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Linda Hirshman      

Supreme Court Lawyer, Renowned Expert on Social Change in America & Author

Linda Hirshman is an acclaimed Supreme Court lawyer, progressive political pundit, and author. For fifteen years she practiced law, representing mostly organized labor. She then went on to teach philosophy and women's studies at Brandeis University and holds a law degree from the University of Chicago and a PhD in philosophy. After retiring from teaching, she went on to write books on an array of topics, including women in the workforce, LGBTQ+ rights, and sexual abuse. Her titles include Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World, Victory: The Triumphant Gay Revolution, Reckoning: The Epic Battle Against Sexual Abuse and Harassment, and *Sisters in Law * about the lives of Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

She has appeared on 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, various NPR shows, and the Colbert Report. She has also written for publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, Slate, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, and Salon.

Speech Topics


How Social Movements Succeed (And Fail)

Why Women Work

Victory: The Triumphant Gay Revolution

How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World

Hirshman's dual biography includes revealing stories of how these trailblazers fought for their own recognition in a male-dominated profession—battles that would ultimately benefit every American woman. She also makes clear how these two justices have shaped the legal framework of modern feminism, including employment discrimination, abortion, affirmative action, sexual harassment, and many other issues crucial to women's lives.

With access to hundreds of previously unpublished letters, Hirshman sheds new light on O'Connor's role in the Bush v. Gore decision, and how together the two women, strengthened by their mutual support, transformed the Constitution and laws of the nation to make it a more equal place for millions of women.

Sisters in Law combines legal detail with warm personal anecdotes that bring these very different women into focus as never before. Meticulously researched and compellingly told, it is an authoritative account of our changing law and culture, and a moving story of a remarkable friendship.

News


'Reckoning' Follows a 50-Year Road to #MeToo - The New York Times
Linda Hirshman's new history traces a line from sexual harassment lawsuits in the 1970s to the arraignment of Harvey Weinstein.
Interview: Linda Hirshman, Author Of 'Sisters In Law' : NPR
Author Linda Hirshman's joint biography of the first and second women to serve on the nation's highest court is a gossipy, funny, sometimes infuriating and ...

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