Charles J. Rappaport

When we look back at the history of RGLZ Personal Injury Law, there is one thing that’s been a constant since our founding in 1968; the knowledge and leadership of Charles J. Rappaport. We can’t imagine it any other way. Charles has tirelessly pursued his dream of the perfect personal injury firm for the large majority of his life, recently celebrating and being honored for 50 years of practice.

Mr. Rappaport came from humble beginnings, growing up in a blue collar neighborhood in New York City. His inspiration to become a trial lawyer came early on in life, during a school field trip to watch a trial in the 6th grade.

“Right then and there, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer, and not just any kind of lawyer. I wanted to be a trial lawyer. My clients weren’t going to be banks, big corporations or landlords. My dream was to stand in front of a jury and speak up for people like the folks I grew up with.”

So Charles worked tirelessly to pay his own way through both college and law school as a young man, working as a cab driver on nights, and a Fuller Brush man on the weekends. Nothing would stop him from pursuing his dream.

“I graduated, and for the first five years of my career I worked for a large law firm that represented (you guessed it) banks, big corporations, and landlords. I loved the law and the work was challenging, but it was dull. It wasn’t what I dreamed about doing when I decided to become a lawyer. So, in June 1968, with a lump in my throat, and the courage and optimism of the young, I left the world of big law firms and hung out my shingle. That marked the beginning of what would become RGLZ.”

In the nearly 50 years since then, Charles Rappaport has maintained a singular focus on sculpting his firm into what it has become today; a benchmark for personal injury firms. Every characteristic of RGLZ is based on the tenets Mr. Rappaport has lived by, and his vision born on the streets of New York City those many years ago. Legal Excellence both in and out of the courtroom, putting the “personal” back into personal injury law through unparalleled access, focusing on getting clients to a better place, and treating clients like family are all the hallmarks of Charles Rappaport’s career.

“If I had to choose the one main thing I want our clients to say when they think of RGLZ it’s this: “I can trust them, no matter what. I can count on them.” We will never stop trying to earn that trust.”

And if there is one thing that can be said of Charles Rappaport as an attorney, it’s that you can trust him. You can trust that not a single lesson went unlearned during his 50 year career. You can trust that there are few people out there with the level of experience and expertise he brings to the table. You can trust that he’ll always be there to answer your questions. And maybe most importantly, you can trust the confidence you see in him, because there’s a lifetime’s worth of knowledge and achievement behind it.

Charles Rappaport graduated from New York University in 1960, and the Fordham University School of Law in 1963. He has practiced in many State and Federal jurisdictions around the country. He is admitted to practice in New York State and before the United States Circuit Court for the Second Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. He has tried cases in many State and Federal jurisdictions including courts in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland and Florida. He has won many million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements for his clients.

Professional legal organizations often tap him to lecture in areas of his particular expertise, including jury selection, making closing arguments, taking depositions, and examining expert witnesses. He is a member of the Suffolk County and New York State Bar Associations; the American Association for Justice; the New York Academy of Trial Lawyers; the Nassau/Suffolk Trial Lawyers Association; and the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, where he has served as a Director for more than twenty-five years. In 2006, Chuck received the New York State Trial Lawyers Association's Award of Honor for Civil Justice.

Active in many charities, Chuck is an officer and trustee of Daytop Village, our Country's oldest and largest drug rehabilitation organization, where he was honored several times for his dedication to helping troubled adolescents and adults. He was the honoree of the Association for Adults and Children with Learning Disabilities where he has played an active role since 1968. He has adopted as his own the words of Abraham Lincoln, who said, "We never stand so tall as when we stoop to help a child".