Barry I. Slotnick (born 1939) is a New York City-based defense attorney. Slotnick is well-known for defending infamous Mafia crime boss, John Gotti and New York City subway shooter, Bernhard Goetz. Along with his son Stuart, he negotiated former First Lady, Melania Trump's pre-nuptial agreement with Donald Trump. In 2021, he was the subject of a NY Times best seller, "The Defense Lawyer", written by author, James Patterson, chronicling Slotnick's life.
Slotnick was born in The Bronx in 1939 to Orthodox Jewish Russian immigrants. He graduated with a B.A. from City College of the City University of New York, a J.D. from New York University Law School, and was admitted to the bar at age 21. After graduating from law school, Slotnick established his own practice in Manhattan. Slotnick specialized in criminal defense, and found clients by sitting in the front row of a court, waiting until the judges would say “Slotnick, the next …
In 1985, Slotnick defended Bernhard Goetz, who shot four young black men on a New York City subway. Goetz was charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and several firearms offenses. Goetz maintained that he acted in self defense. The trial received national attention. A Manhattan jury found Goetz not guilty of all charges, except an illegal firearms possession count, for which he served two-thirds of a one-year sentence.
Originally an appellate attorney, Slotnick eventually began doing high-profile criminal cases that garnered national media attention. In his early 30s, Slotnick defended Mafia boss Joe Colombo in front of the United States Supreme Court and won. Ultimately, the New York Court of Appeals declared New York's contempt statute unconstitutional. He would later be a lead counsel in the first John Gotti trial, which resulted in an acquittal for Gotti and his associates.
Slotnick is married to Donna Slotnick and has four children, one of whom is attorney Stuart Slotnick, best known for defending the company American Apparel.
He once had a 12-year winning streak, and has said that his favorite client was Winnie the Pooh, whom he represents adverse to Disneyland. He received the American Lawyer's AMMY Award as the best defense lawyer in America, was named to the New York Super Lawyer List during 2006, …
• Barry Slotnick Profile on BIPC.com.
• Vanderbilt Speaker Series Fall 2005 Barry Slotnick Bio.
• Trial may turn tables on Russian mob boss
• Army Captain Granted Reprieve After Suing U.S. Gvt. To Block Iraq Deployment Democracy Now interview of Barry Slotnick.