MAURICE N. NESSEN

NESSEN--Maurice Norman. Long-time Upper West Side resident, born in Boston to Molly and Sam Nessen, died at 85 of complications from Parkinson's disease on January 25th. Maury was a loving and generous husband, father, son, brother, grandparent and friend who profoundly influenced lives. He enthusiastically aided all he knew and is credited by many as having paved their way into a particular school or job. Numerous friends considered Maury to be their “best� friend. All who knew him will miss his zest for life and wisdom. A passionate advocate for social justice, Maury was President of the Legal Aid Society from 1985-87, and ran its Harlem Office in 1980. He was also the recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award for his pro bono representation of a death row prisoner. Maury served in the Navy in WWII (and as an anti-war activist from Vietnam to Iraq). He graduated from Yale College in 1950 and Yale Law in 1953. Maury clerked for Judge Edward Weinfeld, went to the U.S. Attorney's Office, and then co-founded the law firm Kramer Levin where he mentored generations of lawyers with his creative and often unconventional approach to legal issues. Maury taught trial practice for decades at Harvard Law School and courses at Columbia, New York, NYU, and Wyoming law schools. He represented famous and infamous clients, including Clifford Irving, Robert Maxwell and Bronx Borough President Stanley Simon. Maury authored two fictional books, “Royal Flush� and “Orange Power, Black Juice� as well as a play, “Versus the IRS.� Maury was an avid skier and cyclist able to out-ski and out-ride those less than half his age (without the aid of PEDs). He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera, Century and Yale clubs and served on the boards of the Manhattan School of Music and the Musical Theatre Works. His wife of 59 years Hermine Fuld Nessen, a Citizens Committee for Children staff member, passed away in October 2012. Maury is survived by children Josh (Selina Cohen), Billy (Shabana Mansuri), and Liz (Bob Shapiro); grandchildren Michelle and Sarah Nessen, Shaba Nessen and Hannah and Sam Shapiro; and a sister Annette Silbert. A memorial service will be held on Sunday February 3rd at 11:15 at the Riverside Memorial Chapel, 160 West 76th Street on Amsterdam Avenue. The family will sit shiva from 1-5pm that afternoon. Donations to the Legal Aid Society of New York at www.legal-aid.org.