Ronald Greenberg

Ronald Greenberg, a distinguished corporate lawyer and trusted counselor who guided artists, entrepreneurs, global companies, and cultural institutions, died peacefully on January 9, 2026, at his home in Scarsdale, New York, following a brief illness. He was 89 years old.

Ron was born on July 9, 1936, in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1957 and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1960. After active duty in the U.S. Army as a military police officer, Ron joined the New York law firm Rubin, Baum & Levin in 1961, eventually rising to become the firm’s Chairman and guiding its integration into Sonnenschein and subsequently Dentons. He never retired, remaining actively engaged in the practice of law until the final weeks of his life.

Ron’s wide-ranging practice encompassed civil rights, entertainment, communications, and technology. Early in his career, he was part of the legal team that represented Martin Luther King, Jr. in New York Times v. Sullivan, the landmark Supreme Court case that reshaped First Amendment law. He was later one of the pioneering lawyers in the cable television industry. Among his prominent clients, many of whom became lifelong friends, were the television legend Ed Sullivan, the producer Howard Gottfried, the author E.L. Doctorow, the artist Natvar Bhavsar, and the Cablevision Industries founder Alan Gerry. With Mr. Gerry, Ron played a crucial role in the creation of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a cultural institution built on the historic site of the Woodstock festival.

Ron was married to Lorna Lipson Greenberg for more than 63 years, until her death in 2023. Ron and Lorna were avid travelers, often drawn to distant archaeological sites, and were passionate supporters of literary and visual arts, theater, music, and the study of history. Ron served on the boards of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Aston Magna Foundation, and the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Those who knew Ron especially respected him for his judgment. He provided keen perspective, wisdom, and calm guidance, and inspired profound trust from his family, friends, clients, and generations of lawyers learning to practice with integrity. Ron is survived by his son, Lawrence, daughter-in-law, Melanie, daughter, Alissa, son-in-law, Sung, and his five grandchildren: Anna Rose and Jed Greenberg, and Isaac, Jenna, and Calvin Lee. His legacy survives in the love he shared with his children and grandchildren and in the successes of those he advised.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Archaeological Institute of America and the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.