▁of ▁Press man , ▁W itt ▁& ▁Cam mer , ▁particularly ▁in ▁matters ▁of ▁labor ▁law . ▁She ▁became ▁an ▁att orney ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁very ▁few ▁women ▁pract iced ▁law . ▁Early ▁on , ▁she ▁took ▁on ▁civil ▁rights ▁cases ▁in ▁the ▁South . ▁She ▁appe aled ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁Will ie ▁McG ee , ▁a ▁black ▁man ▁conv icted ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁of ▁rap ing ▁a ▁white ▁woman ▁in ▁La ure l , ▁Mississippi ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death ▁by ▁an ▁all - white ▁j ury ▁who ▁deliber ated ▁for ▁only ▁two - and - a - half ▁minutes . ▁Ab zug ▁lost ▁the ▁appeal ▁and ▁the ▁man ▁was ▁executed . ▁Ab zug ▁was ▁an ▁out sp oken ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁liberal ▁causes , ▁including ▁the ▁Equ al ▁Rights ▁Am end ment , ▁and ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁ ▁Years ▁before ▁she ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁she ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁particip ant ▁in ▁Women ▁St rike ▁for ▁Peace . ▁Her ▁political ▁stands ▁placed ▁her ▁on ▁the ▁master ▁list ▁of ▁N ixon ▁political ▁oppon ents . ▁ ▁Cong r essional ▁career ▁ ▁E lections ▁Nick named ▁" B att ling ▁B ella ", ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁she ▁challeng ed ▁the ▁ 1 4 - year ▁inc umb ent , ▁Leonard ▁Far b stein , ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁for ▁a ▁con gression al ▁district ▁on ▁Manh attan ' s ▁West