Law Partners

Dear Students,

I write with sad news. Professor Michael Goldsmith passed away yesterday after his long battle with A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig's Disease). I join those of you who knew Professor Goldsmith in expressing my gratitude for my association with him. We will miss him. Below I have attached two links regarding Professor Goldsmith’s passing as well as his obituary. Sincerely,

Dean Rasband

HEBER CITY, Utah Michael Goldsmith, age 58, of Heber City, Utah died on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany after a three year struggle with ALS. Michael was born in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 6, 1951 and spent his childhood in Forest Hills, Queens. He received a B.S. in industrial and labor relations and political science from Cornell University in 1972. In 1975, he obtained a law degree from Cornell Law School. Following law school, he spent one year clerking for United States District Judge, Albert W. Coffrin in Burlington, Vt. He also served as Deputy State's Attorney in Chittenden County, before moving to Washington D.C. to serve as Senior Staff Counsel to the House Select Committee on Assassinations from 1977-1979. The following year he spent as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Philadelphia, Pa. before turning to the career path for which he was most widely known, that of law professor. Michael taught at Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville, Tenn., from 1980 to 1983. From 1983 to 1985, he served as counsel to the New York State Organized Crime Task Force in White Plains, N.Y. He directed operations against various mob figures, culminating in his testimony against John Gotti in the late 1980s. Thereafter, he returned to teach, this time, as Professor of Law at Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School. He had been voted "Best Professor of the Year" by the student body six times. Devoted to his students, Michael continued to teach even after his diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In 1994 President Bill Clinton appointed Goldsmith to the U.S. Sentencing Commission; he served on the Commission until 1998, serving as vice-chairman from 1995 to 1997. After Michael was diagnosed with ALS aka Lou Gehrig's disease he was determined to become an ALS fundraising advocate. While attending a Baltimore Orioles fantasy baseball camp, Michael realized that July 4, 2009 would mark the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's farewell speech at Yankee Stadium. He called on major league baseball to make July 4, 2009, ALS-Lou Gehrig Day. On July 4, 2009, every Major League Baseball park in which a game was being played held on- field ceremonies commemorating Lou Gehrig's famous speech. On that day, in Yankee Stadium, Michael Goldsmith himself threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Michael is survived by his wife, Carolyn Wilson Goldsmith of Heber City, Utah; his mother, Anitta Burg and her companion, George Imperato of Loudonville, N.Y.; his children, Austen and Jillian; his sister Edna Goldsmith and her husband, Tim Fleming of Troy; his sister Lynn Goldsmith and her husband Peter Mark of Newton, Ma. as well as their children Zachary, Ian, Melissa and Allison; and stepsister, Evelyn Burg of NYC. Michael was predeceased by his father, Henry L. Goldsmith; a sister, Debra Goldsmith; and his stepfather, Klaus Burg. Services at the Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Avenue, Albany, N.Y. on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow in the Beth Emeth Cemetery in Loudonville, N.Y. The period of mourning will be observed at the Burg residence in Loudonville, N.Y. on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. Those wishing to remember Michael in a special way may make a memorial contribution to St. Peter's ALS Center, (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) 19 Warehouse Row, Albany, NY 12205, ALS TDI, 215 First St., Cambridge, MA 02142, Community Hospice of Albany, 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205 or the University of Utah ALS Center, 50 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132. For directions or to sign the online family guestbook, please visit, www.levinememorialchapel.com