True Grit – Women Lawyers on the Unfinished Work of Shattering Barriers
Herrick senior litigator, Ronald Levine, spoke with the Washington Lawer about his mother's journey to becoming a lawyer that paralleled his.
The article notes that Ron's mother, Marilyn Levine, was nearly 45 when he was preparing to take the LSAT. "She decided to take the test as well. Mother and son attended law school at the same time, though at different schools. They both graduated in 1977 and took the New York bar exam together — in the same room."
"We were interviewed at the same time by the character committee," Ron recalls. "I remember telling the examiner, 'Well, you know my mother is sitting outside.' He said, 'You brought your mother?' and I said, 'No, she's next for an interview."
Marilyn was drawn to dispute resolution and began working for a small firm. "Becoming an attorney and working as an arbitrator fulfilled all my dreams," she says.
The article highlights Marilyn's a long legal career, retiring just shy of 88. She doesn't recall experiencing sexism or bias in her career, though her role as an arbitrator, rather than as an associate at a large firm, may have offered protection from sexist behavior. "Arbitrators are like judges. You don't treat women judges with disrespect," says Ron.