Lucile Lomen
Encyclopedia
Helen Lucile Lomen was the first woman to serve as a law clerk
for a Supreme Court
justice.
Lomen was born in Nome, Alaska
in 1920. Her family later moved to Seattle
, where she graduated from high school in 1937. She then attended Whitman College
, from which she graduated with honors in 1941. Lomen went to law school at the University of Washington
. She was first in her class, editor of the law review, and published a prize-winning essay on constitutional law. She never considered Harvard Law School
as they did not admit women in 1941. Upon graduation, she went to Washington, D.C.
to clerk for Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
(himself a Whitman alum) for the 1944-1945 term. Lomen described her working relationship with Douglas as “all business” but also said that he was much more relaxed and “a delightful fellow” away from the office when he hosted small dinner parties to which Lomen was frequently invited. Douglas later said she was “very able and very conscientious.” After her time at the Supreme Court, Lomen turned down a position in the U.S. Department of Justice in favor of her home state of Washington as assistant attorney general
, where she served for three years. She went on to a 35-year career in multiple positions for General Electric
including counsel for corporate affairs. She retired in 1983 and died at the age of 75 in 1996.
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for a Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
justice.
Lomen was born in Nome, Alaska
Nome, Alaska
Nome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. According to the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,598. Nome was incorporated on April 9, 1901, and was once the...
in 1920. Her family later moved to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, where she graduated from high school in 1937. She then attended Whitman College
Whitman College
Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
, from which she graduated with honors in 1941. Lomen went to law school at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. She was first in her class, editor of the law review, and published a prize-winning essay on constitutional law. She never considered Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
as they did not admit women in 1941. Upon graduation, she went to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to clerk for Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
William O. Douglas
William Orville Douglas was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. With a term lasting 36 years and 209 days, he is the longest-serving justice in the history of the Supreme Court...
(himself a Whitman alum) for the 1944-1945 term. Lomen described her working relationship with Douglas as “all business” but also said that he was much more relaxed and “a delightful fellow” away from the office when he hosted small dinner parties to which Lomen was frequently invited. Douglas later said she was “very able and very conscientious.” After her time at the Supreme Court, Lomen turned down a position in the U.S. Department of Justice in favor of her home state of Washington as assistant attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, where she served for three years. She went on to a 35-year career in multiple positions for General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
including counsel for corporate affairs. She retired in 1983 and died at the age of 75 in 1996.