Alan Dershowitz: Trump, OJ Simpson, and Controversies

Alan Dershowitz has spent more than six decades arguing that the Constitution protects the most unpopular clients — a principle that has made him both a civil liberties icon and a magnet for controversy. This biographical research pack traces his journey from Harvard Law professor to O.J. Simpson’s “dream team” to Donald Trump’s impeachment defense, separating confirmed facts from unresolved allegations.

Born: 1938 ·
Harvard Law tenure: 1964–2013 ·
Notable case: O.J. Simpson: 1995 ·
Role in Trump impeachment: 2020 ·
Net worth estimate: $25 million

Eight key facts about Alan Dershowitz, drawn from official records and reputable biographies.

The table shows a picture of stability — long marriage, elite education, decades at one institution — that contrasts sharply with the turbulence of his client list.

Does Alan Dershowitz support Trump?

His legal representation during the first impeachment

• On January 17, 2020, Dershowitz was formally added to Donald Trump’s defense team for the Senate impeachment trial (NPR public radio news service).
• He argued that impeachment requires a statutory crime — a position that aligned with Trump’s defense strategy (WBUR Boston NPR station).

Public statements on Trump’s policies

• Dershowitz has said he defends the office, not the man, and has praised aspects of Trump’s foreign policy and judicial appointments.
• The implication: Dershowitz is not a partisan — he applies the same constitutional lens he used for left-leaning clients earlier in his career.

Criticism from former colleagues

• Several Harvard Law colleagues, including Laurence Tribe, publicly denounced his involvement in the Trump defense (The Harvard Crimson student newspaper of Harvard College).

What made Alan Dershowitz famous?

Early legal career and Harvard professorship

• After graduating from Yale Law School in 1962 and clerking for a federal judge, Dershowitz joined the Harvard Law faculty in 1964 — one of the youngest professors in the school’s history (Harvard Law School official faculty page).
• He quickly became known for taking on unpopular causes: defending protesters, fighting censorship, and arguing against the death penalty.

Role as a defense attorney in the O.J. Simpson trial

• In 1995, Dershowitz served as an appellate adviser for O.J. Simpson’s “dream team,” focusing on legal strategy to suppress evidence (Wikipedia biography).
• The trial made him a household name and cemented his reputation as a brilliant, combative lawyer willing to take on the most controversial cases.

Appeals court arguments and civil liberties advocacy

• He joined the national board of the ACLU and argued multiple cases before the Supreme Court (The New Yorker longform magazine).
• His 1982 book “The Best Defense” became a bestseller and outlined his philosophy: defend the Constitution, never the client’s popularity.

What is Alan Dershowitz accused of doing?

Sexual misconduct allegations by Virginia Roberts and others

• In 2014, Virginia Roberts (now Giuffre) accused Dershowitz of sexual misconduct in legal filings related to her lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein. Dershowitz has repeatedly and forcefully denied the allegations (The Independent U.S. news outlet).
• He countersued for defamation, and the cases have produced a he-said-she-said stalemate with no criminal charges filed.

Involvement with Jeffrey Epstein’s legal matters

• Dershowitz provided academic advice to Epstein and helped negotiate a controversial 2008 plea deal. He maintains he was a “lawyer for the deal” and not an architect of the leniency.

Defense of accused perpetrators against claims

• Critics argue that Dershowitz’s representation of Epstein, Trump, and other accused men shows a pattern of using his skills to protect the wealthy from accountability.

Did Alan Dershowitz defend OJ Simpson?

His role on the ‘dream team’

• Yes — Dershowitz was an appellate adviser for Simpson’s defense in the 1995 murder trial (South China Morning Post international news outlet).
• He focused on potential appeal issues, including the admissibility of evidence and jury selection.

Key arguments and appeal work

• Dershowitz argued that the Los Angeles Police Department’s handling of evidence, including the bloody glove, violated Simpson’s rights. He later wrote a book about the case.

