Boris Bittker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Boris I. Bittker (November 28, 1916 - September 8, 2005) was a prominent United States legal academician. A professor at Yale Law School, Bittker was a prolific author, writing many textbooks and over one hundred articles on tax law.

Born in Rochester, New York, Bittker attended Cornell University ('38) and Yale Law School ('41). After law school, Bittker clerked for Judge Jerome Frank of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. From 1942 to 43 Bittker worked as an attorney for the Lend-Lease Administration in Washington, D.C. During the next two years Bittker fought and was wounded in World War II, receiving a Purple Heart. Returning from Europe, Bittker went back to government service, working for the Office of the Alien Property Custodian.

Bittker reluctantly returned to his alma mater as an Assistant Professor in 1946. Eventually he gained tenure in 1951, became a Southmayd Professor in 1958, and Sterling Professor of Law in 1970. By the time Bittker retired from teaching in 1983 to pursue scholarship full time, his was one of the most recognizable names on the illustrious roster of Yale's faculty.

Bittker was also a dedicated environmentalist, serving as a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Bittker was married to Anne (died on February 2, 1997) and had two children, Susan and Daniel.

[edit] Sources

Yale Law School obituary
Judge Louis H. Pollak, REMEMBERING BORIS, 115 Yale Law Journal 745 (January 2006)
Prof. John G. Simon, Let Us Count the Ways: A Tribute to Boris Bittker, 115 Yale L.J. 751 (January 2006)
YLS Mourns Death of Boris I. Bittker; Memorial Service Scheduled Dec. 11
Anne Bittker Obituary, 2/27/97 New York Times B10

[edit] Publications

Federal Taxation of Income, Estates and Gifts (with Lawrence Lokken).
Federal Income Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders (with James Eustice).
Constitutional Limits on the Taxing Power of the Federal Government, The Tax Lawyer, Fall 1987, Vol. 41, No. 1, p. 3 (American Bar Ass'n).