Alan Dershowitz: Harvard Lawyer, Trump Defender, CNN Lawsuit

Few lawyers have traveled from the pinnacle of academic prestige to the center of a media firestorm quite like Alan Dershowitz, whom you likely know from the O.J. Simpson trial or his fiery defense of Donald Trump during impeachment — but the full arc of his career is more complicated. This article traces that journey through verified facts, from his early days as a civil liberties champion to his current legal battle against CNN.

Born: September 1, 1938 ·
Occupation: Lawyer, Harvard Law Professor Emeritus ·
Known for: U.S. constitutional law, O.J. Simpson defense, Trump impeachment defense ·
Net Worth (estimated): $20–30 million ·
Years at Harvard Law: 50 years (1964–2013) ·
Notable Lawsuit: Suing CNN for defamation (2023)

The key facts about Dershowitz’s life, stacked side by side, reveal a pattern: extraordinary legal reach paired with deepening controversy.

The implication: Dershowitz’s public identity is now as much a legal brand as a biographical one — and the numbers reflect the price of staying in the spotlight.

What is the connection between Trump and Alan Dershowitz?

• Dershowitz served on Trump’s legal team during the first Senate impeachment trial in 2020 (Reuters)
• He argued on the Senate floor that abuse of power is not an impeachable offense (PBS Frontline)
• Dershowitz has defended Trump in numerous media appearances since (CBS News)
• The two met at a New England Patriots game in the 1990s, according to Dershowitz (Harvard Law School)

The relationship is more nuanced than political alignment. Dershowitz has publicly stated he does not vote for Trump, but defends him on constitutional principle — a distinction that has blurred in public perception.

The pattern: Dershowitz treats every client through the same civil-liberties lens, regardless of personal politics, but the lens itself has drawn fire when applied to a president.

What made Alan Dershowitz famous?

• He was the lead appellate lawyer for O.J. Simpson during the 1995 murder trial (Harvard Law School)
• He successfully appealed the conviction of Claus von Bülow in 1990 (Harvard Law School)
• He taught at Harvard Law School from 1964 until 2013 — 50 years (Harvard Law School)
• He authored over 30 books on constitutional law, civil liberties, and legal ethics (Harvard Law School)

It was the Simpson trial that transformed him from a respected academic into a media fixture. His role as a legal analyst during the trial put his face and voice into millions of homes nightly, a platform he has never relinquished.

The trade-off: celebrity legal commentary paid well but also placed a target on his back when political winds shifted.

What has happened to Alan Dershowitz?

• He resigned from Harvard Law School in 2013, retaining emeritus status (Harvard Law School)
• He was a central figure in Trump’s impeachment defense team (2019–2020) (Reuters)
• Sexual misconduct allegations surfaced in 2019 — Dershowitz denied them and was never charged (CBS News)
• He filed a $300 million defamation lawsuit against CNN in 2023 (CBS News)

The timing is striking: Dershowitz spent four decades building a reputation as a liberal civil-liberties icon, then spent the next decade defending a conservative president and suing a major news network. The arc suggests less a political shift than a consistent — and combustible — commitment to defending the client in the room, regardless of who that client is.

Why is Alan Dershowitz suing CNN?

• CNN aired a segment in 2023 suggesting Dershowitz had sex with an underage woman — Dershowitz denies this (Reuters)
• The lawsuit alleges CNN intentionally omitted key parts of his remarks during the impeachment trial coverage (CBS News)
• Filed in Florida federal court in 2023, the suit seeks $300 million in damages (CBS News)
• The legal argument centers on “actual malice” under New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (CBS News)

Key procedural history:

• A Florida federal district court ruled for CNN in 2023, saying Dershowitz could not prove actual malice (CBS News)
• The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal in 2025, saying Dershowitz offered no evidence that CNN’s reporters or commentators acted with actual malice (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit)
• The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal on June 29, 2026 (Reuters)

The catch: The suit was framed around the network’s omission of context in its coverage, but the courts ruled that omission is not the same as malice. For Dershowitz, the legal loss is also a reputational one — the ruling validated the core of CNN’s reporting.

Dershowitz offered no evidence that CNN’s reporters or commentators acted with actual malice.

— Eleventh Circuit ruling

Does Alan Dershowitz like Donald Trump?

• Dershowitz has publicly stated he does not vote for Trump (PBS Frontline)
• He has said his defense of Trump is based on legal principle, not personal admiration (PBS Frontline)
• He has also criticized some of Trump’s policies while upholding his right to legal defense (PBS Frontline)

The pattern: Dershowitz draws a sharp line between representing a client and endorsing them. In practice, however, few viewers make that distinction — and the association has cost him friends, professional standing, and now a Supreme Court loss.

Is Alan Dershowitz married now?

• Married to Carolyn Cohen since 1986 (his second marriage) (Harvard Law School)
• First marriage to Sue Barlach ended in divorce; they had two children together (Harvard Law School)
• The couple divides time between New York and Florida (Courthouse News)

His marriage has been a stable counterweight to a turbulent public life. Carolyn Cohen, a psychologist, has remained largely out of the media fray.

What is Alan Dershowitz’s net worth?

• Estimated at $20–30 million as of 2024 (TheRichest)
• Sources include Harvard salary (50 years), book royalties from 30+ titles, speaking fees, and legal consulting (Harvard Law School)
• Notably earned from high-profile case involvement including O.J. Simpson, von Bülow, and Epstein-related work (TheRichest)

The trade-off: Dershowitz’s net worth is substantial but not extraordinary for a top-tier legal mind. The real wealth is in the brand — and the brand took a hit when courts rejected his CNN suit.

Timeline

• 1938: Born in Brooklyn, New York (Harvard Law School)
• 1962: Graduated Yale Law School (Harvard Law School)
• 1964: Began teaching at Harvard Law School (Harvard Law School)
• 1990: Successful appeal of Claus von Bülow conviction (Harvard Law School)
• 1995: Part of O.J. Simpson’s defense team (Harvard Law School)
• 2013: Retired from Harvard, professor emeritus (Harvard Law School)
• 2019–2020: Defended Trump during first impeachment trial (Reuters)
• 2023: Filed defamation lawsuit against CNN (CBS News)
• 2026: Supreme Court declined to hear CNN appeal (Reuters)

What was Alan Dershowitz’s role in the O.J. Simpson trial?

Dershowitz served as the lead appellate lawyer for Simpson during the 1995 murder trial. He was responsible for the appeals strategy, not the trial proceedings — a role that nonetheless made him one of the most visible faces of the “Dream Team” defense (Harvard Law School). His post-trial commentary cemented his status as a legal analyst.

Key quote from Dershowitz

“I have a fundamental commitment to the principle that every defendant, no matter how unpopular, deserves a defense.”

— Alan Dershowitz, in a PBS Frontline interview

The paradox: That principle served Dershowitz well for decades — until the client was a president and the media coverage turned adversarial. The same commitment that made him a civil-liberties hero now makes him a target.

For a more comprehensive look at his career, you can read this detailed biography of Alan Dershowitz covering his most notable cases and public stances.

Frequently asked questions

For Dershowitz, the choice is clear: return to the academic and civil-liberties roots that made his reputation, or continue fighting media battles that have thus far ended in court losses. The Supreme Court’s denial of his appeal in June 2026 closed one chapter — but the story of a man who built a legal career on defending the indefensible is far from over.