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Two Partners Family Legacy is Part of American History

09.28.2016

David Douglass, a litigation partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office and his sister, Trusts & Estates partner Lori Anne Douglass of Moses & Singer in New York were honored to learn that their great, great grandmother's skirt is part of the "Slavery and Freedom" exhibit at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened Saturday.

“I am honored and humbled that my family’s story is part of the national recounting of the history of African-Americans in this country,” said David. “Lucy Lee Shirley overcame slavery, an abusive husband and a judicial system that treated women unfairly to become a leader in her church and to provide for her children, to whom she bequeathed $1,650—more than $23,000 in today’s money—while leaving just $1 dollar to the abusive former husband.  Growing up as the son of a lawyer, who went on to become a judge, I inherited a passion for using the law to achieve justice.  Learning the story of Lucy Lee Shirley makes me think, maybe there’s a litigator gene.”

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