Prof. Virginia A. Leary

Segment Synopsis: Prof. Virginia Leary shares a deeply personal and historical reflection on her family background, starting with her four Irish-born grandparents who immigrated to the U.S. in the late 19th century. Leary's father, a lawyer and longtime dean of the University of Utah Law School, received his legal education at the University of Chicago after being inspired by a visit to the West. Her mother, although not a college graduate, was a trailblazing suffragette who was jailed for picketing the White House and later worked for Irish independence, traveling across the U.S. as an assistant to a prominent activist.

Raised in a large family as the youngest of six, Leary followed a path into law, first as a student secretary for their father, then earning a law degree at the University of Utah. Though she found law school intellectually stimulating, legal practice at Sidley Austin during the Korean War era was marked by gender isolation and disappointment. Despite early academic success, Leary found practicing law unfulfilling and lonely, especially in a male-dominated firm culture that excluded women from key professional and social spaces. The narrative captures both a rich familial legacy and the personal struggles of navigating early gender barriers in the legal field.

Keywords: Career / Gender; Choice of Law; Gender; Law Firms; Law School / Gender; Mother; Undergraduate Education; Father

Subjects: CAREER: GENDER; CAREER: LEGAL; EDUCATION; GENDER; FAMILY HISTORY

Segment Synopsis: In this oral history, Leary reflects on her decision to attend the University of Chicago Law School in 1947, influenced by her father and family friends Monrad and Ben Paulsen, who championed the institution. Harvard was not an option for women at the time, making Chicago a progressive and appealing choice. Despite being one of only four women in a class of around 60, she felt welcomed and integrated, noting that law school was a supportive, intellectually stimulating environment—very different from her later experience in legal practice.

She describes her law school peers as diverse and tight-knit, including one Black woman and one Jewish woman among the female students. The women were considered “exotic types,” but they did not bond specifically over their gender, nor did they face hostility from male classmates. In fact, she felt respected, active in class, and even served on the Law Review. Faculty were generally supportive, and her father’s connections to the school helped ease her entry into the academic community.

The speaker also reflects on the limitations of female role models in law at the time. The few prominent women she saw in the field were so exceptional and masculine in style that they felt unrelatable, even discouraging. Post-graduation, career paths were vague—there was no structured recruitment, and most students simply “wandered” into their first jobs. This unformed professional landscape contrasted sharply with the competitive, careerist environment of later decades.

A personal shift occurred in her relationship with her brother, also a lawyer, as she pursued a more cosmopolitan path through Chicago and he remained rooted in Salt Lake City. Her father, however, remained supportive, proud to see her thrive in a world expanding beyond his own.

Keywords: Choice of Law; Gender; Intellectual Tradition; Law Review; Law School / Gender; Peers; Role Models; Siblings; Father

Subjects: EDUCATION; GENDER; PERSONAL ISSUES; FAMILY HISTORY

Segment Synopsis: Leary took an unconventional path from law school into a life of international service. During summers in school, she supported herself through clerical work, including mimeographing back home in Utah and secretarial work for the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago, where she worked directly with a young Daniel Boorstin. Though she had a half-tuition scholarship, her father's support increased once she made the Law Review.

She never interned at a law firm during school and had no exposure to legal practice, which was typical at the time. Her entry into Sidley came through a recommendation from a professor, but she found the environment stifling—elitist, conservative, and socially segregated. Despite being capable, she was unhappy and felt out of place, eventually leaving after three years.

Her next chapter took her to a Catholic lay organization focused on global service, where she spent 16 years in administrative and humanitarian roles across Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. While living in Belgium, she resolved some personal theological questions and rediscovered her interest in law through the American Journal of International Law. This led her to pursue further studies in Geneva, where she ultimately earned a doctorate in international law.

She also reflects humorously and insightfully on her fundraising work in Chicago—relying on canned goods drives and navigating cultural differences among pastors when soliciting donations. Her story illustrates a journey shaped by intellect, idealism, and adaptability, bridging law, faith, and global service.

