In Memoriam
Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir LLP mourns the loss of our beloved partner, mentor, and friend Howard Weitzman, who passed away on April 07, 2021. Howard will always be remembered as one of the most influential attorneys in the nation, one of the premier trial lawyers and dealmakers in Los Angeles, and for his unwavering commitment to his family, friends, colleagues and clients. Howard was one of the founders of our firm in 2006. During the following 15 years, Howard compiled an impressive list of victories in the courtroom and the conference room, helping establish our firm as the “go-to” entertainment law boutique in the country.
Howard was the lead trial lawyer in over 300 civil and criminal jury trials, representing over 1,000 individuals and companies on matters ranging from entertainment and intellectual property to family law, tax, estates and criminal defense. He twice received the Jerry Geisler Memorial Award as the outstanding trial lawyer in Los Angeles County. Often profiled by the leading publications, Howard was named as a top fifteen lawyer in the country by The National Law Journal, repeatedly distinguished as a top music lawyer by Billboard, and perennially recognized as a “Power Lawyer” by The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety’s “Legal Impact Report.” In 2021, Howard received “Legal Legend” status by The Hollywood Reporter, a fitting accolade for one of the leading lawyers in the history of Los Angeles.
Howard’s first job was working at his parents’ grocery business. He loved baseball, playing second base for a team that won the national college championship in 1961. After attending Los Angeles City College, Howard applied to USC Gould School of Law, from which he graduated in 1965.
Howard taught trial advocacy at the University of Southern California for 12 years, and lectured at Harvard, Georgetown, UCLA, and numerous other law schools across the nation. He spoke at countless seminars and symposiums for bar associations and industry conferences. Charismatic, charming and witty, Howard pioneered the art of commenting on the steps of the courthouse, and was a highly sought-after guest and commentator on many national television shows, including “Larry King Live,” “Dateline,” and “Good Morning America.” From 1995-1998, Howard served as Executive Vice President, Corporate Operations for Universal Studios, where he was responsible for restructuring the corporate part of the business.
The Firm released the following statement in Howard’s honor:
“Our beloved friend and partner Howard Weitzman passed away yesterday. A renowned trial lawyer and dealmaker, Howard skillfully handled some of the most famous cases in Hollywood. Howard’s wit, charm, and brilliant legal mind are legendary, and we will miss him dearly. We send our love and condolences to Howard’s wife Margaret, his sons Armen and Jed, and to his many clients, friends, and admirers. RIP Howard, you will always be a giant.”
Articles covering Howard’s passing:
Deadline
The Hollywood Reporter
Los Angeles Times
New York Times
Rolling Stone
The Wall Street Journal
The Times (UK)
