In January of 1991 Nadine Strossen, professor of law at New York Law School since 1989, was elected president of the American Civil Liberties Union, where she had been national general counsel since 1986. With 6,000 cases pending in 51 affiliates nationwide, the ACLU is the nation's biggest law firm. Strossen, 40 when elected, is both the youngest person to hold the top position and the first woman.

By all accounts, Strossen was born for the job. Aggressive but compassionate, focused but laid-back, refined but street smart, she has a passion for the Bill of Rights and a knack for getting that document's finer points across in an easily understandable manner. Her firm belief in the classic definition of civil liberties, namely a "neutral posture" that insists on defending the rights of people regardless of their politics, enables her also to get it across without resorting-as many do-to sound bytes or bullhorns.

Strossen has given numerous lectures and speeches across the United States and around the world. She has commented frequently on legal issues in the national media and has appeared on Crossfire, Larry King Live, The MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour, Nightline, CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt, Crier and Company, Sonya Live, This Week with David Brinkley, and the Today Show.

Her writings have been published in many law reviews, including Cornell Law Review, Duke Law Journal, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Harvard Journal on Legislation, Hastings Law Journal, NYU Law Review, Ohio State University Law Review, U.C. Davis Law Review, and Yale Journal of Law Feminism.

Professor Strossen has served on the boards of directors of many human rights organizations, including Asia Watch, Human Rights Watch, Coalition to Free Soviet Jews, National Coalition Against Censorship, and the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project.