Shirley Hufstedler

Shirley Hufstedler
1st United States Secretary of Education
In office
November 30, 1979 – January 20, 1981
President Jimmy Carter
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Terrel Bell
Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
In office
September 12, 1968 – November 30, 1979
Nominated by Lyndon Johnson
Preceded by Seat established
Succeeded by Robert Boochever
Personal details
Born August 24, 1925 (1925-08-24) (age 86)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Political party Democratic Party
Alma mater University of New Mexico
Stanford University
Profession Lawyer

Shirley Ann Mount Hufstedler (born August 24, 1925) is an American lawyer who served as the first United States Secretary of Education, under President Jimmy Carter.

Contents

Biography

Shirley Mount Hufstedler was born August 24, 1925 in Denver, Colorado. She attended the University of New Mexico (B.B.A. 1945) and Stanford Law School (LL.B. 1949).

Hufstedler has had a distinguished career at the highest levels of legal and public service. She began in private practice in Los Angeles in 1950. From 1960 to 1961, she served as Special Legal Consultant to the Attorney General of California in the complex Colorado River litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1961, she was appointed Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, a position to which she was elected in 1962.

In 1966, she was appointed Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal. President Lyndon Johnson appointed her Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1968. She was not the first woman to serve on a federal Court of Appeals, but for at least part of her tenure was the only woman serving among approximately 100 judges nationwide. She was often mentioned as a possible nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court and served for eleven years before President Jimmy Carter appointed her to be the first U.S. Secretary of Education.

In 1981, Hufstedler returned to private life, teaching and practicing law. She was a partner in the firm Hufstedler & Kaus, now merged into Morrison & Foerster. She is the recipient of 20 honorary doctoral degrees from American universities. She has served on boards of trustees, governing boards and visiting committees for numerous foundations, institutions, corporations and universities.

Hufstedler was considered to be a candidate for the Supreme Court if a vacancy had occurred under a Jimmy Carter Presidency.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ Biskupic, Joan (2005). Sandra Day O'Connor: How the First Woman on the Supreme Court Became Its Most Influential Justice. Ecco Press. pp. 71. ISBN 978-0-06-059018-5. 

External links

Legal offices
New seat Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
1968–1979		 Succeeded by
Kermit Lipez
Political offices
New office United States Secretary of Education
1979–1981		 Succeeded by
Terrel Bell
Hufstedler • Bell • Bennett • Cavazos • Alexander • Riley • Paige • Spellings • Duncan