All Rise: Uniting to Advance Women and the Future of Law

Transcript

00:03 The Suffolk Law school really allowed me to find what was right for me, what I was passionate about.

00:09 You will see Suffolk law grads on the bench, you will see them in immigration court, in the government.

00:15 They really permeate every aspect of our society.

00:19 I feel a connection whenever I go because usually I run into someone who went to Suffolk.

00:27 Trailblazers from the first woman lawyer to the women today.

00:31 We have to think back and thank those who created the foundation.

00:35 We're able to further along because they started that path for us.

00:47 Fifty years ago when I started law school there were no women who were there to guide me and there were no men who cared.

00:56 So I just, I made my own way.

00:59 When I graduated, I was one of the first 100 women practicing law in the State of Vermont.

01:04 When I started in the field, there were very few, only a handful of women.

01:09 So I'd look around in the criminal court and I'd be the only woman there.

01:12 Suffolk was the door that opened for them and made everything else possible.

01:17 Suffolk gave me an opportunity, an aim and a goal. I think that's huge.

01:25 You look at a law school yearbook from the 1960s, you might see one or two women in that yearbook.

01:30 Now half of the class was female and that's because of the people that came before us.

01:34 It's real important for people to see what is possible. 

01:42 When I was in law school, Professor Judge was the only woman at Suffolk, and I was in class with 300.

01:48 I was 1 of 5 women in 300. It was reassuring to see a woman professor.

01:55 She showed by example what a female could accomplish.

02:00 Katherine was amazing. At first as a student you terrified of her and then you slowly but surely began to realize that she was so devoted,

02:09 so dedicated to teaching and so prepared.

02:13 She shaped me as a lawyer. She was always famous for saying in our contracts class what's your authority?

02:20 So I learned that if you're going to argue both sides, you better have authority to back up your argument.

02:25 She was tough, she was indomitable. She was really an extraordinary woman. 

02:39 It was a practical learning experience. They really taught you how to think practically, how to think logically.

02:46 And I felt comfortable in the courtroom from the beginning, and I feel like my training at Suffolk provided that to me.

02:52 Women of Suffolk law are so much better prepared in terms of joining the legal practice.

02:59 As a result, they are influencing the rule of law, they are influencing the way justice is administered and that is so essential to our society and our democracy.

03:09 We're still blazing trails.

03:11 We are the instrument and authors of change.

03:15 I am very proud to be a Suffolk law graduate.

03:19 I give back to Suffolk because I love this law school and I love this city.

03:24 It makes me feel like I'm doing something meaningful to help the next generation.

03:30 Our time has come to rise up and be heard.

03:34 The phrase all rise to me means all of us rising up together to help women advance in opportunities for leadership.

03:45 I really see Suffolk as a place where we are given that chance to rise up.

03:49 Suffolk law has so much to offer in terms of who you can be and women have done so much. We should celebrate that.