Judith Vladeck facts for kids

Judith Pomarlen Vladeck (born August 1, 1923 – died January 8, 2007) was an important American lawyer. She was known for fighting for fairness in the workplace. Judith Vladeck helped many people, especially women, who faced unfair treatment at their jobs. She worked to stop people from being treated differently because of their gender or age.

Early Life and Education

Judith Virginia Pomarlen was born in Norfolk, Virginia. Her father delivered newspapers, and her mother managed a business for a labor union. She went to Hunter College and then studied law at Columbia University. She earned her law degree in 1947.

In 1948, she married Stephen Charney Vladeck, who was also a lawyer. They had three children together. In 1957, she joined a law firm in New York City that her husband had helped start.

A Lawyer Who Fought for Fairness

Judith Vladeck was a skilled lawyer in court. She was known for being smart and looking closely at details, like how much people were paid. She took on big companies and universities, like major Wall Street firms and Union Carbide. Most of the time, she won her cases or reached a good agreement for her clients.

Fighting for Equal Pay

As new laws came out to protect people's rights, Judith Vladeck started focusing on unfair treatment at work. She became a leader in the women's movement.

In 1973, she filed a lawsuit against the City University of New York. She looked at the pay history of over 5,000 female teachers. The judge decided that the university had been paying women less for 15 years. This was a big win for equal pay.

In 1975, she helped a professor at Pace University. The professor was not given a permanent job, and the university tried to say she was a troublemaker. Judith Vladeck argued that women were only accepted if they were "silent and submissive." The court agreed with her, saying that people who fight for their rights should not be seen as difficult.

Changing Rules in Tech

One of her first major victories was in 1978. She represented the first female engineer hired by Western Electric. This engineer said she was treated unfairly because she was a woman. They won a large case that included thousands of women. This case helped change how women were treated in the technology industry and other jobs.

Helping Women in Construction

Judith Vladeck also helped a group called Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW). This group worked to help women get jobs in fields usually done by men, like construction. She represented NEW in a case against companies building a new area in New York City.

As a result of the case, a program was created to train women for construction jobs. With the money NEW received, they built their own office in a old firehouse. In 1989, this building was named the Judith Vladeck Center for Women.

Recognition and Legacy

Judith Vladeck received many honors for her work. In 1996, she was named one of "New York's 75 Most Influential Women in Business." She was also listed as one of the Best Lawyers in New York in 1995. Her story was shared in several magazines and books.

She also taught law at Fordham Law School and Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She received awards from many legal groups, including the American Bar Association.

Judith Vladeck had two sons and one daughter. Her daughter, Anne, is now a partner at the same law firm.

She passed away on January 8, 2007, in New York City.