Eric Tradd Schneiderman (born December 31, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 65th
attorney general of New York
The attorney general of New York is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and head of the Department of Law of the government of New York (state), state government. The office has existed in various forms since ...
from 2011 until his resignation in May 2018. Schneiderman, a member of the
Democratic Party, spent ten years in the
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
before being elected Attorney General. In May 2018, Schneiderman resigned from his position as Attorney General after ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'' reported that four women had accused him of physical abuse. In 2021, Schneiderman’s law license was suspended for a year after a disciplinary proceeding where he admitted to the abusive conduct.
Early life, education, family, and early career
Schneiderman was born to a Jewish family in New York City, a son of Abigail Heyward and Irwin Schneiderman, a lawyer.
He graduated from the
Trinity School in New York City in 1972 and
Amherst College
Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
in 1977. He earned his
Juris Doctor
A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
from
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...
in 1982.
Schneiderman served as a
judicial clerk
A law clerk, judicial clerk, or judicial assistant is a person, often a lawyer, who provides direct counsel and assistance to a lawyer or judge by researching issues and drafting legal opinions for cases before the court. Judicial clerks often pl ...
for two years within the
U.S. District Court
The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district. Each district covers one U.S. state or a portion of a state. There is at least one feder ...
for the
Southern District of New York
The Southern District of New York is a federal judicial district that encompasses the counties of New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan.
Federal offices or agencies operating in the distri ...
and subsequently joined the international law firm Kirkpatrick and Lockhart LLP (now known as
K&L Gates
K&L Gates LLP is an American multinational corporation law firm based in the United States, with international offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the firm was formed in 2007 by the ...
), where he became a partner. Schneiderman married Jennifer Cunningham in 1990.
They later divorced in 1996. They have a daughter, Catherine, who is married to
Matthew Newton
Matthew Joseph Newton (born 22 January 1977) is an Australian actor, writer, and director, and son of Australian TV personalities Bert and Patti Newton. He made his motion picture debut in 2000 in the Australian film ‘ Looking For Alibrand ...
.
New York Senate
Schneiderman was elected to represent the
31st district in the
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
. At the time, this district comprised
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
's
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper We ...
, as well as
Morningside Heights
Morningside Heights is a neighborhood on the West Side of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Morningside Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Drive to the west. Morningsi ...
, West Harlem,
Washington Heights,
Inwood, and
Marble Hill, in addition to part of
Riverdale in the
Bronx
The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
.
Elections
In the 1998 Democratic primary, Schneiderman, defeated
Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...
, a
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
attorney, with 68% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Vincent McGowen with 82% of the vote. He won re-election in 2000 (84%), in 2002 (87%), 2004 (89%), 2006 (92%), and 2008 (90%).
Tenure
Schneiderman was the chief sponsor of the
Rockefeller Drug Law reforms, which were passed and signed into law in 2009 by Governor
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson (born May 20, 1954) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 55th governor of New York, succeeding Eliot Spitzer, who resigned, and serving out nearly three years of Spitzer's term from March 2008 to ...
. The reforms included reducing reliance on long, mandatory minimum sentences, and allocating funds for alternatives to incarceration, focusing on treatment and reentry of prisoners into society.
His other legislative activities include passing ethics reforms to root out fraud against taxpayers.
New York Attorney General
Elections

Schneiderman was the Democratic Party
nominee for New York Attorney General. He denied being involved in a hit-and-run automobile accident in July 2010. He defeated
Nassau County District Attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
Kathleen Rice
Kathleen Maura Rice (born February 15, 1965) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States representative for New York's 4th congressional district from 2015 to 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Before servi ...
and three other candidates in the Democratic primary on September 14, 2010. Schneiderman defeated Republican nominee and
Richmond County District Attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
Dan Donovan in the general election and took office on January 1, 2011.
Schneiderman
won re-election in 2014.
His major opponent was Republican John P. Cahill,
who had been an environmental conservation commissioner for the state.
Tenure
Schneiderman was instrumental in pushing for a tougher fraud settlement with large banks over illegal foreclosure practices. Along with California Attorney General
Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
, Schneiderman pushed to prevent the settlement from including immunity for the banks from further investigation and prosecution of other related illegal activities.
