STANLEY ARKIN

ARKIN--Stanley S. On January 2nd, 2023, we lost a Lion of the Bar. After a long life of 84 years, Stanley S. Arkin died peacefully at home surrounded by his sons Zander, Adam and Tony, and his devoted assistant Kelly Maglio. Stanley was married to Suzanne for 55 years; a union blessed with love and admiration for each other's intellect and humor. Suzanne preceded him in death in 2018. A native of Los Angeles, Stanley used a mixture of tenacity and intelligence to make his way through school, first selling Fuller Brushes door to door, and eventually obtaining scholarships to attend USC and then Harvard Law School. After graduating Harvard Law School, Stanley moved to New York City and built a singular and successful practice. Stanley began his legal career under the wing of celebrated defense attorney Harris Steinberg. Steinberg's unwavering commitment to protecting civil liberties, even in difficult cases involving powerful adversaries, would become the guiding philosophy of Stanley's career. Over his fifty-year legal career, Stanley would go on to make case law and win unexpected victories by challenging conventional thought, whether in finance (where Stanley successfully argued Chiarella v. United States, the first insider trading case heard by the Supreme Court of the United States) to his representation of Edmund Safra in his famous battle against American Express, chronicled by writer Bryan Burrough in his book Vendetta: American Express and the Smearing of Edmond Safra. Stanley represented a wide range of prominent figures, including Angela Davis, Prince Albert of Monaco, the NBA, Ron Perelman, and Deborah Harry. He also defended clients with less notoriety, but always with the same zeal and determination. Stanley viewed his client's rights at law and equity as sacrosanct and was willing to enter any fight to protect them. This demonstrated commitment is why, at a conference for renowned defense lawyers, one pointedly identified Stanley as the attorney he would turn to were he ever to need such counsel. Stanley was the lead author of a business and technology crime treatise, and wrote many columns for the New York Law Journal, taught as an Adjunct professor at NYU Law School, and was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 2012, Stanley co-founded the law firm Arkin Solbakken LLP with Lisa C. Solbakken, who carries on his legacy of creative advocacy and litigation. In 1999, he co-founded The Arkin Group LLC with Jack Devine, a 32-year veteran of the CIA. The Arkin Group continues its work in international crisis management, strategic intelligence, investigative research, and business problem solving. While well known as a formidable "street fighter" in legal circles, Stanley was a loyal friend and always kept his promises. Those close to him knew him for his warm and kind heart, his wit and humor, and his appreciation of country music--especially Willie Nelson. In fact, Stanley was known to don a cowboy hat to court, and he was affectionately dubbed "The Bald Fox" by his family and intimate friends. We will cherish the memory of The Bald Fox, and we will miss him dearly.