Diane Helen Polan

1951 - 2016
Diane "Cookie" Polan died in her home in New Haven, Connecticut with her wife Linda, her sister Kelly and her twin daughters Rosa and Maya by her side. She was 65 and had a rare brain cancer.
 


Born in Newark, New Jersey, Polan edited her high school's award-winning paper and graduated as the salutatorian. She obtained her pilot's license before she could drive. 



A fearsome fighter for civil rights, criminal justice and the clients she defended throughout her 36 years as a trial lawyer, she was known by all-loved ones and prosecutors alike-by her nickname: Cookie. The moniker stuck after her late father referred to her as "a smart cookie" as a child.
 


Part of Yale's first class of women, Cookie came to New Haven in 1969. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science, and participated in many forms of activism, including demonstrating for a truer climate of coeducation.  


After graduation, Cookie worked as a paralegal for her mentor Catherine Roraback, known for defending Erica Huggins against murder charges during the New Haven Black Panther trials of 1971, which Cookie assisted with as an undergraduate.
 


Cookie's early work revolved around advocacy. She was part of one of the first rape crisis hotlines and served as a Carnegie Fellow and VISTA volunteer. Her role with Roraback made her the liaison to the New Haven Women's Liberation Center. She co-wrote "Do Your Own Divorce in Connecticut" to empower women to get involved directly in the court system. She eventually decided to go to law school, as she explained it, "So I could sign the papers I was writing." She earned her JD from Yale in 1980.
 


Cookie went on to join the feminist law firm Levine, Kuriloff, & Polan. After having her twins– who she raised as a single parent- she started her own practice. Her pioneering career was frequently lauded. She received awards from the Connecticut Bar Association, the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund, and became the first woman to receive the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association's Champion of Liberty Award.
 


Cookie's accomplishments were the legal manifestation of her long-standing commitment to social justice and the disenfranchised. Her social vision and stance against discrimination, bias, and prejudice were all underpinnings of her brilliant career. Her devotion to these causes was only equaled by dedication to her family and friends.
 


Cookie joyously watched her daughters find their own directions in life. Maya received an MFA and Rosa will soon earn her MD. Cookie met her wife Linda Barrett in 2008. Together they often sought respite at their cottage in Massachusetts.



A public memorial service will take place between 2–5 PM on December 4th at Worthington Hooker Middle School – the school Cookie worked tirelessly to help found. Donations can be made to New Haven Legal Assistance, where she served on the board for 14 years, including terms as Vice President and President, or to New Haven Reads, where she volunteered her time.