Shirley Hufstedler 6036

Shirley Hufstedler was a pioneering female lawyer who graduated from Stanford Law School in 1949. She had to struggle to find work as a lawyer because no law firms would hire her. She eventually established her own practice and was appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 1961, where she was the only female judge. She served five years on the court and was the first to create tentative decisions for cases, which she did without the help of a law clerk. She experienced difficulties balancing her career and family, but found that her experience on the court was a very good one.