Diane Patrick (lawyer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Diane Patrick
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Patrick in 2011
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| First Lady of Massachusetts | |
| In office January 4, 2007 – January 8, 2015 |
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| Governor | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | Ann Romney |
| Succeeded by | Lauren Baker |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Diane Beamus
December 17, 1951 Brooklyn, New York |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Bertram L. Baker (grandfather) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Queens College (BA) Loyola Marymount University (JD) |
Diane B. Patrick (born December 17, 1951) is an American lawyer. She specializes in helping people with their jobs and workplace rules. She was the First Lady of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. This was when her husband, Deval Patrick, was the Governor of Massachusetts. Before that, she was a senior lawyer at a law firm called Ropes & Gray in Boston.
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About Diane Patrick
Her Early Life and School
Diane Patrick was born Diane Bemus in Brooklyn, New York City. She was the youngest of three children. Her father, John Charles Bemus, was an electrician. He joined the United States Navy when he was 16. He served on a ship during World War II and was injured in 1943. Diane's mother, Lilian Bemus, was a schoolteacher. She taught in Brooklyn schools for over 30 years.
Diane Patrick's grandfather was Bertram L. Baker. He was a politician from New York. He moved to the United States from Nevis in 1915. In 1948, he became the first Black person elected to office by voters in Brooklyn. Diane has said her family, who came from the West Indies, always believed that education and working hard were very important.
Diane grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, in a large family home. Later, her family moved to Hollis, Queens. She finished high school in Queens when she was 16. In 1972, she earned a degree in early childhood education from Queens College. She worked as an elementary school teacher for five years. After her teaching job ended, she moved to Los Angeles. She went to Loyola Law School on a full scholarship and became a lawyer in 1980. She received many awards for her excellent work in law school.
After law school, she worked for a law firm in Los Angeles. In 1983, she helped open a new office for the firm in New York City.
Meeting Deval Patrick
Diane met Deval Patrick, who was also a new lawyer, in Los Angeles. They got married on May 5, 1984, in Brooklyn. They have two daughters, Sarah and Katherine. In 1986, Diane and Deval Patrick moved to Massachusetts.
Diane Patrick then started working as a lawyer for Harvard University. In 1992, she became a director in the human resources department at Harvard.
For some years, Diane and Deval lived separately because of their jobs. They moved to Milton, Massachusetts, in 1989. In 1994, Deval Patrick got a job in Washington D.C.. Diane left her job at Harvard and worked for a law firm in Washington for a short time. Soon after, Diane and their daughters moved back to Milton, while Deval continued to work in Washington.
In 1995, Diane Patrick joined Ropes & Gray, a well-known law firm in Boston. She worked there as a lawyer helping with job-related issues.
As First Lady of Massachusetts
Diane Patrick helped her husband during his campaign for governor in 2006. Deval Patrick won, and in January 2007, Diane became the First Lady of Massachusetts. She served in this role for eight years, while also continuing her law career at Ropes & Gray.
In 2007, Diane Patrick took a break from her law firm to get help for depression and anxiety. She later spoke openly about her experiences. She became a strong supporter of mental health awareness and treatment. She also spoke out for people who have experienced violence at home. She said that helping others in these areas was a great achievement for her.
Diane Patrick remained an active lawyer at Ropes & Gray while she was First Lady. In 2010, she became the head of the firm's diversity committee. In 2013, she was promoted to a co-managing partner at the firm's main office in Boston.
After Being First Lady
Diane Patrick retired from Ropes & Gray in 2016, after working there for 21 years.
After leaving her role as First Lady, she received several awards. These included the Cushing-Gavin Management Attorney Award in 2015, the Champion of Justice Award in 2017, and the Public Service Award in 2019.
In 2018, Diane Patrick was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery and treatment, she was declared cancer-free in 2019. Her husband, Deval Patrick, had considered running for President of the United States in 2020. He decided not to at first because of her health. After her recovery, Diane encouraged him to run. She also talked with former First Lady Michelle Obama for advice. If her husband had been elected president, Diane Patrick said she would have focused on childhood education, mental health, and women's rights.
Diane Patrick helped her husband campaign in New Hampshire for the 2020 presidential primary. Deval Patrick later ended his campaign.
Diane Patrick has served on the boards of several organizations. These include ArtsBoston, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Cambridge College, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. She has also been a member of the boards for the Epiphany School, Jane Doe, Inc., Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General Brigham, the Posse Foundation, and United Way of Massachusetts Bay.
