Obituaries

Lee R. Feldman

(2/16/65-10/5/24)

Lee R. Feldman, of Pacific Palisades, California, passed away peacefully at home on October 5, 2024, surrounded by family and his closest friends. He was 59. Lee was born on February 16, 1965 to Dale and Edwin Feldman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent most of his summers growing up at his family home on the Jersey Shore with his parents, siblings (Bonnie and Elliot Feldman), grandparents (Dave and Claire Feldman), aunt and uncle (Bernice Blefeld and Jerry Feldman), and first cousins (Eileen and Neil Blefeld, Michael Feldman, Valerie Morrison and Steve Petrucco). Lee graduated with a degree in philosophy from Emory University in 1986 and from Boston University School of Law in 1991. He moved to Los Angeles in 1993, where he met his future wife of 22 years and business partner, Gina Browne, and raised his stepdaughter, Katrina Eroen. Last fall, Lee walked his grand-dog, Astro, down the aisle to witness Katrina say “I do” to her husband Dexter, and he recently threatened to reincarnate as their child. Lee was predeceased by his eccentric father, Edwin Feldman, beloved brother, Elliot Feldman, and his best furry friend, Ryder. He is survived by his loving mom, wife, stepdaughter, son-in-law, sister, Aunt Bernice, many adoring cousins, and diva dog Gemma.

Affectionately known as “The Rhino,” Lee charged through life, championing the underdog and leaving an indelible impact on everyone he met. He was bold, original, funny, and generous. He had a larger-than-life spirit and mischievous spark. He was incredibly bright, and was aware of this from a young age. If you underestimated his intelligence, you would live to regret it. He never wavered from stating exactly what was on his mind, in terms that would make you laugh, perhaps cringe, and simultaneously love him even more for his directness. He had no fear in stating aloud what was part of most of our own “inner thoughts”.

Lee’s heart of gold matched his unrivaled genius. For decades, Lee was consistently recognized by his peers, various legal organizations, and through numerous awards as one of the top plaintiff’s side employment lawyers in the country. He was a giant in his profession. He started his own firm, the Law Offices of Lee R. Feldman, with Alicia Olivares in December 1998. The employee rights boutique firm, currently called Feldman Browne, APC, evolved into one of the top Labor and Employment Law firms in California, earning the highest “Tier 1” ranking by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms list. Lee was a zealous advocate for his clients and achieved life-changing results for them. He mentored, inspired and influenced a generation of plaintiffs’ attorneys, leaving behind a legacy that will have a continuing impact on the legal community.

Lee’s purpose-driven life extended beyond his remarkable and awe-inspiring career. Notably, Lee also had a huge impact on the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) community, of which he was a proud member for 31 years. Lee took the 12-step program very seriously and would be the first to tell you that not only did it save his life but gave him the life he loved. Every time he took a cake, he reminded everyone that without AA he would have nothing: no lovely wife/daughter, friends, bustling career, beautiful home and, certainly, no one looking to him as a role model. In the program, they say that your “primary purpose is to stay sober & help others.” In that regard, he helped others daily and made it part of his mission to give back, devoting an enormous amount of time to sponsoring others in recovery and helping them reclaim their lives.

Lee lived life on his own terms, keeping all his loved ones laughing until the end. He was an avid reader, tennis player, world traveler, and sunbather. He was passionate about politics and sports, especially his treasured Phillies and Dolphins. There is no doubt that Lee loved his family and friends fiercely and deeply. Together we will cherish the laughter, the adventures, the pranks, and the love he so freely shared.

A celebration of life will be held at 11am on Saturday, November 2^nd at the Palisades Lutheran Church, a sacred space for Lee. Lee started the Friday night AA meetings at this church as its first secretary, building it up from a small post-pandemic gathering to one of the top meetings in the Los Angeles area reaching hundreds of people on any given Friday night. The Palisades Lutheran Church is located at 15905 W Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. Parking is limited so we highly recommend carpooling or using a rideshare.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Lai Lab at UCLA Geffen School of Medicine for research aimed at improving treatments for Glioblastoma patients with unmethylated MGMT marker.