Minnesota Law Mourns the Passing of Roberta Levy ’64, Trailblazing Judge and Law Professor   

Roberta K. Levy ‘64, a retired longtime Hennepin County District Court judge who was a law professor at Minnesota Law from 1975-77, died on Aug. 30 in Aventura, Florida, at the age of 85.

Levy came to Minnesota in the early 1960s with her husband Robert Levy, who moved to the state from Philadelphia to join Minnesota Law’s faculty. (Robert Levy went on to have a lengthy career at Minnesota Law and is now a professor of law emeritus). Having made the journey to Minnesota, Roberta Levy decided to attend the law school where her husband taught, and graduated Minnesota Law in 1964.

Despite finishing high in her class, Roberta Levy had difficulty finding a job in the Twin Cities at a time when employment opportunities were limited for both women and Jewish attorneys. She ultimately was hired by the Robins law firm, where she stayed for the next few years. She then moved to the Minnesota Public Defenders Office for about five years, briefing and arguing appellate cases at a time when few women attorneys had that opportunity. She briefly returned to private practice at the Maslon firm in the early 1970s.
 
In a 2008 oral history for the Minnesota Digital Library, Levy recalled the atmosphere for women attorneys in private practice in the Twin Cities was incredibly challenging. “Men did not want to go lunch with a woman—it did not look right,” she recalls. “It was a very difficult time.”

In 1975, Levy left Maslon and joined her husband on the faculty of Minnesota Law, where she taught trial practice, evidence, and Minnesota court procedure for the next couple of years. 

In 1977, Levy, along with the legendary Diana Murphy '74, was one of three finalists for a seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Then-Governor Rudy Perpich appointed the third finalist, Rosalie Wahl, who became the first woman ever to serve on the state’s highest court. 

While Levy later recalled being disappointed at not receiving the historic appointment, she was soon thereafter appointed to the Hennepin County trial court bench at a time when there were few woman on that court. She said in her oral history that “being a trial court is a fascinating job,” and in many ways more exciting than the Supreme Court position would have been. She went on to have a long and illustrious career on the court, serving for about 25 years before retiring from the bench in 2002. 

In addition to being a highly-regarded judge, Levy was an honored Jewish community leader and a passionate supporter of women lawyers throughout her career. Along with Judge Murphy and Justice Wahl, Levy will forever be remembered as one of the Minnesota's pioneering woman jurists who paved the way for future generations.

Related:

Obituary: Roberta K. Levy (Star Tribune)