Who is Alec Baldwin’s 41-year-old star lawyer, Alex Spiro? The attorney – who also represented Elon Musk, Mick Jagger and Jay-Z – just helped get the SNL actor’s case dismissed in the Rust trial

Jul 16 , 2024

Lawyer Alex Spiro (left) sits next to his client, actor Alec Baldwin, on July 8. Photo: AP

Alec Baldwin broke down in tears last week when a judge confirmed he wouldn’t be facing prison time for the death of Halyna Hutchins, after his case was dismissed over hidden evidence

The talented lawyer who secured the dismissal for the 30 Rock actor is Alex Spiro, a lawyer who’s represented everyone from Megan Thee Stallion to Naomi Osaka and charges US$2,205 per hour

Alec Baldwin will not face jail time for Halyna Hutchins’ death on the set of Rust, as the Hollywood star’s involuntary manslaughter trial has just been dismissed over hidden evidence, as reported by the BBC and various other media sources.

Alec Baldwin on the set of the 2021 film Rust, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photo: Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office/Zuma Press Wire/TNS

The 66-year-old actor was seen breaking down in tears as a New Mexico judge dismissed his case. “There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now,” he wrote on Instagram afterwards. “To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.”

In October 2021, Baldwin was practising with a revolver on the set of the film Rust, when a live bullet went off and killed the movie’s cinematographer. Per the BBC, it is the second time Baldwin’s case has been dismissed since the shooting, and there will not be another trial.

Alec Baldwin hugs Alex Spiro at the conclusion of his trial for involuntary manslaughter on July 12. Photo: Getty Images

The case was dismissed after Baldwin’s lawyers alleged that police and prosecutors had hidden evidence – including a batch of bullets – which may have been integral to the case. The judge agreed, saying: “The state’s wilful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate. There is no way for the court to right this wrong.”

The SNL and 30 Rock star is one of Hollywood’s best known comedy actors and is thought to be worth US$70 million, per Celebrity Net Worth – and it seems his money was well spent on the lawyer who helped dismiss his case once and for all.

So just who is Alec Baldwin’s young and talented “Harvard legal eagle” Alex Spiro? Here’s what we know.

Alex Spiro’s family background

Alex Spiro has become the go-to lawyer for stars such as Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion. Photo: Getty Images

According to The New Yorker, Alex Spiro is the eldest of four children and grew up in Manhattan and Massachusetts. His mother, Cynthia Kaplan, is a clinical psychologist who specialises in child and adolescent trauma, while his father works as a dentist.