz gained national recognition for filing lawsuits against universities like Columbia, Harvard, Penn, and NYU, alleging they permitted antisemitism to flourish. He also previously served as an outside lawyer for President Trump. A spokesperson for Kasowitz LLP denied the lawsuit's claims, stating it is "riddled with gross misrepresentations and false claims" and that the settlement achieved "historic gains and protections for Jewish and Israeli students."
This is not the first time Kasowitz and his firm have faced scrutiny over their legal practices. A former partner sued the firm last year alleging concealed financial conditions, and an insurance company previously sued Kasowitz for malpractice and fraudulent billing. Kasowitz denied those allegations and countersued for unpaid legal bills.