McCarter & English, LLP mourns the loss of our friend and partner, David Himelfarb, who passed away on July 1, 2023 at the age of 49.
David was a gifted and well-respected litigator in the Boston legal community. A powerful and impassioned advocate, David loved being in a courtroom and distinguished himself as a lawyer of tremendous wisdom, insight, and kindness throughout his career. He lifted up our firm and our profession.
David was born in Mexico City, and grew up in Los Angeles. He earned a scholarship to attend Stanford University, graduated a year early with distinction and departmental honors, and attended Harvard Law School. David gave back to our community through pro bono legal work, dedicating hundreds of hours to helping people in need. He served on the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and led our Boston office pro bono efforts, personally representing children and adults who fled violence in their home countries to seek safety in the United States, and working with the ACLU on countless matters.
David’s clients knew him to be a talented trial lawyer, but they also came to rely on him as a trusted advisor – a reflection of the tenacity, skill, and integrity he brought to everything he did. Above all, David loved his family—his wife, Samantha Halem, and his children Maya and Jacob Himelfarb. To honor David’s legacy, his family is working to set up a scholarship at Stanford University that will provide financial support to children who—like David—learned English as a second language, do not have the independent financial means to attend the University, and who are committed to giving back to their communities.
David was a man who let his character mold his career, rather than the other way around. The McCarter family will miss him as a friend and colleague, and remains inspired by his example.