Dan Siegel, a trailblazing civil rights attorney known for his unwavering advocacy for workers, unions, and human rights, passed away on July 2 in Oakland, California. He was 79 years old.
Born in the Bronx, Dan’s early life was influenced by his upbringing in a Jewish family from Long Island. His commitment to the civil rights struggle was coupled with a deep sense of family, including his marriage to fellow attorney and activist Anne Weills, and their two sons and three grandchildren.
Dan graduated from Hamilton College in 1967, where he earned a degree in religious studies. It was during his time working with the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) in Mississippi, attempting to register voters that he was inspired to pursue a legal career. This inspiration was solidified when he experienced arrest and was subsequently liberated by a National Lawyers Guild attorney.
In Berkeley, where he attended law school, Dan met Anne in 1968. They became integral figures in various local movements that opposed the Vietnam War, supported the civil rights movement, and advocated against imperialism and fascism. His student leadership was evident when he was elected president of UC Berkeley’s student body in 1969, a role that would soon place him in opposition to the state government led by Governor Ronald Reagan.
A significant moment in his activism occurred when community members transformed an abandoned UC-owned lot near the campus into what they called “People’s Park.” After the university responded by fencing off the area, Dan mobilized protesters during a tense confrontation on what became known as “Bloody Thursday.” This protest resulted in violent clashes with law enforcement, leading to serious injuries and the death of a bystander. In response to the unrest, Governor Reagan deployed National Guard troops to maintain order within the city.
Following these events, the state bar association sought to deny Dan his right to practice law, citing his participation in protests as a sign of poor moral character. However, a landmark California Supreme Court ruling, Siegel v. Committee of Bar Examiners, clarified that engaging in protest movements is not indicative of deficient character, allowing him to continue his legal career.
Dan devoted himself to fighting for civil, labor, and First Amendment rights, representing a diverse range of clients including workers from various industries, Occupy movement activists, and pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
His influential legal work included representing workers who operated the state’s pipelines in Alaska, canned food in Watsonville, and repaired naval vessels in San Diego. Particularly notable was his representation of the “Occupy the Farm” protesters, who occupied state land as part of the broader Occupy movement, as well as activists who stopped Bay Bridge traffic to advocate awareness about the war in Gaza. A significant portion of his efforts were pro bono, advocating for the rights of homeless individuals, students, prisoners, enlisted military personnel, and low-income workers.
In his role as chief of complex litigation for the San Francisco City Attorney, Dan successfully led a landmark employment discrimination lawsuit against the city’s fire department. This resulted in a consent decree that ensured affirmative action in hiring and promotions for women and people of color. Alongside Anne, he represented numerous university professors in discrimination and retaliatory workplace complaints. One of his most significant achievements came in 2007 when he secured the two largest verdicts ever awarded under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, which mandates gender equity and prohibits sex discrimination in higher education.
Aside from his legal career, Dan served two terms on the Oakland School Board, including a tenure as president, and held the position of chair of the Oakland Housing Authority. He co-authored Oakland’s community policy law and shared his knowledge by teaching graduate courses at Mills College.
In 2014, Dan and Anne were honored as “Champions of Justice” by the San Francisco chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, recognized for their significant contributions to strengthening social movements throughout the Bay Area.
Following the Black Lives Matter protests, Dan was proactive in filing class-action lawsuits that led to settlements with both Oakland and Alameda County, imposing strict restrictions on the use of non-lethal weapons against peaceful demonstrators by law enforcement.
His commitment to activism remained unwavering until the end; his last public appearance was on June 14 at the Oakland “No Kings” rally, where he passionately urged attendees to oppose President Donald Trump and the white supremacist movements that backed his presidency.
Dan and Anne’s marriage on August 1, 1975, was closely observed, even by an FBI informant who reported on their small wedding, demonstrating the continued scrutiny they faced as political activists.
Residing in their East Oakland home for 48 years, they raised their son Michael Siegel.
Dan is survived by his wife Anne, their son Michael, stepson Christopher Scheer, and grandchildren Ben, Malika, and Hamza, along with his brothers David, Jonathan, and Jesse, and many loving family and friends.
Plans for a public memorial will be announced at a later date.
image source from：berkeleyside
