Miriam (Berenberg)(Pincus) Null of Southbury died on August 8, 2012, of pneumonia. Miriam was born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1926, and attended public schools in Brooklyn before heading to The New Jersey College for Women, now Douglass College of Rutgers University. Miriam then attended Columbia University School of Law, where she was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and graduated with her Juris Doctor degree in 1949. She worked briefly for Senator Jacob Javits, before raising her 3 children, Jessica (now deceased), Daniel, and Caroline, in Great Neck, NY.

In the early 1970s Miriam returned to work in the law, joining Douglas Null, also of Great Neck, in his small firm. Together they formed Null & Null PC. Miriam worked for many years in general practice and then turned to public service. She retired from the Administration for Children's Services, a part of the Queens County (NY) Family Court, representing the interests of children in custody cases.

Miriam had many passions. She was a lifelong liberal democrat, an avid opera and music buff, reknowned for her prodigious musical memory. She ran opera programs at the Watermark retirement community until just a few years ago. Also -- a voracious reader whose interests ran from Trollope to The Hunger Games, from the American Bar Association Journal to The Funny Times, a fluent speaker of several languages, a recycler and environmentalist way ahead of her time, a talented and dedicated chorister and pianist, a loving grandmother, and a fascinating conversationalist. Our mother could strike up a meaningful conversation with just about anyone, and she will be remembered for her kindness, her fierce intelligence, her grit and determination, and her intrepid spirit.

She is survived by her son Cantor Daniel Pincus of New York; and her daughter Caroline Pincus, Caroline's wife, Esther Landau, and their daughter, Ruby Landau-Pincus, all of San Francisco.

Memorials: Contributions in her honor should be directed to The Southern Poverty Law Center, the ACLU, or the DNC.

Cemetery: Cemetery Not Applicable

Location: Munson-Lovetere Southbury

Services: A memorial for Miriam will be held in the fall.

Visitation: There are no calling hours.