Remington forged through glass ceiling

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Judith Remington, Remington Law Offices LLC

Law degree received from: University of Minnesota Law School, 1975

Among the first wider wave of female law students and attorneys in the 1960s and ’70s, Judith Remington “found herself” in a community practice of estate planning, elder law, probate and real estate. Along the way, she also found her family.

Remington met and married her husband, James, “under the watchful eye” of their law school class at the University of Minnesota, and she joked that even with the “old boy’s club” mentality at firms, she was at least “married to one of the members.”

“There was concern that a man would not want to go to a female attorney, and they worried that women wouldn’t be tough enough to practice law,” said Remington, a Minneapolis native.

After the couple worked eight years at a larger New Richmond firm, Judith and James agreed there would be more opportunities to define their careers in their own practice, particularly for her. It was daunting, but has afforded them a closer relationship with clients, she said, and the “unusual” joy of a husband and wife law team in offices that share a wall.

“There is great satisfaction to making your own decisions from top to bottom,” Remington said, “and creating something in the image you want.”

That push toward personally satisfying achievements has been central to advice and pointers she offers to her children – Assistant Attorney General Christine, Quarles and Brady attorney John, DePaul University College of Law student Brian, and Colorado business school student Tom.

And as Judy’s career winds down, she also has extended the “family” at the firm.

Leah Boeve began her law career at the Remington firm out of law school more than two years ago, the only nonfamily member of the three-person firm. Shadowing Judy on probate and estate matters, Boeve said she was adept at mixing decades of experience with a genuine interest in the clients from her community.

“Her interaction with clients, sympathizing and empathizing with them, is part of getting to know them and creating long lasting relationships,” Boeve said. “Judy’s built a great practice based on respect here and I hope to continue that.”