Kenneth Feinberg
Kenneth Roy Feinberg (born October 23, 1945) is an American attorney specializing in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. He served as the Chief of Staff to Senator Ted Kennedy, Special Master of the U.S. government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation. Additionally, Feinberg served as the government-appointed administrator of the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster Victim Compensation Fund. Feinberg was also appointed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to administer the One Fund—the victim assistance fund established in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Feinberg was also retained by General Motors to assist in their recall response and by Volkswagen to oversee their U.S. compensation of VW diesel owners affected by the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Feinberg was hired by The Boeing Company in July 2019, to oversee distribution of $50 million to support 737 MAX crash victim families.[2] Feinberg is also an adjunct professor at the Columbia University School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, New York University School of Law, the University of Virginia School of Law and at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Kenneth Feinberg
Attorney
Special Master, September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
Special Master for Executive Compensation
Diane Shaff (3 children)[1]
Personal life[edit]
Feinberg and his wife, Diane ("Dede") Shaff, have three children[41] and four grandchildren.[42]
He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and gave the commencement address at Saint Anselm College in 2023.[43]
, a 2020 biographical film directed by Sara Colangelo, depicts Kenneth Feinberg's handling of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The screenplay by Max Borenstein is based on Feinberg's 2005 book, What is Life Worth? Feinberg is portrayed by Michael Keaton and the cast includes Amy Ryan, Stanley Tucci, Tate Donovan, Shunori Ramanathan, and Laura Benanti. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020, and was released in a limited release and on Netflix beginning September 3, 2021.
Worth
— (August 2006). . New York City: PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1-58648-451-4.
What Is Life Worth?: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Fund and Its Effort to Compensate the Victims of September 11th
— (June 2012). . New York City: PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1-58648-977-9.
Who Gets What: Fair Compensation after Tragedy and Financial Upheaval
— (2014). . Georgia State University Law Review. 31 (4). Georgia.
"Georgia State University Law Review: Keynote Address"
— (2014). "Unconventional Responses to Unique Catastrophes: Tailoring the Law to Meet the Challenges". Case W. Res. J. Int'l L. 46. : 525.
Western Michigan University Cooley Law School
— (2012). (PDF). Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. New York.
"Democratization of Mass Litigation: Empowering the Beneficiaries"
— (April 2011). (PDF). Connecticut Insurance Law Journal Symposium. Hartford, CT. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
"Keynote Address, Actuarial Litigation: How Statistics Can Help Resolve Big Cases"
— (2011). (PDF). New York Law School Law Review. New York. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 21, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
"The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001: Policy and Precedent"
— (September 2010). (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Treasury.
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"Office of the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation: Final Report of Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg"
— (October 2009). . Washington, D.C.: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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"Pay Czar Feinberg's Testimony to House Oversight Panel"
— (2009). "Keynote Presentation: The Sixth John A. Speziale Alternative Dispute Resolution Symposium". 27 (3)). .
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Quinnipiac University School of Law
— (2009). . DePaul Law Review.
"Transparency and Civil Justice: The Internal and External Value of Sunlight"
— (2008). "Tributes to Justice Stephen G. Breyer". 64 (1). .
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New York University School of Law
— (January 2007). . Fordham Urban Law Journal. New York.
"How Can ADR Alleviate Long-Standing Social Problems?"
— (2005). . Washington University Journal of Law & Policy. Washington University School of Law.
"Negotiating the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2001: Mass Tort Resolution Without Litigation"
— (April 2004). (PDF). University of Alabama Law Review.
"Lecture, University of Alabama School of Law"
— (January 2003). . Brooklyn Law School Journal of Law and Policy.
"Judge Jack B. Weinstein, Tort Litigation, and the Public Good: A Roundtable Discussion to Honor One of America's Great Trial Judges on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday"
— (January 1998). . 31. Loyola Law School.
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"Reporting from the Front Line—One Mediator's Experience with Mass Torts"
— (October 1990). . Law and Contemporary Problems. 53 (4). Duke University School of Law: 79–112. doi:10.2307/1191952. JSTOR 1191952.
"The Dalkon Shield Claimants Trust"
— (January 1981). . Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 72 (2): 385–399. doi:10.2307/1143000. JSTOR 1143000.
"Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and the Proposed Federal Criminal Code"
"Flame of Tzedek Award" by The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute at The National Jewish Retreat (2019)
"A Tribute to Excellence" by Hillel at UMass Amherst (2018)
The Bazelon Center Outstanding Public Service Award (2017)
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medalist in Law (2014)
Yale University Legend in Leadership Award (2014)
District of Columbia Bar Association Legend in the Law Award (2014)
Massachusetts Bar Association Great Friend of Justice Award (2014)
Listed in "The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America", The National Law Journal (March 25, 2013)
The New England Council New Englander of the Year Award (2013)
Academy of Court Appointed Masters Civil Justice Award (2012)
The New York University Albert Gallatin Medal for Professional Achievement (2011)
The New York University Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service (2011)
Marshall-Wythe Medallion (2011)
Hubert H. Humphrey Humanitarian Award (2011)
Fordham-Stein Prize (2011)
James F. Henry Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dispute Resolution (2010)
"The Power 100: The 100 Most Powerful People e in Finance", Worth: The Evolution of Financial Intelligence, Vol. 19, No. 5, Page 76 (2010)
"Lawyer of the Year" by the National Law Journal (2004)
Presidential Advisory Commission on Human Radiation Experiments (1994 to 1998)
Carnegie Commission Task Force on Science and Technology in Judicial and Regulatory Decision Making (1989 to 1993)
Presidential Commission on Catastrophic Nuclear Accidents (1989 to 1990)
Member of the National Judicial Panel, Center for Public Resources
Chaired the American Bar Association Special Committee on Mass Torts (1988 to 1989)
List of U.S. executive branch 'czars'
Feinberg, Kenneth (March 1, 2008). . Washingtonian (Interview). Interviewed by Lee Michael Katz.
"What I've Learned: Kenneth Feinberg"
Jurschick, Karin (2017). Playing God. Germany: April 2017. . March 21, 2017.
"Playing God Trailer"
The Feinberg Group website
archived 2007
The Feinberg Group website
Kaye Scholer LLP website
Appearances