Congratulations to Founding Partner Leon Wildes on his inclusion in the 2016 listing of Best Lawyers in America. Inclusion is based entirely on peer review.
A magna cum laude graduate of Yeshiva College in 1954, Leon Wildes completed his law school education at the New York University School of Law in 1957 when he was granted a Jurist Doctor Degree. In 1959 he obtained a Master of Laws Degree at the same school.
Mr. Wildes was an Adjunct Professor of Immigration Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law for over 32 years. In addition, he supervised the immigration externship program.
In 1970 he was National President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and has served as a member of its board of governors ever since. AILA conferred upon him its Edith Lowenstein Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Immigration Practice and he was also awarded the Elmer Fried Prize for Excellence in Teaching Immigration Law. Best known for his successful representation of former Beatle John Lennon and his artist wife Yoko Ono in deportation proceedings, he has published 5 law review articles on issues of law raised in the extraordinary litigation connected with that case. Mr. Wildes’ is also the proud author of John Lennon vs. the USA: The Inside Story of the Most Bitterly Contested and Influential Deportation Case in United States History which was published by Ankerwycke Books, an imprint of ABA Publishing, a division of the American Bar Association and became available in August, 2016.
Moreover, Mr. Wildes began his intense study and practice of immigration law in 1960 as a migrations specialist at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and has practiced immigration law ever since. He has also been included in other similar listings such as Super Lawyers, Who’s Who in America Law, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in the World, as well as earlier editions of The Best Lawyers in America; such amazing accomplishments.