Alan Lowenstein, a civic leader and founder of one of the state's largest law firms, Lowenstein Sandler, died today. He was 93.

Born in Newark, Lowenstein chaired the city's charter reform movement, which restructured city government during the 1950s to root out corruption. In 1961, he founded his own law firm in Newark and saw it grow from five lawyers to 250, with offices in Roseland and New York City.

In 1999, he founded the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, which works through the courts and the Legislature to rebuild cities, help prison inmates rejoin society, fight poverty and discrimination and assure equal access to the courts.

Lowenstein also was active in the Essex County Council of Jewish Agencies, the Welfare Federation of Newark and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, on whose board he served.

"Alan Lowenstein's vision and leadership helped to create the firm that we are today: one that embraces the ideals of professional excellence, commitment to its clients' interests, civic duty and diversity,'' managing director Michael Rodburg said in a statement posted on the firm's Web page.