Mr. Wildes

Michael Wildes

Partner

Wildes & Weinberg

Michael Wildes, born and raised in Queens, New York, is the Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, an immigration lawyer and a former federal prosecutor. As partner of NYC-based preeminent immigration law firm Wildes & Weinberg, established by his father, Leon Wildes, in 1960, Wildes has become internationally renowned for having represented the United States Government in immigration proceedings, for the successful representation of several defectors who have provided hard-to-obtain national security information to the United States and, most recently, for obtaining an injunction to prevent Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi from residing in New Jersey during the 2009 UN Summit.

Elected Mayor of Englewood in November of 2003 and to a second term in November 2006, Wildes is recognized by the Democratic Party as a leading fundraiser for congressional and senate candidates throughout the United States, including Senators Hillary Clinton, Edward Kennedy, Joseph Lieberman and many others. He was voted one of the “100 National Up and Coming Leaders to Watch” by the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), and the late Senator Kennedy said he had "high expectations" that Wildes would soon be joining him in the United States Congress.

Wildes is frequently a legal commentator/analyst for network television, called upon to offer insight and expertise on crucial matters affecting the global community, from terrorism to the Patriot Act. He and his wife, Amy, live in Englewood and are the proud parents of four children.

Affiliations: Of Counsel to the International Law Firm of Pavia and Harcourt; The National Police Defense Foundation; and the New Jersey State Law Enforcement Asian-American Advisory Committee. Guest lecturer/panelist at many distinguished forums and institutions including, Yale University, New York University, The Benjamin N. Cardozo, and Brooklyn Schools of Law.

Member of the acclaimed Committee on Present Danger (where he serves with former CIA Director, James Woolsey and Senator Joseph Lieberman); Chair of the American Jewish Congress’ Committee on International Terrorism; a member of the Advisory Board for the Urban League of Bergen County; and member of the Board of Directors of Boys Town of Jerusalem.

Wildes is a certified EMT, a Member of the Hatzoloh Volunteer Ambulance Corps in New York; the Englewood Volunteer Ambulance Corp (EVAC) and has served over 10 years with the NYPD as an Auxiliary Police Officer.

Sample High Profile Cases

• Saudi Arabian diplomat (Mohammed Al-Khilewi) who defected after walking off with incriminating evidence of international terrorism and espionage.
• Secured the cooperation of accused terrorist (Hani Al-Sayegh) implicated in the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia – an atrocity in which 19 U.S. servicemen lost their lives.
• Shoebomber Hero (Kwame James) who subdued Richard Reid, saving 197 passengers and crew members on American Airlines Flight 63.

Mr. Wildes can be contacted at 212-753-3468 or mwildes@wildesweinberg.com