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OUR LIFE Monthly, published by Ukrainian National Women's League of America VOL. XXXIX SEPTEMBER 1982 EDITED BY A. H. Sawyckyj A LADY LAWYER IN A MAN’S WORLD The trials and tribulations of women in the law in the early days, and how times have changed BY ANNA CHOPEK I was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar on April 29, 1936. I may be the first Ukrainian-born woman to have become a lawyer in the United States, although it is possible that Marusia Beck may have been admitted to the Bar before or around this time. During the Depression years, the Massachusetts Bar examiners passed 30% of the applicants, and made it known that if it was a question of choosing between passing a man or a woman, the man would be accepted because he had to support a family. The Bar examination consisted of a written exami nation, and an oral examination for those who were in the 50% highest marks bracket. I was called for my oral and prepared all the pleadings in the case assigned. The five bar examiners sat on the judge’s bench, and I stood at a desk below them. After asking my name and address, the chairman of the Bar Examiners asked me, ’’What law school did you graduate from? I answered ’’Portia Law School”. I couldn’t understand why this question was asked because all of this information was in the file the Bar Examiners had. ”Oh”, he said, ’’Portia Law School”. (Portia Law School was a law school fo women. In those days, Harvard Law School did not accept women, nor did many of leading law schools. The Bar Examiners looked down on the school and its graduates.) He continued, "And how did you graduate from Portia Law School?” ’’Magna cum laude”, I answered. He continued ’’And how many girls graduated magna cum laude from Portia Law School?” ’’Six”, I answered. And than, with a very superior tone he said ’’What business have you, a young lady coming from the wheat fields of Europe, knowing so much about English Common Law, whereas our boys have such difficulty learning it?” I felt that question didn’t deserve an answer — but I wondered whether he wanted a disser tation on the Constitution. (I had received a prize for the hightest mark in the subject at law school). Instead, I smiled sweetly and said ” l came to the United States when I was an infant”. ’’That will be all”, he said, and I was out the door. The interview lasted 3 or 4 minutes — everyone before me had spent at least a half hour with them. I was certain I had flunked. It was another two months before I knew that I had passed, and had written the best paper on the exam. Адвокат — Анна Чопик Lawyer — Anna Chopek In those days, the big law firms did not hire women, and so I received no offers for a job, except that I received a call from the president of the large insurance company where I worked as a private secretary. (I had gone to law school in the evening, and worked during the day, because my family could not finance all of my education.) The president informed me that his close friend was the chairman of the Bar Examiners, and told him that a Ukrainian girl in his company had done a remarkable job on the Bar Exam. The president said ’’Young lady, I will find a place in my legal department for you. How much are you now earning?” I said “Fourteen dollars a week”. ’’Well, from now on, your salary will be eighteen dollars a week” . This was an insult. Men’s starting salaries in the legal department were greatly above this figure, but, I had to start some place, and I accepted. Before I started working, I talked to the treasurer of the company, the son of the president, and he agree that I should start at twenty-five dollars a week. My salary did go up as time went on, and I eventually had an assistant and two secretaries, but my one gripe was that I had to punch the time clock, and my male assistant did not. It was the rule of the company that all women had to НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ, ВЕРЕСЕНЬ 1982 19
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