THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Mary F. Kelly

“My early involvement in the feminist movement made me a feminist for my entire life.”

Attorney, Catholic feminist, lifelong advocate for court reform in family law. President of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (1987-1988). President of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association (1981-1982). Appointed Chair of the Grievance Committee for the Ninth Judicial District of the State of New York (1998-2000). Co-Chair of the WBASNY Matrimonial Committee (1991-1992). Member of the Professional Standards Committee of the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals. Charter member of the New York University School of Law Women’s Rights Committee. Fought for the prestigious Root-Tilden scholarship to be open to women. Co-founded the first feminist law firm, Bellamy Blank Goodman Kelly Ross and Stanley, tackling cases that could advance women’s rights through litigation, 1973. Founded Kelly & Knaplund with Virginia Knaplund, a matrimonial attorney and part-time Village Justice in Scarsdale, in 1982. Member of the Ninth Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee since 1994. College of New Rochelle, B.A. 1965. New York University School of Law, J.D., 1971

Interviewed by Judy Waxman, Oral Historian, January 2023