Shirley Siegel, 12.5"W x 15"H, Polymer Clay

Shirley Adelson Siegel (1918 – 2020) was a Bronx born lawyer whose work as a housing activist and advocate spanned over seven decades. Siegel entered Yale Law School in 1938 as the only woman in her class; she graduated 4th in the class of 125 students.  Upon graduation, she interviewed with over forty firms before eventually landing a job, where she was the first woman ever at that firm. Siegel was the first head of New York State’s Civil Rights Bureau and served as New York State’s solicitor general. Ms. Siegel argued cases before the Supreme Court twice, both times successfully.