Background
Proskauer was born in Mobile, Alabama, to a Jewish family in 1877.
Proskauer was born in Mobile, Alabama, to a Jewish family in 1877.
At age 15, he came to New York City to attend Columbia University, earning an Bachelor of Arts from Columbia Law School in 1896 and an Bachelor of Laws in 1899. He was admitted to the bar that same year. He would later be awarded honorary degrees from Hebrew Union College, Dartmouth College, Brandeis University, New York University, and Fordham University.
Proskauer married Alice Naumberg on October 14, 1903, and they had three children: Frances, Ruth, and Richard.
Proskauer died in 1971 at the age of 94. After being admitted to the bar, Proskauer and a friend formed a law firm, which in 1902 merged with the firm James, Schell & Elkus to create a firm which would later be known as Elkus, Gleason & Proskauer.
In June 1923, Smith appointed him a judge on the New York State Supreme Court to fill the unexpired term of another judge. In November 1923, he was elected to a full term.
In 1927, he was appointed an appellate judge, and served in that position until he retired from the bench in 1930.
He then returned to private law practice, and joined the firm of Rose & Paskus, which later became Proskauer Rose, and worked for it for 40 years until his retirement. From 1951 to 1953, he chaired the New York State Crime Commission, investigating organized crime in New York City, and was involved in the creation of the Waterfront Commission. Proskauer was active in many civic and charity organizations.
He chaired several Jewish cultural and charity groups, including the 92nd Street Y, and was President of the American Jewish Committee from 1943 to 1949.
He continued to serve as honorary president after his term had expired. In 1946, he testified before the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry on behalf of the AJC.
Member Proskauer, Rose, Goetz & Mendelsohn, New York City Consultant Member New York City Charter Revision Company Member American, New York State bar associations