Recipient of the Benjamin Ostrer, Esq. Scholarship Program for Criminal Defense Internships

Tribute to Benjamin Ostrer

Fierce and sharp-minded attorney Benjamin Ostrer, of Chester, Orange County, died at age 71 on July 13th Ben left behind a memorable trail of bold and quality criminal and civil litigation.

Having earned his law degree from New York Law School in 1976, he became one of the foremost criminal defense attorneys in New York State and earned a reputation for obtaining acquittals in complex murder cases.

In 2016, he was awarded the N.Y.S. Bar Association Criminal Justice Section’s Charles M. Crimi Award for outstanding criminal defense in New York. The Bar Association later bestowed on Ben its Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award, recognizing his significant pro bono work for those in need. In 2022, the N.Y.S. Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers gave Ben its Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedicated service to the profession.

Ben’s son Evan, an attorney practicing in New Jersey, describing his father’s approach to serving his clients, stated:

“He won what most lawyers would think were unwinnable cases. He made his living defending the defenseless. If there was science involved, my father would study so much that he became a worthy adversary to the prosecution’s expert witness.”

In his honor, NYSACDL and the NYSACDL Foundation are pleased to announce the creation of an annual scholarship: The Benjamin Ostrer Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded each year to a law student selected by a committee of the Foundation, to support their work in summer internship in criminal defense practice.

Andrew Kossover, past President of our Association, who appointed Ben to the NYS Commission on Forensic Science, offers the following tribute:

“Ben was a highly skilled advocate dedicated to his clients whether he was being paid or the case was pro bono. He was one of the most accomplished DNA attorneys in New York, self-taught. He worked tirelessly on bringing the criminal justice system closer to its highest ideals. He always made himself accessible to colleagues for mentoring and advice. Ben was a true lawyer’s lawyer. But above all, he was devoted to his family and his faith. He walked the walk and maintained quality of character throughout his life. He was a warm and distinguished individual. I’ve admired and respected Ben since we graduated high school together. This scholarship is a fitting honor to his memory.”