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Len, A Lawyer in History: A Graphic Biography of Radical Attorney Leonard Weinglass
For half a century, criminal defense lawyer Leonard Weinglass defended a who’s who of the twentieth-century left in some of America’s most spectacular trials. “The typical call I get is one that starts by saying, ‘You’re the fifth attorney we’ve called,’” he once said. “Then I get interested.” Those calls came from the likes of the SDS, the Chicago Seven, Daniel Ellsberg, Abbie Hoffman, and Mumia Abu-Jamal, among many others.
In a field dominated by egomaniacs, Weinglass was known for his humility, his common touch, his ability to work collectively, his kindness, and his attention to detail. This long-overdue biography captures the vibrant life and inspiring legacy of an American iconoclast.
Praise for Len, A Lawyer in History
“For decades Seth Tobocman has been working within the comics vernacular to create a unique language, and with Len he’s at the top of his game…brilliantly applying himself not only with pencil and ink on paper, but as an active participant in the same political struggles that Len Weinglass valiantly dedicated his life to solving.” —Peter Kuper, author of Ruins
“Tobocman has conjoined past and present to create singular, beautiful, volatile images of struggle.… At the center of this explosion—as example and harbinger, but most of all as an incendiary intimate portrait—stands Len himself. Our coalitions will forever be enriched by his presence, and by the demands his legacy bequeaths.” —AK Thompson, author of Black Bloc, White Riot
“I met Len Weinglass in 1964.… He was learned, funny, and the best damned trial lawyer I ever saw in a courtroom.… The chapters on Newark, Chicago, and the Pentagon Papers case will help a new generation understand the substance behind all the blurry labels about the time.” —Tom Hayden, author of The Port Huron Statement
“The book is dramatic in its reach and speechless in its words. It’s not just about Len, but who we were as people during his journey. Remarkable.” —Stanley L. Cohen, attorney and political activist
“Len ‘I would classify myself as radical American. I want to spend my time defending people who have committed their time to progressive social change.’ This exemplifies how, along with Michael Ratner, William Kunstler, and other US lawyers around the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, he was an incredibly important role model for radical human rights lawyers in Europe such as myself.” —Wolfgang Kaleck, Secretary General, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
PAUL BUHLE is the editor of a dozen comic art books along with many scholarly works, including the authorized biography of C.L.R. James.
MICHAEL STEVEN SMITH is executor of Leonard Weinglass’s estate and co-editor of Living in a Socialist USA.
SETH TOBOCMAN is an author/illustrator and one of the founding editors of World War 3 Illustrated.
In a field dominated by egomaniacs, Weinglass was known for his humility, his common touch, his ability to work collectively, his kindness, and his attention to detail. This long-overdue biography captures the vibrant life and inspiring legacy of an American iconoclast.
Praise for Len, A Lawyer in History
“For decades Seth Tobocman has been working within the comics vernacular to create a unique language, and with Len he’s at the top of his game…brilliantly applying himself not only with pencil and ink on paper, but as an active participant in the same political struggles that Len Weinglass valiantly dedicated his life to solving.” —Peter Kuper, author of Ruins
“Tobocman has conjoined past and present to create singular, beautiful, volatile images of struggle.… At the center of this explosion—as example and harbinger, but most of all as an incendiary intimate portrait—stands Len himself. Our coalitions will forever be enriched by his presence, and by the demands his legacy bequeaths.” —AK Thompson, author of Black Bloc, White Riot
“I met Len Weinglass in 1964.… He was learned, funny, and the best damned trial lawyer I ever saw in a courtroom.… The chapters on Newark, Chicago, and the Pentagon Papers case will help a new generation understand the substance behind all the blurry labels about the time.” —Tom Hayden, author of The Port Huron Statement
“The book is dramatic in its reach and speechless in its words. It’s not just about Len, but who we were as people during his journey. Remarkable.” —Stanley L. Cohen, attorney and political activist
“Len ‘I would classify myself as radical American. I want to spend my time defending people who have committed their time to progressive social change.’ This exemplifies how, along with Michael Ratner, William Kunstler, and other US lawyers around the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, he was an incredibly important role model for radical human rights lawyers in Europe such as myself.” —Wolfgang Kaleck, Secretary General, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
PAUL BUHLE is the editor of a dozen comic art books along with many scholarly works, including the authorized biography of C.L.R. James.
