New York City Mayor Eric Adams has hired high-profile Quinn Emanuel partner Alex Spiro as he faces federal bribery, fraud, and campaign finance charges that were unsealed on Thursday.
Here’s everything to know about Spiro and his career as a successful attorney, representing the famous and powerful.
Who Is Alex Spiro?
Spiro, 41, is a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP and is known as one of the more expensive lawyers in the field.
He earned a degree in psychology from Tufts University before continuing his education at Harvard University, where he received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. After completing his education, Spiro gained significant experience as a prosecutor at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which has informed his perspective and enhanced his practice in white-collar criminal defense, investigation, and litigation.
“As a trial lawyer, taking on cases where the deck is stacked against you matters most to me,” said Spiro, who is listed in Forbes America’s Top 200 Lawyers 2024. “Preparation is key. I ask a lot of questions, and I try to focus on the detailed facts of a case and on the psychology of why people do what they do.”
“There are many smart, hardworking, and talented lawyers,” he added. “In any profession, if you want to be successful, you have to distinguish yourself in some way. You have to be willing to reject conventional paths and conventional wisdom. When people go right, go left.”
In an interview with the New York Law Journal, Spiro mentioned that he has insomnia and typically gets around four hours of sleep per night. He acknowledged that this may give him a competitive edge, which could explain his impressive track record—he hasn’t lost a case in over a decade, though he did drop one case.
Has Spiro Represented Mayor Adams Before?
Spiro, along with WilmerHale partners Brendan McGuire and Boyd Johnson III, is currently representing Mayor Adams in light of the federal indictment. But he also served as co-counsel in another case involving an alleged 1993 sexual assault, where a former police colleague accused Adams of demanding oral sex in exchange for career assistance.
Spiro has sought to dismiss the case or, at the very least, push for an evidentiary hearing, while Adams has consistently denied the allegations against him.
Who Has Spiro Represented?
Spiro has distinguished himself through trial advocacy and by representing a veritable who’s who of A-list clients. He represented Megan Thee Stallion during the trial against her shooter, singer Tory Lanez, and Elon Musk in a defamation case, among other Twitter-related matters.
Additionally, Spiro worked with WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann on his bid to reclaim the company and represented Alec Baldwin in his involuntary manslaughter case following the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of Rust.
He has also represented big names such as Jay-Z and Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
