Dan Siegel, a civil rights attorney, died at 79 on July 2 after a battle with cancer. He became prominent during the Bloody Thursday protest in 1969, which ignited activism in Berkeley after police violence resulted in fatalities. Siegel faced accusations but successfully contested the denial of his law license, setting a legal precedent regarding attorney moral character. He worked tirelessly on challenging cases, attaining significant settlements for civil rights movements, including Black Lives Matter protests, and contributed to Title IX legal advancements against gender discrimination.
Siegel, accused in the aftermath of inciting a riot, later had his license to practice law denied by the State Bar of California. He successfully sued, taking the case to the state Supreme Court and winning. The case set an important precedent for determining the moral character of attorneys.
Known for his fierce work ethic, Siegel took on cases that promised long hours and lengthy paperwork, earning a reputation for being feared, respected and willing to brave a trial in the East Bay's various courthouses.
Siegel took on police departments, helping to secure multi-million dollar settlements for Black Lives Matter protesters who were met with a forceful police response during the 2020 demonstrations that followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
He litigated breakthrough Title IX cases that prevented gender discrimination on university campuses.
Collection
[
|
...
]