Post-trial reflections

• In interviews, Dershowitz has stated he still believes Simpson was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, though he acknowledges the trial was flawed on both sides.

What is the connection between Trump and Alan Dershowitz?

Dershowitz as a member of Trump’s impeachment legal team

• As noted, Dershowitz joined Trump’s defense in January 2020, arguing the constitutional case against removal (Britannica encyclopedia).
• He appeared on television nearly every day during the trial, framing the case as a dangerous expansion of impeachment power.

Shared views on executive power

• Dershowitz has long argued that executive actions should not be subject to criminal prosecution unless they violate a specific statute — a view that aligns with Trump’s broad understanding of presidential authority.

Personal friendship and public defenses

• Dershowitz and Trump have interacted socially for years, though Dershowitz insists they are not close friends. He has defended Trump’s tax policies and Supreme Court appointments in public forums.

The pattern: Dershowitz’s connection to Trump is both professional and personal — a rare convergence of a civil liberties scholar with a president who has openly challenged legal norms.

The implication: the relationship tests the proposition that a lawyer can separate defense of the office from endorsement of the man.

Timeline: Alan Dershowitz’s career

• 1938 – Born in Brooklyn, New York (Wikipedia biography)
• 1959 – Graduates from Brooklyn College
• 1962 – Receives LLB from Yale Law School
• 1964 – Joins Harvard Law School faculty (Harvard Law School official faculty page)
• 1967 – Argues first case before the U.S. Supreme Court
• 1994–1995 – Member of O.J. Simpson’s defense team (The Independent U.S. news outlet)
• 2013 – Retires from Harvard Law, becomes professor emeritus
• 2019 – Faces sexual misconduct lawsuits (The Independent U.S. news outlet)
• 2020 – Represents Donald Trump in first impeachment trial (NPR public radio news service)
• 2021 – Publishes memoir and continues media commentary

The pattern: Dershowitz’s career is marked by recurring cycles of academic productivity followed by explosive public controversy. Each new case seems to test the limits of his civil liberties framework.

What’s clear and what’s not

Confirmed facts

• Born September 1, 1938 (Wikipedia biography)
• Taught at Harvard Law from 1964 to 2013 (Harvard Law School official faculty page)
• Was part of O.J. Simpson defense team (The Independent U.S. news outlet)
• Represented Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial (Britannica encyclopedia)

What’s still unclear

• Validity of sexual misconduct allegations (denied by Dershowitz, no criminal charges)
• Whether he supports Trump politically or just as a lawyer
• Exact net worth figure

Voices on Alan Dershowitz

“I don’t represent presidents, I represent the Constitution.”

— Alan Dershowitz, in multiple interviews during the Trump impeachment

“He provided legal advice to Jeffrey Epstein and has faced criticism for that association.”

— The Independent, summarizing Dershowitz’s controversial connections (source)

“Harvard Law School notes Dershowitz’s long career at Harvard Law School.”

— Harvard Law School official faculty page (source)

The implication: Dershowitz is seen by his institution as a distinguished scholar and by the press as a perennial figure in high-stakes cases. The public perception oscillates between admiration for his legal mind and suspicion about his client choices.

Where that leaves us

Alan Dershowitz has spent more than six decades proving that defending the Constitution can be the loneliest job in the room. His willingness to take cases from O.J. Simpson to Donald Trump has made him both a folk hero of civil liberties and a magnet for criticism. For anyone following American law and politics, the question is not whether Dershowitz is brilliant — he is — but whether the principle of zealous defense can survive the moral weight of the clients it serves. Dershowitz’s legacy forces every young lawyer to decide: emulate the method, but determine in advance who deserves its power.

For a more comprehensive look at his career and legal battles, you can read this detailed biography of Alan Dershowitz.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Gough Whitlam Dismissal: Why He Was Removed — A constitutional crisis that echoes Dershowitz’s interest in executive power and removal.
• Ai Weiwei: Art, Activism, and Controversies — Another controversial figure who uses his platform to challenge authority, much like Dershowitz.