Untermeyer, Samuel (1858–1940)

US lawyer. He was the leading trial lawyer of his time. Much involved in forming large corporations early in his career, he later argued many cases aimed at breaking up the concentration of economic power. As special counsel for a congressional committee that investigated (1912–13) the so-called ‘Money Trust’, he helped prepare the ground for the Federal Reserve Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and the Clayton Anti-Trust Act.

Untermeyer was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He grew up in Virginia and New York City and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1878. He opened a law office the following year and gradually established himself as prominent lawyer. A lifelong Democrat (though he never ran for office), he was a strong supporter of Franklin D Roosevelt's New Deal of the 1930s.