Morton "Morty" Newburgh

Morty is survived by his life partner of 34 years, Michael J. Crisafulli, their son Seth, their daughter Sophie, their gentle pet Lillie and Morty’s cherished cousins. Morty was born to Harold and Sophie Kanin Newburgh on October 29, 1954 and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens where he attended local public schools including the acclaimed (mostly by Morty) Forest Hills High School. Throughout the remainder of his life, and anytime he was chauffeured down the Grand Central Parkway, Morty would proudly proclaim his affiliation with Forest Hills High and point out its famed cupola to anyone who would listen and to many who would not.

Morty graduated from Cornell University, which he found too bucolic for his urban tastes, and the University of Chicago Law School, which he found too conservative for his progressive politics. After a short stint working in New York City government, which cured him of his naïve interest in pursuing a life in politics, Morty embarked on a legal career as a general practitioner. He first practiced on his own, then with a firm that became known as Silverstein, Langer, Lipner and Newburgh and then he returned full circle to a sole practice. Throughout his career, Morty represented individuals, not corporations, in real estate, probate, trusts and estates, contracts and civil litigation. Over the years of his practice, Morty tenaciously represented his clients, many of whom were members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Queer community as was he. In the early years, many of Morty’s clients were AIDS sufferers and supporters of the HIV/AIDS community. In one case Morty litigated, he represented one of the first AIDS physicians in New York who purchased a coop unit to use to treat AIDS patients only to have the coop board abrogate the sale when it learned the nature of the physician’s practice. In addition to other damages, Morty won for his client an award of punitive damages under the version in effect of the New York State Human Rights Law in a decision by Judge Harold C. Baer. Unfortunately for the cause of justice, the award of punitive damages was swiftly reversed by the appeals court. Ultimately, though, the law was rewritten to explicitly provide for an award of punitive damages for the type of misconduct that Morty exposed.

During the AIDS crisis, Morty became active in many community organizations such as LEGALE, then known as the Gay Lawyers Group, of which he became President. He also devoted his legal talents pro bono to SAGE, GMHC, Lambda Legal Defense and the Gay and Lesbian Center, among others.

After meeting his life partner Michael in the late 1980’s, Morty swiftly turned to creating the family, which as an only child, he always craved. At around this time, Morty, Michael Seth and Sophie began to spend summer weekends in Fire Island Pines, a community in which they have resided for more than thirty years. On Fire island, Morty’s devotion to community brought him to become a member of the Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association.

In more recent years, Morty became a supporter of artists of all talents and represented many of them pro bono in various disputes, but chiefly ones against rapacious New York landlords. More lately, Morty became particularly enamored with fashion and was proud to turn heads as he walked down the Pines boardwalks in his prized ThreeAsfour kaftan.

During COVID, Morty embarked on a surprising personal journey. Not having played the piano since he was ten years old, he decided to take it up again. He became a committed, disciplined and serious student. His piano repertoire was generally confined to the classical music he loved.

Morty’s too short life was guided by his passion for family, for community, for justice and for the Arts. His passing leaves an enormous hole in the hearts of the family, friends and communities to which he was devoted. He led a perhaps short but nevertheless full and honorable life.