Newburgh - Newburgh attorney Howard S. Finkelstein received a standing ovation as he accepted the Orange County Bar Association’s Lifetime Achievement award at the 99th Annual Awards & Business Dinner meeting at the Fountains at Wallkill Golf Club recently.
Founding partner of Finkelstein & Partners LLP, Howard has been practicing law in the Hudson Valley for more than 50 years. The Honorable Jeffrey G. Berry presented Howard with the Lifetime Achievement award. In recognition of this honor, Howard also received Certificates of Merit from Senator Bill Larkin and the Orange County Legislature, presented by attorney and Orange County Legislator Kevin Hines.
Upon presenting the certificate, Senator Larkin said it was an honor to recognize Howard for bringing so much to the practice of law in Orange County and for his mentorship of so many of the attorneys in the County. Many of Orange County’s prominent attorneys got their start at Finkelstein & Partners.
"What a great honor to receive the Lifetime Achievement award," said Finkelstein upon accepting the award. "I am humbled to be recognized in the company of so many fine attorneys who have received this award before me. I am grateful to my family, partners, and staff who do so much to support Finkelstein & Partners and who share my commitment to giving back to our community," Finkelstein continued. "It’s my good fortune to find great satisfaction in my work both personally and professionally."
Born and raised in Brooklyn , NY, Howard attended Brooklyn College where he received a B.A. in Sociology. After serving in the Korean War, he returned home to earn his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1959. In 1961, Howard settled in Newburgh where he founded the Law Offices of Howard S. Finkelstein. His practice consisted of criminal defense and plaintiff’s personal injury. He quickly gained a reputation as a tenacious trial attorney.
As part of his law practice, Howard provides extensive pro-bono work. He has represented several families of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and more recently has been providing assistance to U.S. veterans.
Howard is also a generous philanthropist and supports many area not-for-profit organizations. Each year, Howard provides a full scholarship to a student in need at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and Brooklyn Law School . He founded the Diane Finkelstein Fund for Families in Crisis and has sponsored the Times Herald Record’s Orange County Classic Wheelchair Race.
Finkelstein & Partners is headquartered at 1279 Route 300, Newburgh and has offices throughout New York and New Jersey . Mr. Finkelstein now has a staff of more than 30 attorneys and 50 of counsel attorneys working with him.
