Meet the brash lawyer that everyone from Eric Adams to Alec Baldwin and Elon Musk turns to in a crisis

• Alex Spiro, a high-profile lawyer, is representing Mayor Eric Adams as he battles criminal charges.
• Spiro is no stranger to star-studded controversy. He's defended both Elon Musk and Alec Baldwin.

Alex Spiro is once again at the heart of a legal case everyone is talking about.

The litigator is bringing his hard-charging tactics to the federal criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Prosecutors accuse Adams — a former captain in the New York Police Department who was elected mayor in 2021 — of corruption that spans nearly a decade. They allege he took bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals, including at least one Turkish government official.

Prosecutors say in the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday, that Adams accepted over $100,000 in travel perks, including business class flights on Turkish Airlines and luxurious hotel stays, from foreign nationals who were seeking to buy his favor.

Adams pleaded not guilty to the corruption charges Friday — with Spiro at his side.

The famed attorney jumped into the case, immediately promising to swiftly file a motion to dismiss as early as Wednesday.

Spiro is perhaps best known for his work for Elon Musk. He represented the world's richest person in a defamation case and multiple other lawsuits.

BI reporter Jack Newsham profiled Spiro in a 2022 Business Insider article charting his rise. He wrote then:

Spiro's star has risen higher since that article.

He represented Alec Baldwin after the actor shot someone on a film set. The manslaughter case against Baldwin was shockingly dropped earlier this year after Spiro argued that prosecutors hid key evidence before trial.

Now Spiro finds himself in the thick of a historic court case as Adams defends himself against bribery and corruption charges, the first criminal case ever brought against a sitting New York City mayor.

One of Spiro's colleagues told Newsham that Spiro's approach made him especially attractive to those in power who have suddenly found themselves in the middle of a firestorm.

"Someone who's been vilified a lot appreciates a guy like Alex," this person added.

Newsham also gleaned this telling anecdote:

Read the full profile of Alex Spiro here.