In 1954, Hershfield's sketches of Senator Joseph McCarthy accompanied NBC News' coverage of the Army-McCarthy Censure Hearings. Thereafter, he drew courtroom proceedings for NBC at major trials around the country, including the Chicago Seven, the Harrisburg Seven, Jack Ruby, James Earl Ray, Clay Shaw, Arthur Bremer, Benjamin Spock, the Gainesville Eight, Billie Sol Estes and most famously, the court martial of Lt. William Calley convicted in the My Lai Massacre trial. For 25 years, Hershfield's trial watercolors were presented by news reporters like John Cameron Swayze, David Brinkley, Chet Huntley and John Chancellor.