Reuben Shemitz

Reuben Shemitz
Reuben Shemitz in December 1948
Born	Reuben Shemitz (1894-02-27)February 27, 1894 New York, New York
Died	March 10, 1970(1970-03-10) (aged 76) Brooklyn, New York
Nationality	American
Other names	Reuben Bob Shemitz, Reuben B. Shemitz, Reuben J. Shemitz, Reuben Benjamin Shemitz, Rubin Shemitz
Education	Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School
Alma mater	New York University Law School
Occupation	Labor and real estate lawyer
Years active	1924–1959
Employer	Self
Known for	Testified for brother-in-law Whittaker Chambers during Hiss Case
Spouse(s)	Cecilia, Alice
Children	Lois, Harry, Louis
Parent(s)	Rose Thorner, Benjamin Shemitz
Relatives	Esther Shemitz (sister), Nathan Levine (nephew), Sylvan Shemitz (nephew)

Reuben B. Shemitz or Reuben Bob Shemitz (1894–1970) was a 20th-Century American attorney, older brother of Esther Shemitz, and brother-in-law of Whittaker Chambers, who testified during the Hiss Case.

Shemitz, born on February 27, 1894 in New York City. He was the oldest child born in the U.S. and third-surviving child of Rabbi Benjamin Shemitz and Rose Thorner, who moved from New York City to New Haven, Connecticut, where they ran a candy store. They immigrated to the U.S. in the 1890s from the "Podolsk Province."

In 1914-1915, he studied Engineering at the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University but did not graduate. Instead, he joined the Troop A Calvary of Connecticut to fight Pancho Villa in Mexico and then fought under George S. Patton in France during World War I. He became a captain but was also gassed. He then went to New York University, where he studied law and graduated in 1917.

Shemitz began as a union defender in New Haven; his clients included a hat-makers union there.

In 1922, "R.B. Shemitz" was many of many firms granted a charter by the New York Secretary of State John J. Lyons.

In 1924, Shemitz passed the state bar exam.

In 1925, Shemitz represented Frank "Cowboy" Tessler, alleged leader of the "Cowboy" Tessler Gang, whose members were charged with 81 hold-ups and at least one murder. In October 1925, one member, Fred Leslie pled guilty to robbery. Other members included brother Arthur Leslie, Eugene Reising ("champion pistol shot and inventor of the Reising automatic pistol), and Harry Steinberg (jeweler on Third Avenue), and Peter Stroh.

In 1936, Shemitz represented a group of stockholders in a "seemingly simple equity suit." Stevens Coal Company filed for collection from stockholders of the defunct Bay Parkway National Bank of $4,700 for coal bought in 1931. Shemitz argued that his stockholders had not been served in the action, rendering them exempt from any assessment.