Who was Soia Mentschikoff?
99.99% of UM Law students are introduced to that name during the admissions process. It is the name of the full-ride scholarship that is not awarded to them. So the first assumption we make about that name is that it belonged to some rich philanthropist.
Later in Elements, that name appears in the very first introductory chapter of our book and tells us how to study law. The name tells us we need to study 60-70 hours a week, and brief our cases atleast twice. So the name then becomes associated with a sick feeling in our stomachs.
Next we come to learn that the name belongs to a woman, who was married to the other name that wrote our Elements book. So now we hate two names, and pity their children.
Eventually, we stumble upon a portrait of the name in the library, which for some reason hangs next to the computer services room. We learn the name belonged to a female dean of the school.
I am usually irreverent towards legal scholars ("Who is she without me?"), but after reading this, and finding nothing but the basics on Google, I think I'd like to know more about who Soia Mentschikoff was.
Later in Elements, that name appears in the very first introductory chapter of our book and tells us how to study law. The name tells us we need to study 60-70 hours a week, and brief our cases atleast twice. So the name then becomes associated with a sick feeling in our stomachs.
Next we come to learn that the name belongs to a woman, who was married to the other name that wrote our Elements book. So now we hate two names, and pity their children.
Eventually, we stumble upon a portrait of the name in the library, which for some reason hangs next to the computer services room. We learn the name belonged to a female dean of the school.
I am usually irreverent towards legal scholars ("Who is she without me?"), but after reading this, and finding nothing but the basics on Google, I think I'd like to know more about who Soia Mentschikoff was.
posted by King of the Cats @ 7:49 AM
6 Comments:
At 4:59 PM,
some guy said…
my contracts book has a note on her which says indeed she was married to mr. bramble bush
At 2:48 PM,
Anonymous said…
Who else would the woman who brought us elements be married to other than Mr. Bramblebush? Any other union would simply not work...it just wouldn't be funny enough.
At 10:29 PM,
Anonymous said…
Soia Mentchikoff was a preeminent legal scholar who helped craft the UCC. She is the only women at the University of Chicago who has a portrait in its main halls. She was a leader in the realism movement, and an overall leading female academic.
She is an inspiration to many women who dream of pursuing a career in legal academia.
At 3:56 PM,
Anonymous said…
Why don't you just ask her co-author Prof. Stotsky. Isn't he on campus anymore?
Prof. Graham described her as "smart" but found her to be a "bitch" who was "cold and Russian to the core."
Recent UM JD
At 4:57 PM,
Anonymous said…
She was the first woman to teach law at Harvard.
At 11:21 AM,
Anonymous said…
Are you guys kidding? She was the first woman to teach at Harvard (they have an oil painting of her in their esteemed halls - or they used to and I hope they still do), she was the first woman to teach at the U. Chicago, yes she was married to Karl Llewellyn and they BOTH wrote the UCC (but of course he got credit), first woman president of the AALS and dean at UMiami Law School. It was an era when few women were in the field, much less made it, and sure, a lot of, if not most, smart and successful women were tagged as "bitches"...heads up to all the young women who think they have accomplished so much on their own...it ain't so....there's a whole world of women - known and unknown - who planted the seeds and have been tilling the soil for decades so that all women can reach their goals and potential.
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