Women in the Legal Profession

Adams describes her experiences as a law student at the University of Kentucky in the early 1950s and as a lawyer in private practice with her husband, Charles C. Adams, in Somerset, Kentucky. She also discusses how she combined family life with her career.

Mary Jo Arterberry relates her experiences in law school at the University of Louisville, where she graduated in 1949. She also described her career which began in private practice with a small firm specializing in real estate. She later worked in the advertising field and for Kentucky state government before returning to the practice of law as an attorney for Kentucky state agencies. She later became a federal administrative law judge and was assigned to Knoxville, Tennessee, at the time of the interview.

Baldauf discusses her education at the Jefferson School of Law in the 1930s and her subsequent career as a legal secretary, secretary to the dean of the Speed Scientific School at the University of Louisville, and as an auditor for the Internal Revenue Service in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Barrett describes her education at the Jefferson School of Law, where she graduated in 1942. She also told of her career, first as a secretary for her uncle's law firm in Frankfort, then as an assistant to Lieutenant Governor Harry Lee Waterfield, then as an attorney for state and federal government agencies. Barrett also served as journal clerk for many sessions of the Kentucky General Assembly. Barrett also discussed balancing of family life and career.

Briggs discusses her education at the University of Kentucky School of Law, her career in private practice with her husband in Flora, Indiana, and her family life as a wife and mother of two.

Dunn discusses her life as a student at the Jefferson School of Law, where she graduated in 1931, and her career. She began work as a legal secretary, then opened her own office in Paducah, Kentucky. Dunn continued working into her eighties.

Betty Griffin describes her student experiences at the University of Kentucky School of Law, balancing married and family life with career, and work as an attorney specializing in domestic relations in Lexington and as a friend of the court representing children in domestic cases in Fayette Circuit Court.

Harding describes her student experiences at the Jefferson and University of Louisville Schools of Law. She also discusses her career beginning with a legal position at General Electric, followed by a short time in a solo private practice, a joint private practice with Edith Stanley, and many years as an attorney with the Kentucky Department of Labor, specializing in workmen's compensation. She also discusses raising her children while practicing law.

Hopkins relates her student experiences at the University of Kentucky School of Law. She also discusses her career with Kentucky state government in Frankfort, beginning with a position in the Department of Revenue. Hopkins later clerked for two judges with the Kentucky Court of Appeals, drafted bills for the legislature, worked for the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) to assist the revamping of the court system following the passage of a constitutional amendment in 1975, and was later an assistant statute reviser for the LRC. She also discusses combining family life and her career.

Karem discusses her schooling at the Jefferson School of Law while raising a family. She also discusses her work as an attorney with her husband, Fred Karem, in which she specialized in real estate.

Long describes her experiences as a law student at Columbia University School of Law and the University of Louisville School of Law. She also discusses her practice of law in Louisville and in Bedford, Kentucky.

Meuter discusses her schooling at the Jefferson School of Law, her long service with the Louisville Bar Association, employment with the University of Louisville School of Law, and appointment as a Jefferson County judge.

Oberst describes her background and education at the University of Michigan School of Law. She also discusses her marriage to Paul Oberst and their move to Lexington when he became a professor of law at the University of Kentucky and her later employment in implementing the reorganization of the state court system following the 1975 amendment to the constitution.

Peers tells of her background, marriage, move to Louisville and education at the University of Louisville School of Law. She also discusses her legal practice, initially with her husband, and continuing after his death. Peers later served as a judge and was the first woman appointed as a Circuit Court judge in Kentucky.

Ray-Kirby discusses her family life and career. She began work as a legal secretary before enrolling in the Jefferson School of Law. She completed her degree at the University of Louisville when U of L absorbed Jefferson. After working as a court reporter, she worked in customer service for the General Electric Company in Owensboro and Louisville. She discusses gender-related employment discrimination she suffered as well.

Robuck describes her education at the University of Louisville School of Law and her subsequent career as an attorney and judge in Juvenile Court, a member of the Kentucky state parole board for many years and culminating as an educator with Eastern Kentucky University's College of Law Enforcement.

Rosenbaum discusses her education at the University of Kentucky School of Law. She later worked for state and federal government before entering into private practice in Lexington with her husband.

Stanley describes her education at the Jefferson School of Law and establishment of a private practice with another woman attorney, Gemma Harding. She also discusses her appointment to fill a vacancy as Jefferson County Attorney in the late 1960s.

Sturgell describes her studies at Northwestern University School of Law and her career as an attorney with federal agencies. She worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia and for the Veterans Administration in Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Wickliffe relates her student experiences at the University of Kentucky School of Law. She subsequently practiced law in a private practice in Harrodsburg with her father and later her husband. She also discusses family life and involvement in many civic endeavors.