Lawrence Wien


Lawrence Arthur Wien was an American lawyer, philanthropist, and real estate investor. Wien pioneered the concept of real estate syndicates.

Early life

Wien was born to a Jewish family in New York City. He had four siblings: Mortimer E. Wien, Sidney A. Wien, Leonard Wien, and Ms. Bernard T. Hein. In 1925, Wien graduated with a B.A. from Columbia College and in 1927, he graduated with a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Career

In 1928, he co-founded the law firm Wien Lane & Malkin now Wien and Malkin, which became a leading national law firm specializing in real estate law. In 1931, he ventured into real estate and, along with three partners who invested $2,000 apiece, bought a small apartment house in Harlem. In the 1930s, using his legal background, Wien pioneered the concept of real estate syndicates, making direct ownership of income property accessible to groups of individual investors for the first time.
In 1958, his son-in-law Peter L. Malkin became a partner in his law firm, which was renamed Wien,Lane & Malkin (now Wien and Malkin

Philanthropy

Wien was a major benefactor of the arts and education. In 1956, he commissioned the statue of Associate Justice Louis Brandeis of the United States Supreme Court which sits on the campus of Brandeis University. In 1958, he donated $8.5 million to Brandeis University to endow the Wien International Scholarship which pays the tuition, room & board, and travel expenses for 50 foreign students per year. In 1959 he created a national scholarship at Columbia Law School; Wien contributed over $20 million during his life to his alma mater Columbia including $6 million for the construction of a new stadium at Baker Field, now known as the Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium. In 1969, he donated $1.2 million to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts where he served as vice chairman and a trustee for 20 years.
From 1960 to 1963, Wien served as president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. From 1964 to 1970, he served as trustee of Columbia University and in 1981, was awarded its Alexander Hamilton Medal, the highest honor given to an alumnus. From 1957 to 1984, Wien served as a Trustee of Brandeis University, and became its Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Personal life

Wien was married twice. In 1929, he married Mae Levy; she died in 1986. They had two daughters: Enid W. Morse and Isabel W. Malkin. In 1987, he married Ruth Kupper. In 1988, Wien died of prostate cancer at his home in Westport, Connecticut. His granddaughter, Cynthia Allison Malkin, is married to Richard Blumenthal who was elected as United States Senator of Connecticut in 2011.

Recognition

Honorary degrees