Soia Mentschikoff 1915-1984

Soia Mentschikoff, who taught at the Law School from 1951 to 1974, died at her home in Coral Gables, on June 18. She was buried in Chicago on June 21. Miss Mentschikoff had one of the most distinguished legal careers in the country. During her more than twenty years at the , she proved to be an extraordinary teacher, colleague, andfriend. Her work on the Uniform Commercial Code and in the areas of inter­ national trade law and jurisprudence is of lasting importance. By any standard, Miss Mentschikoff was one of the great law teachers of her generation who inspired students and colleagues alike. Miss Mentschikoff was appointed Dean of the Univer­ sity of Miami Law School in 1974. At the time of her retirement from that post in 1982, Edward H. Levi made the following remarks:

" I have come to praise Soia. He was to speak, I think, on "Com­ lyns, Kate said to me, "they go mercial Law Through Eternity"-a first class." So our education about My wife Kate and I and Soia have title he probably made up. I worked both Llewellyns had begun. been through a lot together. terribly hard preparing a scholarly I did check up on Soia at It began almost thirty years ago paper beyond my depth. I am quite Columbia and at Harvard. The when I, as a new dean of a law sure didn't work on answer I got from everyone I asked school, asked the law faculty what his paper at all. Mine was long, was very simple. "You should get scholar above all others they wished boring, and, in fact, terrible. I gave both Llewellyns on your faculty," to invite to become a member of the it in a large auditorium where a they all said. Then they would add faculty. In their ignorance, they band was rehearsing offstage. Fre­ gleefully, "But of course you can't answered at that point with a single quently the horn shouted derisively because you can't have a husband name-a single response for which I at me. When I finished the horn and a wife on the same faculty." hope Soia has now forgiven them. stopped in relief. There was almost This, of course, was the usual rule in They said Karl Llewellyn. That dead silence-a long dead silence. those days. My problem was how being the case, as a , I made Then Karl got up. He wowed the far I could go toward breaking that my plans. The Law School sched­ more or less octogenarian audience. rule. I went to see Hutchins, then uled a conference on the proposed He stroked them in all the proper president of the University of Uniform Commercial Code, and of places. They fairly shouted with Chicago. He liked to break rules. course we invited the Reporter, Karl glee. He taught me a lesson I have He said, "Well, you can make one Llewellyn, and the Associate Re­ never been able to use because it of them a research associate with the porter, Soia Mentschikoff, to takes a very special talent. Later rank of full professor." So, in a speak. They accepted. The pro­ when I grudgingly expressed my way, when the Commercial Code jected conference having been admiration to Karl, he replied: "But Conference was held, I was pre­ arranged, I realized my preparations you should hear Soia-my gal can pared. I sent Karl a note while Soia were incomplete. So I started to find sail ships." was speaking. "Is there any chance out who this Soia Mentschikoff was At this conference my wife and I, of getting you to join this faculty?" and what she was like. who had thought we were going to it said. He wrote on the note and As luck would have it, just about see the beauties of Madison, Wis­ had it conveyed back to me. His that time I was invited to give a consin and its lake, were perched in note said, "One or both?" I scrib­ speech at a conference at the Uni­ a small room in the center of town, bled back, "Both." And so it was versity of Wisconsin. I was to speak far from any of Madison's charms. done. The law faculty voted, with on the small subject "One Hundred Where were the Llewellyns-Karl the independence which law schools Years of the American History of and Soia? They were far away in always claim to have, that so far as Monopoly and Competition." Karl another place with a magnificent it was concerned Soia was a full pro­ Llewellyn was also on the program. lake-front room. "Those Llewel- fessor, "plain and simple." Indeed,

VOLUME 30/FALL 1984 17 the Law School, in the fashion out of the snow; or a visiting theo­ which law schools have always fol­ logian walking her dog; or a busy lowed, immediately began to brag trial lawyer, whose time could have about her as was appropriate. We bought the whole block, feeding her said she was the first woman law cats. The rule for the members of professor ever to be appointed a full this circle was then and still is now professor in a major law school. "do what she tells you to do." That What a thing to say! Yet as we all is why I am here tonight. came to know in later years when students marched with outrageous Soia is a perfectly magnificent demands, it is not what you say lawyer. She knows people. She that's important; it's what you knows how to move them. More mean. And we meant "Soia is than that she is interested in them. and we have her." And we unique She can communicate with anyone. did. I have always felt slightly She understands situations. She can guilty, as Soia knows, about that move into a situation. She can research associate and artifice. tag devise a remedy. Then she can make shouldn't a husband and wife Why you think that you devised the both be members of the same fac­ remedy. And she always knows, The answer is "Be­ ulty. simple. although you may not, what she is cause together they will have too doing. But I must also add that she much influence." That really didn't believes in law and she believes in to Soia. As one she apply person justice. She also believes in a higher had all the influence. already Any­ power. I know that from having in 1962 the was removed. way, tag traveled with her in a plane being hit The world moves on. repeatedly by lightning. I am sure her special communications with a she communi­ To prepare for the Llewellyn's higher power-and cated a us arrival, we had found what we quite bit-brought thought was the perfect house for through safely. two people. But they scoffed at the idea of an eight room house and Soia is a perfectly magnificent proceeded to buy one almost three teacher. She can sail ships. She can times that size. Then they moved in also sell them. Indeed, she could sell Soia's parents, two nieces, two cats, anything. It is a good thing for our and a miniature poodle named society that she doesn't want to sell Happy. The house was down the anything. She believes in standards. street from ours and we could see She really has wanted to create law­ almost everything. Every day we yers- with skill, the ability could see Soia, whose basic struc­ to be of service, and dedication. She ture was then as it is now, clad in her believes in education. She knows usual slacks and sneakers followed how to do it. She knows how to by or chasing after a three- inch dog. bring theory and reality together. One could tell from looking at them She knows how to create theory that that they owned the world. brings understanding.

Her career is a great one. Not the The Llewellyn's house was always least of her is the open to students and friends. For accomplishments extraordinary progress of the U ni­ some reason, the Llewellyns did not of Miami Law School under consider the two terms incompat­ versity her Under the slacks and ible. Doughnuts and cider were leadership. sneakers she is filled with honors. always available. Sometimes apples. And all the honors are deserved. Sometimes a larger spread. This involved a lot of work. But not necessarily for Soia. Soia, as you all She is at home in almost any place must know, can charm anyone into in the world. I have seen her take doing anything. We all worked for charge in Stockholm, or in the her. In fact, we were her slaves. We Hague, or among a circle of Third were part of a magic circle, which World envoys. And always there is knew no boundaries, of Soia's the circle of friends. slaves. At anyone time, one might And we will always do what she see a federal judge pushing her car says. •

18 THE LAW SCHOOL RECORD