Soia Mentschikoff
Encyclopedia
Soia Mentschikoff was an American lawyer
, law professor, and legal scholar, best known for her work in the development and drafting of the Uniform Commercial Code
. She was also the first woman to teach at Harvard Law School
.
to American parents. Her parents returned to the United States
prior to the Russian Revolution. At age 15, she began her undergraduate education
at Hunter College
in New York City
, where she majored in English
and political science
. After graduating from Hunter College, she enrolled at Columbia Law School
, where she completed her J.D.
in 1937.
law firm
s, specializing in both commercial law
and labor law (particularly arbitration
and mediation
). She was one of the first women to become a partner at a large New York firm, having made partner at both Spence, Windels, Walser, Hotchkiss & Angell in 1944 and later at Spencer, Hotchkiss, Parker & Duryee from 1945-1949.
to be the Chief Reporter in drafting the Uniform Commercial Code
, Mentschikoff was named to be his assistant. She worked as Llewellyn's research assistant until 1949 when she was named Associate Chief Reporter. In 1954, she became a consultant to the Permanent Editorial Board for the UCC.
, becoming the first woman to ever teach there. In 1951, both were offered teaching positions at the University of Chicago Law School
. Due to the school's anti-nepotism
rule, Llewellyn was named a "professor", while Mentschikoff was given the title "professorial lecturer". Mentschikoff held this position until Llewellyn's death in 1962, at which point she was made a full professor.
While at University of Chicago, Mentschikoff became involved in the development of international commercial law
. In 1964, she represented the United States at a diplomatic conference at the Hague
, where she pushed for a uniform law governing international sales and arbitration.
. She finally left the University of Chicago for good in 1974, when she was named dean
of University of Miami School of Law, a position she would hold until her retirement in 1982. During her tenure as dean, she worked to limit enrollment, improve the school's law library
, and hire better faculty. She died at Coral Gables, Florida
on June 18, 1984.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, law professor, and legal scholar, best known for her work in the development and drafting of the Uniform Commercial Code
Uniform Commercial Code
The Uniform Commercial Code , first published in 1952, is one of a number of uniform acts that have been promulgated in conjunction with efforts to harmonize the law of sales and other commercial transactions in all 50 states within the United States of America.The goal of harmonizing state law is...
. She was also the first woman to teach at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
Early life
Mentschikoff was born in the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
to American parents. Her parents returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prior to the Russian Revolution. At age 15, she began her undergraduate education
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
at Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she majored in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. After graduating from Hunter College, she enrolled at Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, where she completed her J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1937.
Beginnings on Wall Street
After graduating law school, Mentschikoff worked at several Wall StreetWall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
s, specializing in both commercial law
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
and labor law (particularly arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
and mediation
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
). She was one of the first women to become a partner at a large New York firm, having made partner at both Spence, Windels, Walser, Hotchkiss & Angell in 1944 and later at Spencer, Hotchkiss, Parker & Duryee from 1945-1949.
Work on the Uniform Commercial Code
While Mentschikoff was still a student at Columbia, she met with Karl Llewellyn, who was a professor there at the time. In 1942, when Llewellyn was appointed by the American Law InstituteAmerican Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
to be the Chief Reporter in drafting the Uniform Commercial Code
Uniform Commercial Code
The Uniform Commercial Code , first published in 1952, is one of a number of uniform acts that have been promulgated in conjunction with efforts to harmonize the law of sales and other commercial transactions in all 50 states within the United States of America.The goal of harmonizing state law is...
, Mentschikoff was named to be his assistant. She worked as Llewellyn's research assistant until 1949 when she was named Associate Chief Reporter. In 1954, she became a consultant to the Permanent Editorial Board for the UCC.
Harvard and University of Chicago
Mentschikoff married Llewellyn in 1946. In 1947, she accepted a teaching position at Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, becoming the first woman to ever teach there. In 1951, both were offered teaching positions at the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
. Due to the school's anti-nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
rule, Llewellyn was named a "professor", while Mentschikoff was given the title "professorial lecturer". Mentschikoff held this position until Llewellyn's death in 1962, at which point she was made a full professor.
While at University of Chicago, Mentschikoff became involved in the development of international commercial law
International commercial law
International commercial law is the body of law that governs international sale transactions. A transaction will qualify to be international if elements of more than one country are involved....
. In 1964, she represented the United States at a diplomatic conference at the Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, where she pushed for a uniform law governing international sales and arbitration.
University of Miami
In 1967, Mentschikoff began teaching one semester each year at University of Miami School of LawUniversity of Miami School of Law
The University of Miami School of Law, founded in 1926, is the law school of the University of Miami, located in Coral Gables, Florida, in the United States. The school graduated its first class of 13 students in 1929.- Academics :...
. She finally left the University of Chicago for good in 1974, when she was named dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of University of Miami School of Law, a position she would hold until her retirement in 1982. During her tenure as dean, she worked to limit enrollment, improve the school's law library
Law library
A law library is a library designed to assist law students, attorneys, judges, and their law clerks and anyone else who finds it necessary to correctly determine the state of the law....
, and hire better faculty. She died at Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
on June 18, 1984.
External links
- Thompson-Gale legal encyclopedia entry, courtesy of Jrank
- Guide to Soia Mentschikoff's papers from the University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
library - Biography of Soia Mentschikoff from the University of Miami School of LawUniversity of Miami School of LawThe University of Miami School of Law, founded in 1926, is the law school of the University of Miami, located in Coral Gables, Florida, in the United States. The school graduated its first class of 13 students in 1929.- Academics :...
- Picture of Mentschikoff from the Columbia University Law Library