NOW president, other notable Tulane law alum to discuss Tulane's pioneering women in law

Some of Tulane Law School"s most distinguished female graduates, including National Organization for Women President Terry O"Neill, will share their perspectives on the school"s long history of producing top-notch female lawyers at a panel discussion Oct. 14 on Tulane"s Uptown campus.

Titled “Pioneering Women of Tulane Law School,” the event is set for 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Wendell H. Gauthier Appellate Moot Court Room at Weinmann Hall, 6329 Freret St. It is free and open to the public.

Speakers will share stories of outstanding women who have made lasting contributions to law, government and society, including Bessie Margolin, one of the most influential woman attorneys in the country in the 1940s and "50s. Margolin graduated from Tulane Law School in 1930 and went on to argue numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court as a U.S. Department of Labor attorney.

Among the speakers at the Oct. 14 event is Marlene Trestman, author of “Fair Labor,” a forthcoming biography of Margolin.

The other four speakers are all graduates of Tulane Law School: O"Neill, a former Tulane law professor who become president of NOW in 2009; Margo Mazeau, a former assistant general counsel at the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; Cynthia Shoss, a senior partner in the New York office of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan; and Lynn Luker, co-director of Tulane"s Trial Advocacy Program and owner of Lynn Luker & Associates of New Orleans.

“From Bessie Margolin to Terry O"Neill, Tulane Law alumnae have long played an outsized role in opening the legal profession to women,” said David Meyer, dean of Tulane Law School. “This program will provide an opportunity to celebrate their impact, but also to examine the challenges that remain in ensuring women"s advancement in the law.”