Enduring Legacy
Together, Marvin Eschen, Arthur Lambert, and Monroe Weiss established the intellectual, ethical, and professional foundation of Frenkel Lambert. Their combined legacies—grounded in rigorous legal training, deep industry knowledge, and principled advocacy—continue to influence the firm’s culture and reputation more than six decades after its original founding.
Marvin Eschen
Founder, Law Offices of Marvin Eschen (1960)
Marvin Eschen was the original founder and guiding force behind the firm that would ultimately become Frenkel Lambert. In 1960, he established the firm as the Law Offices of Marvin Eschen, laying the foundation for what would grow into a sophisticated, institutionally focused litigation practice. As the firm expanded, it later became known as Eschen, Eschen & Frenkel, LLP, reflecting both its growth and the emergence of the next generation of leadership.
Mr. Eschen earned his Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1951. In addition to his legal education, he also held an engineering degree, a background that profoundly shaped his analytical, detail‑oriented approach to the practice of law. The combination of law and engineering distinguished him as a precise and methodical advocate, particularly well suited to technically complex litigation.
His practice focused on general liability, products liability, insurance subrogation, and complex commercial litigation, serving institutional and corporate clients at a time when modern insurance defense practices were still emerging. As managing partner, Mr. Eschen successfully led a demanding and sophisticated practice long before the availability of today’s legal technologies.
In the early 1990s, recognizing both the limitations of traditional law‑firm operations and the potential of emerging technology, Mr. Eschen entrusted his partner David Frenkel with the responsibility of modernizing the practice. He not only authorized but affirmatively agreed to make the necessary investments to transform the firm, supporting the incorporation of technology into case management, workflows, and administrative operations. This commitment to innovation—rooted in Mr. Eschen’s engineering mindset—became a defining characteristic of the firm. Those early commitments to continuous investment, efficiency, and modernization remain central to the firm’s operations today.
Equally significant was Mr. Eschen’s role as a mentor. He shaped the professional development of numerous attorneys, instilling core values of intellectual rigor, professionalism, and client commitment that continue to define the firm’s culture. His passing in the mid‑1990s marked the close of a foundational chapter, but his vision and foresight remain deeply embedded in the firm’s identity and ongoing evolution.
Arthur N. Lambert
Co‑Founder, Lambert & Weiss (1982)
Arthur N. Lambert is a nationally respected attorney and one of the co‑founders of Lambert & Weiss, the boutique law firm established in 1982 that later merged to become part of Frenkel Lambert.
Mr. Lambert earned his Juris Doctor, with honors, from Brooklyn Law School in 1968 and was admitted to practice in New York that same year. Over the course of his distinguished career, he gained admission to numerous federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, and became highly regarded for his appellate and trial advocacy.
He developed a premier practice concentrating on insurance coverage, fidelity and surety law, ERISA, directors and officers liability, and professional liability. Mr. Lambert is widely recognized for his command of complex fidelity claims and high‑exposure coverage disputes, as well as for his strategic representation of insurers and bonding companies in both trial and appellate courts.
Following the merger that formed Frenkel Lambert, Mr. Lambert became a senior partner and a leader of the firm’s fidelity bond practice, contributing deep technical knowledge, careful judgment, and decades of experience. His legal ability and ethical standards have been consistently recognized through peer evaluations, reinforcing his reputation as a trusted authority in insurance and surety law.
Monroe Weiss
Co‑Founder, Lambert & Weiss (1982)
Monroe Weiss was a co‑founder of Lambert & Weiss and played a central role in building the firm that would later become a key pillar of Frenkel Lambert.
Mr. Weiss earned his Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University in 1966, followed by his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law in 1972. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1973 and later gained admission in New Jersey and Florida, as well as to the United States Supreme Court.
Throughout his career, Mr. Weiss specialized in representing insurance carriers and bonding companies, with a practice focused on fidelity and surety law, insurance defense, subrogation, ERISA, and complex commercial litigation. He was widely respected for his disciplined legal analysis, practicality, and steady advocacy in high‑stakes matters.
The merger of Lambert & Weiss with the Eschen‑based firm unified complementary strengths—Mr. Weiss’s insurance and surety expertise with the litigation foundation established by Marvin Eschen—resulting in the firm now known as Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP. His legacy continues to shape the firm’s insurance and commercial practices.
