Background
Lefkowitz was born to a Jewish family in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Samuel Lefkowitz and Mollie (Isaacs) Lefkowitz, and brother of Leo Lefkowitz and Helen (Lefkowitz) Schlesinger.
lawyer politician New York Attorney General
Lefkowitz was born to a Jewish family in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Samuel Lefkowitz and Mollie (Isaacs) Lefkowitz, and brother of Leo Lefkowitz and Helen (Lefkowitz) Schlesinger.
Bachelor of Laws cum laude, Fordham University, 1925.
He served as the Attorney General of New York State for 22 years. In 1935, he became a municipal judge. In 1957, he was elected by the New York State Legislature as New York Attorney General, to succeed Jacob K. Javits who resigned after his election to the U.S. Senate.
Lefkowitz was re-elected in 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974, holding the office for 22 years, the longest tenure since the office was established in 1777. In 1961, he was the Republican candidate for Mayor of New York City, but lost to Democrat Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Lefkowitz was a delegate to the 1944, 1948, 1960, and 1964 Republican National Conventions, and an alternate delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention.
He was a moderate or even liberal Republican and part of the Thomas E. Dewey and Nelson A. Rockefeller faction of the New York Republican Party. Lefkowitz died from Parkinson's disease at his home in Manhattan. The Lefkowitz State Office Building at 80 Centre Street in the Civic Center district of Manhattan was named for him.
Board directors Florence Crittenton League. Active numerous civic organizations. Member American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, Association Bar City New York, New York County Lawyers Association, National Association Attorney Generals (president), Association Lawyers Criminal Courts Manhattan, Grand St. Boys Association, American Jewish Congress.
Lodges: Knights of Pythias, B'nai Brith.
Married Helen Schwimmer, June 14, 1931. Children: Joan (Mistress Harold Feinbloom), Stephen Allan.