Samuel Hirsch (lawyer)

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Samuel P. [1] Hirsch [2] [3] (born c. 1948) [4] is an American lawyer who also held public office.

Contents

Early life

He was born in a DP camp [5] to Holocaust-survivor parents who came to the United States a year later. In the way of his parents, he is an Orthodox Jew. [1]

His Juris Doctor degree is from New York University School of Law (1972) and his first law position was with Jacob D. Fuchsberg. [5]

Career

Elected official

In 1977 he won a three-way primary [2] and, after a three-way November election, [6] became a New York State Assemblyman (48th District). [4] His seat had been vacated by Leonard Silverman, who accepted an offered judgeship mid-term. [1]

In 1982 he was challenged by Dov Hikind in the September primary; Hikind received about 500 more votes. [7]

One of the issues for which he represented his community is reverse discrimination. [1] Another was in the matter of more police protection, especially in the aftermath of "the fatal stabbing of an elderly Jewish man in a predawn street robbery." [8] [9]

Lawyer

In 2002 [10] he filed a Class action lawsuit against McDonald's for alleged deceptive practices that resulted in obesity, particularly among teenagers; it was rejected in a Federal court. [5] The ruling permitted refiling, which he did. It too was rejected. [11]

His "bread and butter" cases are in the area of personal injury. [5] [12]

Family

He and his wife Ruth are the parents of four children and grandparents of six. [5] [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Mary Breasted (October 30, 1977). "2 Young Candidates Have Victory In Sight". The New York Times .
  2. 1 2 Joseph B. Treaster (September 9, 1977). "Hirsch Is Victor In Brooklyn Race For Assembly Seat". The New York Times .
  3. "Koch and Kuomo Seek Support for Runoff". The New York Times . September 10, 1977.
  4. 1 2 "2 Young Democrats Are Easy Winners In Assembly Races". The New York Times . November 9, 1977.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Lisa Keys (February 21, 2003). "Unflippable Lawyer Bites Mickey D's With Burger Suit". The Forward .
  6. "Vote in City Largely Ratified Democratic Primary". The New York Times . November 10, 1977. Samuel Hirsch, 29, got three-quarters of the vote
  7. E.J. Dionne Jr. (September 24, 1982). "Five Incumbent State Legislators Defeated; Many Others Turn Back; Stiff Challenges". The New York Times .
  8. Robert D. McFadden (December 3, 1978). "70 Are Hurt, Including 62 Officers, As Hasidim Storm a Police Station". The New York Times .
  9. News photos of the day showed Hirsch's head bleeding (and others later showing it bandaged): he charged a police officer for clubbing him, even as "he tried to calm the demonstrators." One protestor died of a heart attack. Mayor Koch came later; NYPD conceded misconduct.
  10. "'Psychologically addictive' claim: Fast-food suits stand a chance". Advertising Age . September 16, 2002.
  11. "Judge Dismisses Second Fat Suit Against McDonald's". Advertising Age . September 5, 2003.
  12. Advertisement by Hirsch "Samuel HIRSCH: The Attorney Who'll Put His Experience in Your Court - Practice Limited to Accidents, Personal Injury and Malpractice". The Jewish Press . June 2, 1995. p. 26.
New York State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 48th district

1977–1983
Succeeded by