WARREN KAPLAN

KAPLAN WARREN KAPLAN Champion for Civil Rights Warren Kaddish Kaplan, a loving husband, father and civil ights attorney, passed away at his home on Sunday, August 13, at the age of 82. Warren grew up in Malden, Massachusetts, attending public schools, Harvard College (class of 1956) and then Harvard Law School (class of 1959). During law school he traveled to Cuba, where, reporting for the Malden Evening News, he managed to obtain an in-person interview with Fidel Castro. Warren then took a job with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, working for Ed Brook. In the summer of 1965, Warren signed on with the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee, travelling to Bogalusa, Louisiana to provide legal assistance for those marching for civil rights during an extremely violent time. He moved to Washington, DC in 1968, to join Melrod, Redman and Gartlan, a law firm specializing in banking and real estate, where Warren oversaw the litigation department.

During his 25 year tenure at the firm, he also litigated cases pro bono for the American Civil Liberties Union. Among other significant cases, he won a landmark decision in 1972 striking down compulsory chapel services at U.S. military institutions. He was awarded the Alan Barth Service Award by the ACLU in 1981.

In 1994, Warren joined the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs serving as Senior Counsel. He litigated many cases including two class action lawsuits against Amtrak for racial discrimination, winning relief and $24 million in damages and back pay for thousands of Amtrak workers. In another, he compelled the DC Department of Corrections to prevent sexual discrimination of its employees.

Warren was also a beloved husband and father. He is survived by Carolyn Stopak who he married in 2003, forging a loving bond for the rest of his life, and his two sons, Jonathan (Sarah Malarkey) Kaplan and Gabriel (Emily) Kaplan. He spent weeks every summer sharing his love of the outdoors with his children, backpacking, fishing and mountain climbing. He is also survived by step children Aaron (Elaine) Stopak, and Kimberly (Daniel Peshkin) Stopak and his grandchildren Toby, Jacob, Samara, and Micah Kaplan and Arielle Stopak and Avery Peshkin. His first wife, Elizabeth Raisbeck, is also surviving.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, August 20, 2017, 1:30 p.m. at Washington Hebrew Congregation, 3935 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC 20016 with interment to follow at King David Memorial Gardens, Falls Church, VA. Family will be observing Shiva Sunday and Monday evening at the Kaplan residence.

In lieu of flowers, kindly donate to the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.
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