October 30, 2025
BLB&G is proud to announce that our Founding Partner, Max Berger, has been selected by the Federal Bar Council (“FBC”) to receive the Whitney North Seymour Award—one of the most prestigious recognitions in the legal profession, honoring “outstanding public service by a private practitioner.” Read our official press release here.
This honor is particularly momentous: in the nearly 40-year history of this prestigious award, named in memory of legendary civic leader Whitney North Seymour, Jr., Max is the first honoree who has dedicated his entire career and practice to representing plaintiffs. The award will be presented to Max at the FBC’s Winter Bench & Bar Conference in February 2026 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Over the course of more than four decades, Max has redefined the role of plaintiffs’ counsel, building BLB&G into what the Financial Times calls “one of the most powerful securities class action law firms in the United States.” He has achieved nine of the largest securities fraud recoveries on record, including landmark victories in WorldCom, Cendant, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Allianz, and Wells Fargo. His work has spurred systemic reforms in corporate governance, board oversight, and accountability for directors and executives.
“Max’s entire career exemplifies what the Whitney North Seymour Award is about—using private practice as a platform for public service,” said John Rizio‑Hamilton, Partner and Co‑Head of BLB&G’s Securities Litigation Practice, and Board Member and Secretary of the Federal Bar Foundation. “This recognition is historic, deeply deserved, and a proud moment for all of us at BLB&G.”
“Max has never separated excellence in the courtroom from integrity in public life,” said BLB&G Partner and Executive Committee member Jerry Silk. “This award recognizes what so many of us have always known—his entire career has been in service of something larger than himself.”
Max’s public service extends to legal education and philanthropy. He is a longstanding member of the Dean’s Council and Public Interest/Public Service Council at Columbia Law School and has endowed two fellowships—the Dale and Max Berger Public Interest Law Fellowship and the Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann Public Interest Law Fellowship—designed to support young lawyers pursuing careers in public service. Max also endowed Columbia’s Public Interest/Public Service Fellows Program, which provides financial and professional support to students dedicated to public service. He has also funded pre-law initiatives at Baruch College.
Max has also been a driving force behind numerous programs benefiting underserved communities through non-profit organizations such as City Year New York and Her Justice. In 2021, Max and his wife, Dale, received the “Above and Beyond Commitment to Justice Award” from Her Justice for their advocacy on behalf of underserved women in New York City.
The Seymour Award comes on the heels of another extraordinary recognition: Max will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Law Journal on November 5, 2025, further cementing his legacy as one of the most impactful and respected figures in the legal profession.
“From mentoring the next generation of lawyers to fighting for real accountability from powerful institutions, Max’s vision has shaped who we are and what we stand for,” said Salvatore Graziano, a member of the BLB&G Executive Committee and Co-Head of the firm’s Securities Litigation Practice. “This honor reflects the values he’s instilled in all of us.”
We extend our deepest congratulations to Max—and our gratitude for his decades of leadership, generosity, and vision. He continues to inspire not just those of us at BLB&G, but generations of legal advocates who believe in the power of the law to drive meaningful change.