In 2011,
Melissa DeRosa, who was later the Secretary to New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...
, became deputy chief of staff and acting chief of staff for Schneiderman.
In August 2013, Schneiderman filed a $40 million civil lawsuit against
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
for his "
Trump University
Trump University (also known as the Trump Wealth Institute and Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC) was an American company that was founded in 2004 by Donald Trump and his associates Michael Sexton and Jonathan Spitalny. It offered courses in ...
" (now known as
Trump Entrepreneur Initiative), alleging it to be an "unlicensed university" and calling it a "bait-and-switch scheme". Trump denied all accusations, calling Schneiderman a "political hack". In October 2014, a New York judge found Trump personally liable for the institution's not having the required license.
In September 2013, Schneiderman announced a settlement with 19 companies to prevent
astroturfing
Astroturfing is the deceptive practice of hiding the Sponsor (commercial), sponsors of an orchestrated message or organization (e.g., political, economic, advertising, religious, or public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from ...
; i.e., buying fake online praise. "'Astroturfing' is the 21st century's version of false advertising, and prosecutors have many tools at their disposal to put an end to it," according to Schneiderman. The companies paid $350,000 to settle the matter, but the settlement opened the way for private suits as well. "Every state has some version of the statutes New York used," according to lawyer Kelly H. Kolb. "What the New York attorney general has done is, perhaps, to have given private lawyers a road map to file suit."
Schneiderman and
Manhattan District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County, New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws (federal la ...
Cyrus Vance Jr.
Cyrus Roberts Vance Jr. (born June 14, 1954) is an American attorney and retired politician who served as the District Attorney of New York County, New York. He was previously a principal partner at the law firm of Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, ...
were sued in 2015 in a constitutional challenge to New York's 1997 ban on
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
. The following year, the
New York State Legislature
The New York State Legislature consists of the Bicameralism, two houses that act as the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assem ...
legalized MMA in the state.
In November 2015, Schneiderman issued cease-and-desist letters to
daily fantasy sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are a subset of fantasy sport games. As with traditional fantasy sports games, players compete against others by building a team of professional athletes from a particular league or competition while remaining under ...
companies
DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. is an American gambling company based in Boston, Massachusetts. It offers sportsbook and daily fantasy sports (DFS) services.
The company was originally launched in 2012 as a DFS provider, competing principally with the New Yor ...
and
FanDuel
FanDuel Group is an American gambling company that offers sportsbook, daily fantasy sports, horse racing, and online casino services. The company operates sportsbooks in a number of states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Vir ...
, accusing the companies of operating a gambling enterprise that is illegal under New York law. This sparked a six-month-long legal battle. Schneiderman reached a settlement with the companies in March 2016, under which DraftKings and FanDuel agreed to stop operating in New York until September 2016 and Schneiderman agreed to drop all of the state's suits against DraftKings and FanDuel—except for a
false advertising
False advertising is the act of publishing, transmitting, distributing or otherwise publicly circulating an advertisement containing a false claim, or statement, made intentionally, or recklessly, to promote the sale of property, goods or servi ...
claim against FanDuel—if the New York State Legislature passed legislation legalizing daily fantasy sports by the adjournment of the session.
In 2017, during President Donald Trump's first year in office, the
Trump administration Presidency of Donald Trump may refer to:
* First presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration from 2017 to 2021
* Second presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration since 2025
See also
* ...
sought to scrap numerous Obama-era environmental regulations that Trump viewed as an impediment to business. Schneiderman filed over 50 lawsuits opposing Trump's environmental actions.
In February 2018, Schneiderman brought a civil rights lawsuit against
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company, LLC (usually credited or abbreviated as TWC) was an American independent film production and distribution company, which was founded in New York City by Bob and Harvey Weinstein on March 10, 2005. TWC was one of the larg ...
, alleging the company "repeatedly broke New York law by failing to protect its employees from pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation, and discrimination". The lawsuit delayed the sale of The Weinstein Company with the Attorney General adding, "Any sale of the Weinstein Company must ensure that victims will be compensated."
