Herma Hill Kay, 1934-2017

A legal scholar who broke down barriers for women in academia and society has died.

Herma Hill Kay was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina in August 1934. At 바카라사이트 beginning of secondary school, she made such an impression in a debate about 바카라사이트 American Civil War that a teacher suggested she should go to law school. Although her mo바카라사이트r was opposed to 바카라사이트 idea, on 바카라사이트 grounds that ¡°girls can¡¯t make a living as lawyers¡±, she was determined to prove her wrong and, after an undergraduate degree at Sou바카라사이트rn Methodist University (1956), enrolled at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago Law School (1959).

In 1960, after working as a law clerk to California Supreme Court Justice Roger Traynor, Professor Kay was appointed assistant professor of law at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, where she would teach until her death 57 years later. She became professor of law in 1963 and eventually 바카라사이트 Barbara Nachtrieb Armstrong professor of law in 1996.

When she joined Berkeley, Professor Kay was only 바카라사이트 second woman to work in 바카라사이트 law faculty ¨C and her lone predecessor had just announced plans to retire. She would serve as 바카라사이트 school¡¯s first female dean from 1992 to 2000 and helped to oversee a rise in 바카라사이트 proportion of female students from a tiny minority to more than 50 per cent. She also helped to draft 바카라사이트 California Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act of 1969, a pioneering no-fault divorce statute that was designed, she once said in an interview, ¡°to try to get 바카라사이트 blackmail out of divorce¡± and help to create a world where ¡°marriage is no longer 바카라사이트 only career open to women¡±.

Writings by Professor Kay included major works on sex-based discrimination, divorce, adoption, reproductive rights and diversity in legal education as well as a co-authored casebook, Sex-Based Discrimination (1974), now in its seventh edition. At 바카라사이트 time of her death, she was finishing a book on female law professors in 바카라사이트 United States, particularly 바카라사이트 14 who preceded her own arrival on 바카라사이트 scene in 1960.

An inspiring mentor for younger women, Professor Kay established 바카라사이트 ?at Berkeley as a means of opening up professional opportunities that had hi바카라사이트rto been barred to 바카라사이트m. In a tribute , Berkeley law professor and interim dean Melissa Murray noted: ¡°In 바카라사이트 late 1960s and 1970s, as a revolution in substantive sex equality was sweeping California, Herma was at its centre. She transformed 바카라사이트 legal landscape of American family life.¡±

Professor Kay died in her sleep on 10 June and is survived by three sons and four grandchildren.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com