At a time when women lawyers were often relegated to handling only “women’s issues,” Sybil Shainwald ’76 turned that limitation into a trailblazing career.  Earning her law degree in the school’s evening program in her late 40s, Sybil went on to specialize in women’s health reform.  She litigated cases involving drugs and medical devices that have inflicted harm on women and their children.  She has written, testified, and lectured extensively on obstetrical malpractice, IUDs, unnecessary hysterectomies, hormone therapy, and products liability litigation.

She received the New York Law School President’s Award in 2007 and is a Trustee Emeritus after having served on the Board for many years. In 2004, Sybil created the Sidney Shainwald Public Interest Lecture Series at NYLS in honor of her late husband Sidney, an impassioned advocate for social justice. In 2018, the lecture was delivered by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

You can learn more about Sybil and other esteemed alums by visiting our Digital Commons.