Abuse allegations and resignation
On May 7, 2018,
Jane Mayer
Jane Meredith Mayer (born 1955) is an American investigative journalist who has been a staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' since 1995. She has written for the publication about money in politics; government prosecution of whistleblowers; the Un ...
and
Ronan Farrow
Satchel Ronan O'Sullivan Farrow (born December 19, 1987) is an American journalist. The son of actress Mia Farrow and filmmaker Woody Allen, he is known for his investigative reporting on sexual abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Wei ...
reported in ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'' that Schneiderman had physically abused at least four women during his tenure as Attorney General.
According to the report, Schneiderman had, between about 2013 and 2016, committed acts of violence against three romantic partners (blogger and activist Michelle Manning Barish, author and actress
Tanya Selvaratnam,
and a third woman), as well as an unnamed female attorney.
The women said that Schneiderman had choked, hit or violently slapped them, all without their consent.
Selvaratnam added that Schneiderman spat on her, choked her, called her his "brown slave," ordered her to call him "Master" and say that she was "his property," and demanded that she find another woman who would be willing to engage in a ''ménage à trois''.
Both Selvaratnam and Barish alleged that Schneiderman engaged in a pattern of alcohol abuse, and that he had threatened to kill them if they ended their respective relationships with him. Mayer and Farrow reported that they confirmed the women's allegations with photographs of wounds and bruises, as well as with statements from friends in whom the women had confided after the assaults.
In his initial response to the allegations, Schneiderman said: "In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross."
Three hours after the article was published in ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'', Schneiderman announced his resignation effective the next day. In a statement, he said that he "strongly contested" the allegations, but resigned because they would "effectively prevent" him from performing the duties of his office. He did not seek re-election. Schneiderman's deputy, Solicitor General
Barbara Underwood, was appointed to replace him as Attorney General.
Criminal investigation and disciplinary proceedings
Governor
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...
assigned
Nassau County District Attorney
Madeline Singas as a special prosecutor to investigate possible criminal charges against Schneiderman arising out of the abuse allegations that had been made against him.
On November 8, 2018, Singas announced that Schneiderman would not be prosecuted. Singas stated that she believed the allegations made by Schneiderman's accusers, but added that "legal impediments, including statutes of limitations, preclude criminal prosecution." In response, Schneiderman stated, "I recognize that District Attorney Singas' decision not to prosecute does not mean I have done nothing wrong. I accept full responsibility for my conduct in my relationships with my accusers, and for the impact it had on them." Schneiderman further stated that he was "committed to a lifelong path of recovery and making amends" and apologized for the pain he had caused.
In 2019, Schneiderman completed a class to become a meditation teacher.
In 2021, Schneiderman’s law license was suspended for a year after a disciplinary proceeding in which he admitted to abusive conduct.
In 2022, Schneiderman promised not to run for political office again.
Electoral history
*McGowan was also listed on the Liberal Party line; Brance was also listed on the Right to Life Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Working Families Party line; Madon was also listed on the Independence Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Independence Party and Working Families Party line; Donovan was also listed on the Conservative Party line.
*Schneiderman was also listed on the Independence Party, Working Families Party, and Women's Equality Party lines; Cahill was also listed on the Conservative Party and Stop Common Core Party lines.
See also
*
List of Jewish American jurists
This is a list of notable Jewish American jurists. For other famous Jewish Americans, see Lists of American Jews.
Supreme Court of the United States
United States courts of appeals
United States district courts
* Ronnie Abrams, J ...
References
Further reading
*
Paterson, David ''"
Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity.''" New York, New York, 2020
External links
Official NY Attorney General WebsiteEric Schneiderman for Attorney General Official campaign website
Eric Tradd Schneidermanlisting from New York State Unified Court System
* Disciplinary case https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorneyservices/wicket/page?4-1.-historyPanel-wmcDisciplinaryHistory-disciplinaryHistory-0-CourtDecisionsSearchPage
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schneiderman, Eric
1954 births
Politicians from New York City
Jewish state legislators in New York (state)
Trinity School (New York City) alumni
Amherst College alumni
Harvard Law School alumni
Democratic Party New York (state) state senators
New York State attorneys general
2012 United States presidential electors
2016 United States presidential electors
Lawyers from New York City
People from Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Living people
21st-century American Jews
21st-century members of the New York State Legislature
20th-century members of the New York State Legislature