2025 Judge Simon H. Rifkind Award Luncheon

The Judge Simon H. Rifkind Award Luncheon was held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. This year, JTS honored Neil Barr, Chair and Managing Partner, Davis Polk and Wardwell LLP, and Thomas J. Reid, Chief Legal Officer at Comcast Corporation.

Over 100 guests listened to the honorees speak about their deep and personal connections to Judaism, rising antisemitism, and their career paths as attorneys. Fellow attorneys, Sharon L. Nelles, Jay B. Kasner, and Alan M. Klein, all members of the JTS Board of Trustees, also spoke, as did Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz and Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz.

The Judge Simon H. Rifkind Award was established at JTS in 1996 in recognition of Judge Rifkind’s exemplary life, which was marked by professional preeminence, distinguished public service, and unstinting devotion to the Jewish community.

Honoree Bios

Neil Barr
Chair and Managing Partner, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Neil Barr is the Chair and Managing Partner of Davis Polk. He advises companies, senior executives and boards on complex and transformative transactions, corporate governance and risk mitigation matters.  Neil has represented Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions, private equity and other asset managers, and high-net-worth individuals on their most significant matters and difficult challenges.  The American Lawyer recognized him as a 2024 “Dealmaker of the Year” for his work advising Josh Harris and partners on the $6.05 billion acquisition of the Washington Commanders NFL franchise.  Among his pro bono and community activities, Neil serves on the Board of Directors of the Partnership for New York City (Executive; Compensation (Chair); Nomination and Governance Committees); the Board of Trustees of the Wildlife Conservation Society (Governance and Nominating; Human Resources and Compensation Committees); the Board of Trustees of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce Foundation; the Board of Visitors of Georgetown University Law Center; the Advisory Board of the Mount Sinai Department of Medicine and the Board of Trustees of Norfolk Academy (Head of School Evaluation and Compensation and Investment Committees). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of New York.

Thomas J. Reid
Chief Legal Officer, Comcast Corporation

Tom Reid is chief legal officer and secretary of Comcast Corporation. He oversees Comcast’s legal and corporate governance functions and the company’s government and regulatory affairs and political affairs functions. Mr. Reid joined Comcast in 2019 after a successful career at Davis Polk. He began his career there in 1987 and served as chairman and managing partner of the firm from 2011 until his transition to Comcast. Mr. Reid serves as a trustee for the Archdiocese of New York’s Inner-City Scholarship Fund and as a trustee of the National Urban League. In 2018, the Pro Bono Partnership honored him with the “Champion Award” in recognition of his deep commitment to pro bono work and in 2021 he received the St. Thomas More award from the Inner-City Scholarship Fund. Mr. Reid serves as a director of Venture Global LNG. He graduated from Edinburgh University with first class honors in law and earned an LL.M. from Columbia Law School.