Keywords: Financial Support; Graduate / Professional Training; Internships; Law Review; Employment / Jobs / Wages

Subjects: CAREER: GENDER; CAREER: LEGAL; GENDER; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; EDUCATION

Segment Synopsis: Drawn to international issues from an early age, Leary’s curiosity led her from small-town Utah to Geneva, Switzerland, where she began graduate studies despite initially having no background in international law. After being encouraged by a professor to pursue a doctorate, she navigated financial challenges by working at the International Labour Organization (ILO), where she specialized in forced labor investigations. This practical experience solidified her interest in human rights and connected her with key organizations like the International Commission of Jurists. Over time, she became involved in the early human rights movement in Europe and studied under figures such as Thomas Buergenthal. Leary's determination to teach international law eventually led her to an academic position at the University at Buffalo, despite warnings that such a specialized career path was unrealistic in the U.S. Her journey reflects persistence, intellectual curiosity, and a passion for justice on a global scale.

Keywords: Europe; Intellectual Tradition; Labor; Teaching Law; UB Law School; International Law

Subjects: EDUCATION; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; CAREER: LEGAL

Segment Synopsis: Leary reflects on nearly 20 years of teaching at Buffalo Law School, returning each summer to run an art project and teach courses. She describes the institution as open to innovation, allowing flexibility in teaching subjects like international labor and human rights. While changes in the curriculum and administrative structure began during her tenure, the full impact wasn’t witnessed firsthand. Leary found Buffalo Law to be a welcoming and experimental environment, highlighting its supportive faculty and willingness to try new things.

She worked under four different deans and observed that each leader brought a unique atmosphere, although specific administrative impacts are harder to pinpoint. Leary's departure for Hastings came post-retirement, not from dissatisfaction, but due to a temporary opportunity and proximity to family.

She emphasizes her love for teaching, student interaction, and academic freedom, though she resented an uneven committee workload. Over time, she noticed only a slight shift in student quality during one challenging admissions period. Teaching international law and building a human rights program were high points, especially seeing former students succeed in global human rights roles with the UN and beyond.

Comparing Buffalo to Hastings, she describes Hastings as more structured, career-focused, and practice-oriented, with a large student body and strong first-generation Asian representation. Buffalo, by contrast, had more students interested in socially driven, lower-paying legal work, especially in human rights.

Keywords: Caliber of Students; Contributions; Curriculum; Deans; Faculty / Professors; Gender; Intellectual Tradition; UB Law School; Accomplishments

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; TEACHING; UB LAW FACULTY

Segment Synopsis: In this candid reflection, Professor Leary shares her experiences in teaching, her early feelings of isolation as a single woman in Buffalo, and her evolving involvement in international human rights law. She recalls never having a truly bad teaching experience, though a suspected cheating incident stood out. Her initial loneliness stemmed from being one of the few single women in the faculty, contrasting with how easily couples integrated into the community. She discusses her neighborhood fondly and how meaningful connections formed over time.

The conversation shifts to the evolution of NGOs in the human rights space, noting the shift from formal international organizations like Amnesty International to a proliferation of smaller, often less experienced national groups. The professor highlights both the positive impact and the chaos this growth brought to the UN system. She shares her excitement about indigenous peoples’ increased participation in international forums and recalls humorous and impactful moments from past conferences, including early protests against figures like Milošević.

Finally, she reflects on the increasing influence of NGOs on formal international processes, especially in shaping UN resolutions and working through informal channels as working groups. She praises the rise of human rights education in law schools, the expansion of clinics, and the blend of activism with legal scholarship—something she finds deeply rewarding.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Career / Professional Experience; Community Involvement; Contributions; Gender; Legal Clinic; Legal Topics; Relationships

Subjects: GENDER; PERSONAL ISSUES; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; TEACHING; UB LAW: GENDER; UB LAW FACULTY