Activist and lawyer specializing in women's health issues, Sybil Shainwald, passes away at the age of 97 in 2025.
Rewritten Article:
In the swingin' 60s, Sybil Shainwald, a determined young woman with a sharp mind and fiery spirit, applied for admission to Columbia University's law school. The dean cleverly shut the door in her face, claiming that her acceptance would rob a young man of a potential 40-year career ahead. Little did they know, they were about to witness a trailblazer who'd outshine many of those they cleverly kept in.
Despite being denied by Columbia, Shainwald, who'd already embarked on a doctorate in history at the university, continued to create waves. After eventually graduating with her law degree in her late forties, she embarked on a career that left many men she'd been refused admission with considerably less impact.
Shainwald, who'd just fallen short of her 97th birthday at the time of her passing, was a force to be reckoned with. Known for her string of impressive victories against pharmaceutical companies, she fought tirelessly for women who'd been irreparably harmed by unethically tested drugs and devices. Speaking to Veteran Feminists of America on her 90th birthday, she retorted, "Luckily, I've been practising for more than 40 years."
Tony Crowell, dean of New York Law School, where Shainwald found a much-deserved welcome, recounts that even in her final weeks, she was still fielding potential client calls. Raised in Brooklyn in 1928, Shainwald, then Sybil Schwartz, moved to Virginia at the age of 16 to attend William & Mary, a bold move that foreshadowed her lifelong pursuit of her own path.
Post-college, she juggled marriage, raising four children, teaching in public schools, and working in the consumer movement. After earning her law degree in her late forties, she struggled to find a niche and was forced to join a firm without pay. Recalling the experience, she reflected, "They said 'yes, we don't usually do that, but we'll do it for you'. And, of course, they called me sweetheart."
Shainwald found her niche in challenging the power imbalance in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in relation to products and practices that put women's health at risk. She believed the industry frequently acted without regard for safety, particularly in the realm of contraceptive implants and devices.
One of her most significant battles was against the Dalkon Shield, a cheap intrauterine device marketed to "forgetful" women who might struggle with birth control pills. In a 2016 speech, she revealed that, "Nine months after marketing the device, the company first began a two-year baboon safety study. One in every eight baboons died, and 30 per cent suffered uterine perforation. The results were never made public."
Her most triumphant victories concerned DES, a drug given to pregnant women to prevent miscarriage that turned out to be a carcinogen. In a landmark case against Eli Lilly, she won on behalf of Joyce Bichler, a 17-year-old who'd developed clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and had to undergo a horrific procedure to remove most of her reproductive and sexual organs. Her mother had taken the drug.
Her colleagues hesitated to take the case to trial, she recalled, but as it turned out, it "became the most important and pivotal case in the women's health movement. It brought to light the callous nature of the pharmaceutical industry and is the most egregious example of the industry's treatment of women".
Her tireless advocacy, pursued over many years, on behalf of DES victims led to significant achievements, such as overturning a New York state law that prohibited under-21s from bringing cases and expanding the statute of limitations for women's health cases in New York.
Shanna Swan, a reproductive epidemiologist who collaborated with Shainwald in some of her cases and became a close friend, said, "Sybil was, first and foremost, a very ardent, passionate feminist." This regarding not only her legal work but also her art collection, which focused exclusively on pieces crafted by women.
Despite facing bitter battles with the pharmaceutical industry over several decades, Swan stated that Shainwald never seemed intimidated or frightened. "I don't think much threatened Sybil, honestly - she was really tough. And she knew she was right."
Additional Insights:- Sybil Shainwald graduated from New York Law School’s evening division in 1976 at the age of 48, overcoming initial rejections from other law schools concerned about her age[1][2].- In addition to her legal victories, Shainwald’s legacy includes the establishment of scholarship and lecture funds at New York Law School in honor of her late husband, Sidney Shainwald. These lectures attracted prominent jurists and political figures such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor, reflecting her broad impact on legal education and policy dialogue[1].- Over the course of her 49-year legal career, Shainwald specialized in women's health law, taking on pharmaceutical companies to challenge harmful products and practices that affected women’s health[1].- Her work contributed to advancing legal remedies in the area of women's health, creating accountability for corporations in the pharmaceutical sector[1].- Beyond her legal work, Shainwald was an active mentor and advocate for women in law, proudly supporting a student body majority female and fostering opportunities for them[1].- Shainwald passed away in April 2025 at age 96, remembered as a trailblazer in women’s health law and a fierce advocate for consumer rights[4].
- Sybil Shainwald, who graduated from New York Law School's evening division at the age of 48, demonstrated an impressive longevity in her 49-year legal career that started after being rejected from other law schools due to concerns about her age.
- Known for her tireless work in challenging the power imbalance in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in relation to women's health, Sybil Shainwald did significant work investigating the safety of intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants.
- One of the most notable cases Sybil Shainwald took on was the landmark case against Eli Lilly for the drug DES, which was given to pregnant women to prevent miscarriage but turned out to be a carcinogen.
- Sybil Shainwald's work in women's health law did not only lead to legal victories but also expanded scholarship and lecture funds at New York Law School in honor of her late husband, Sidney Shainwald, and fostered opportunities for women in law, as she mentored and supported a student body majority female.