MICHAEL STEVEN SMITH is executor of Leonard Weinglass’s estate and co-editor of Living in a Socialist USA.
SETH TOBOCMAN is an author/illustrator and one of the founding editors of World War 3 Illustrated.
200 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2016
About the author
Michael Steven Smith
16 books3 followersMichael Steven Smith is an attorney practicing in New York City and a board member of the Center for Constitutional Rights. He is the author of Notebook of a Sixties Lawyer: An Unrepentant Memoir and Lawyers You’ll Like, and the co-editor of The Emerging Police State by William Kunstler.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 13, 2017
In 1968 I was fifteen and thus I was allowed to attend neither Woodstock nor the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. I was on the very cusp of being radicalized by various social forces, including but not limited to the anti-war, Civil Fights and Environmental movement. My conservative parents feared for my life as they saw rioting on the streets, especially in a big city such as Chicago. Not being at Woodstock nor the Chicago DNC didn’t keep me from me being radicalized by them, however. One particular event that enthralled me was the arrest and trial of the Chicago Seven: Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines and Lee Weiner. I read every book I could on the subject and subsequent books by some of them and biographies of them.
“Chicago,” by Graham Nash, CSNY:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4BJp...
They were arrested for protesting on the streets of Chicago, something that was not new then and has been common here since. In their trial, a wild affair that in some sense seemed to ignite the (brief, but energetic) counterculture movement, they were defended by two great social justice lawyers, William Kunstler and Leonard (Len) Weinglass. The latter, the subject of this book, I followed for much of his whole career. He became perhaps the nation’s pre-eminent progressive defense lawyer, who represented political activists in a half-century of controversial cases, including the Chicago Seven, the Pentagon Papers, Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Hearst kidnapping.
The book is a good introduction to Len, and progressive law. Might inspire people to activism, though in the first quarter of 2017 in the US of A, there seems to be no shortage of enthusiasm for marching against the government.
“Chicago,” by Graham Nash, CSNY:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4BJp...
They were arrested for protesting on the streets of Chicago, something that was not new then and has been common here since. In their trial, a wild affair that in some sense seemed to ignite the (brief, but energetic) counterculture movement, they were defended by two great social justice lawyers, William Kunstler and Leonard (Len) Weinglass. The latter, the subject of this book, I followed for much of his whole career. He became perhaps the nation’s pre-eminent progressive defense lawyer, who represented political activists in a half-century of controversial cases, including the Chicago Seven, the Pentagon Papers, Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Hearst kidnapping.
The book is a good introduction to Len, and progressive law. Might inspire people to activism, though in the first quarter of 2017 in the US of A, there seems to be no shortage of enthusiasm for marching against the government.
March 15, 2017
I'm not sure what I can bring to this review, by way of describing the book, that isn't already covered in the title. I wasn't familiar with Weinglass' name, though I've certainly heard it before, and I've definitely heard of some of his cases. The book is really more about his more high profile work than the man himself. There's some basic biography about his childhood and teen years and so on, but then it's Chicago 7 and all the rest. We learn something of the man, but much more about his work and its historical significance.
Seth Tobocman was the perfect artist for this, the subject matter being the sort of thing that he does so well. The artwork seems to shift from ink to pencil at times, and I found myself idly curious as to whether the individual chapters were originally published separately? There's a section at the back of the book where Tobocman talks about his sources for each chapter, and also explains why he omitted any mention of Weinglass' association with Mumia Abu Jamal and their apparent falling out. In all, a fascinating book, particularly for those interested in the 60's, student protest, and so on.
Seth Tobocman was the perfect artist for this, the subject matter being the sort of thing that he does so well. The artwork seems to shift from ink to pencil at times, and I found myself idly curious as to whether the individual chapters were originally published separately? There's a section at the back of the book where Tobocman talks about his sources for each chapter, and also explains why he omitted any mention of Weinglass' association with Mumia Abu Jamal and their apparent falling out. In all, a fascinating book, particularly for those interested in the 60's, student protest, and so on.
August 2, 2022
A fine profile of civil liberties lawyer Leonard Weinglass and some of the major court cases in which he was involved, including the Chicago 7 and the Pentagon Papers. Occasionally the implications of the court decisions are traced well beyond Weinglass' involvement to give a broader context.
