Linda Singer
Encyclopedia
Linda Singer was the Washington, D.C.
Attorney General from January 2, 2007 to January 5, 2008. She is a Partner and head of the Public Client practice group at the DC law firm of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC since 2009, and previously was counsel and co-chair of public client practice at Zuckerman Spaeder.
(B.A. 1988) and Harvard Law School
(J.D. 1991) where she was a leader of student protests over the absence of tenured African American women on the law school faculty.
Singer served for nearly three years as a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Division of the Legal Aid Society
in New York City
, where she carried a large caseload and tried several felonies, securing acquittals in all. She also drafted the appellate brief on a death penalty case on which the death sentence was overturned.
Next, Singer was hired as the Executive Director of Appleseed http://www.appleseeds.net/servlet/FlashPage, a national foundation that creates and supports non-profit legal organizations to work on state and local systemic reform. Singer was the founding staff person at Appleseed which is now a network of 18 state organizations, employing 70 staff, that the American Layer describes as “pro bono
’s new frontier.” Her work at Appleseed focused broadly on social and economic justice with specific work on education reform, access to health care, immigrant rights, financial literacy for the un-banked, and government disaster relief.
Singer tendered her resignation as attorney general on December 17, 2007, after having reportedly been frustrated for months with her role in the Adrian Fenty
administration. Fenty had been relying more heavily on General Counsel Peter Nickles, whom the mayor then named as the interim attorney general to replace Ms. Singer.
, The International Bar Association
, Association of American Law Schools
, Equal Justice Works, National Legal Aid and Defenders Association, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
, law schools, and law firms across the country. She has been published in the Legal Times, Chronicle of Philanthropy, American Banker, Washington Post, and has been featured in American Lawyer, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Fast Company, and the Harvard Law School Bulletin.
Singer has served as a Board member and as Chair of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation in New York, which provides funding to support grassroots organizations working to advance environmental justice and reproductive health care.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Attorney General from January 2, 2007 to January 5, 2008. She is a Partner and head of the Public Client practice group at the DC law firm of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC since 2009, and previously was counsel and co-chair of public client practice at Zuckerman Spaeder.
Education and career
Singer is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard CollegeHarvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
(B.A. 1988) and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
(J.D. 1991) where she was a leader of student protests over the absence of tenured African American women on the law school faculty.
Singer served for nearly three years as a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Division of the Legal Aid Society
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society in New York City is the United States' oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. It operates both traditional civil and criminal law cases.-History:...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she carried a large caseload and tried several felonies, securing acquittals in all. She also drafted the appellate brief on a death penalty case on which the death sentence was overturned.
Next, Singer was hired as the Executive Director of Appleseed http://www.appleseeds.net/servlet/FlashPage, a national foundation that creates and supports non-profit legal organizations to work on state and local systemic reform. Singer was the founding staff person at Appleseed which is now a network of 18 state organizations, employing 70 staff, that the American Layer describes as “pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
’s new frontier.” Her work at Appleseed focused broadly on social and economic justice with specific work on education reform, access to health care, immigrant rights, financial literacy for the un-banked, and government disaster relief.
Singer tendered her resignation as attorney general on December 17, 2007, after having reportedly been frustrated for months with her role in the Adrian Fenty
Adrian Fenty
Adrian Malik Fenty was the sixth, and at age 36, the youngest, mayor of the District of Columbia. He served one term—from 2007 to 2011—losing his bid for reelection at the primary level to Democrat Vincent C. Gray...
administration. Fenty had been relying more heavily on General Counsel Peter Nickles, whom the mayor then named as the interim attorney general to replace Ms. Singer.
Professional activities
Singer has spoken extensively before legal organizations, and conferences including the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, The International Bar Association
International Bar Association
The International Bar Association is an international association of lawyers and lawyers' associations. The IBA's stated purpose is to promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide, support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice their...
, Association of American Law Schools
Association of American Law Schools
The Association of American Law Schools is a non-profit organization of 170 law schools in the United States. Another 25 schools are "non-member fee paid" schools, which are not members but choose to pay AALS dues. Its purpose is to improve the legal profession through the improvement of legal...
, Equal Justice Works, National Legal Aid and Defenders Association, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is a United States government corporation created by the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933. It provides deposit insurance, which guarantees the safety of deposits in member banks, currently up to $250,000 per depositor per bank. , the FDIC insures deposits at...
, law schools, and law firms across the country. She has been published in the Legal Times, Chronicle of Philanthropy, American Banker, Washington Post, and has been featured in American Lawyer, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Fast Company, and the Harvard Law School Bulletin.
Singer has served as a Board member and as Chair of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation in New York, which provides funding to support grassroots organizations working to advance environmental justice and reproductive health care.