Newton, MA—BC Law Alum Debra Steinberg (’79) of Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft is featured in the documentary Out of the Ashes: 9/11, a film centered around the legal and human rights issues surrounding the compensation systems developed for 9/11 victims. She will be attending a screening of the film at BC Law this Thursday, February 10, at 6 pm in East Wing room 115A, and will discuss her work.

A nationally recognized advocate for families of 9/11 victims, Steinberg organized and led the Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft’s first pro bono representation of families of World Trade Center Victims. Steinberg worked in congruence with the Department of Homeland Security to develop and implement the 9/11 Humanitarian Relief Program, providing humanitarian parole or deferred action, and work authorization to eligible families of 9/11 victims. She was an active contributor to the New York State’s September 11th Victims and Families Relief Act (2002) and the federal September 11th Familiy Humanitarian Relief and Patriotism Act. Her work has earned her a number of honors, including the American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award (2006) and the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2007).

Steinberg is an experienced trial lawyer and appellate practitioner, representing and counseling clients in securities, commercial, intellectual property, liability, and bankruptcy-related litigations. She graduated cum laude from BC Law, and served as a member of the American Bar Association Pro Bono Committee from 2008 to 2010.

Following seven families and interviewing a number of legal experts, Out of the Ashes: 9/11 is a documentary that addresses and explores the legal, moral, and ethical ramifications of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund on the civil justice system. Narrated by Professor Charles Ogletree, Jesse Climenko Professor of Law at Harvard, the film features Kenneth Feinberg, Special Master of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, and Erich Roland, the award-winning cinematographer of the 2010 documentary, Waiting for ‘Superman.’ For more information on the film, you can visit its website at www.outoftheashes911.com.