The balance between biography and courtroom drama was off though, with Weinglass' personal life disappearing amidst all the testimony, objections, and investigation. For instance, a puny income and a marriage and divorce are only mentioned in passing. Between these covers, Weinglass is more an icon than a fully-realized person.
Still, I enjoyed the history, especially the chapter on the murder trial of Jimi Simmons, a Native American accused of killing a prison guard.
The balance between biography and courtroom drama was off though, with Weinglass' personal life disappearing amidst all the testimony, objections, and investigation. For instance, a puny income and a marriage and divorce are only mentioned in passing. Between these covers, Weinglass is more an icon than a fully-realized person.
Still, I enjoyed the history, especially the chapter on the murder trial of Jimi Simmons, a Native American accused of killing a prison guard.
May 27, 2020
I adored this book. The illustrations are beautiful and clever and I learned more about some historic episodes I wasn't very familiar with. The way this "biography" is presented tells me a lot about the kind of person Leonard Weinglass must have been. Very little of it was specifically about him, actually! It was mostly about the movements he supported with his legal work, which made me admire him all the more. Anyone who likes to feel connected to the US left and its history will appreciate this touching biography.
November 26, 2019
Very interesting graphic novel about a civil rights attorney that I was not familiar with. Some of the courtroom depictions can be a little hard to follow, but it may just be my lack of familiarity with graphic novels. I learned a lot about protests in the 1960s, the Pentagon Papers, the CIA on trial and how Mr. Weinglass basically fought government overreach in the US. The POV is probably a little biased, but I believe that it is a side of things that we don't often hear, so that was refreshing. Published by AK Press, an anarchist publishing house. I would be interested in reading the other graphic novels by Seth Tobocman (Michael Steven Smith is one of the editors, don't know why he is listed as author).
October 3, 2022
Len, A Lawyer in History: A Graphic Biography of Radical Attorney Leonard Weinglass by Michael Steven Smith is an absolute must read for any radical interested in some of the most famous court cases since the 1960s. I knew of most of the cases covered in the comic, but I hadn't known the name Leonard Weinglass nor all the details the book provides. It was wonderful to see the work that one man (working along side so many other important people) put into individual cases, that is into individual people, fighting a corrupt system.
November 26, 2023
How often do you get choked up reading a comic book?
I think I put this on my list after watching the movie about the Chicago 7 and learning about Len Weinglass. The possibility of radical lawyers has always been inspiring and amazing and Len seems of a particular breed.
Good piece of history + hope for the future.
Also this book is by SETH TOBOCMAN lol (sorry Michael Steven Smith)
I think I put this on my list after watching the movie about the Chicago 7 and learning about Len Weinglass. The possibility of radical lawyers has always been inspiring and amazing and Len seems of a particular breed.
Good piece of history + hope for the future.
Also this book is by SETH TOBOCMAN lol (sorry Michael Steven Smith)
May 5, 2017
Nicely drawn and told story of a great people's lawyer.
Read
September 29, 2025beautiful!
March 18, 2017
Very good storyline, very informative storyline, unfortuanatley it is accompanied by mediocre art, at the best,
August 15, 2016
I picked this up randomly a few days ago and couldn't put it down. I had no idea who Len Weinglass was, but I am really glad I read the book. Seth Tobocman does a wonderful job of writing and illustrating his story. A fascinating lawyer/activist type. I started reading one of Dave Dellinger's books after reading this to get more info on the 60s and 70s antiwar movement and the Chicago 7 trial.
As some of the work I do revolves around police and courts, I am never not interested in reading about movement lawyers and their legal strategies and work in the courts. Len is no different and certainly no disappointment.
Very interesting and totally worth reading.
As some of the work I do revolves around police and courts, I am never not interested in reading about movement lawyers and their legal strategies and work in the courts. Len is no different and certainly no disappointment.
Very interesting and totally worth reading.
February 2, 2017
There were a few issues with this book. Syntactically there was some strange stuff going on. But besides that, it was great! Len Weinglass is the lawyer we all strive to be. If I can do half of what he has done with his legal career I'll be among the lucky few. Props to Mr. Tobocman for telling this story.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews