Kathryn Anne Oberly (born May 22, 1950)Testimony of Kathryn Oberly, nominee for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals
/ref> is a former Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the highest appellate court for the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

. Oberly was born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

and raised in

Park Ridge, Illinois Park Ridge is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a Chicago suburb. Per the 2020 census, the population was 39,656. It is located northwest of downtown Chicago. It is close to O'Hare International Airport, major expressways, a ...

, where she attended the same

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

church as a young

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

. The two became lifelong friends, and then-Senator Clinton testified in favor of Oberly's judicial nomination in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. After graduating from high school in 1967, Oberly attended

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...

for two years before switching to the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

. She received her bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin, where she was an articles editor for the

Wisconsin Law Review The ''Wisconsin Law Review'' is a bimonthly law review published by students at the University of Wisconsin Law School. One issue each year is generally dedicated to a symposium In ancient Greece, the symposium ( grc-gre, συμπόσιον '' ...

. After law school she clerked for Donald P. Lay, a judge on the

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations, 8th Cir.) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: * Eastern District of Arkansas * Western Dist ...

, who would later officiate her wedding to Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Haynes Johnson. Oberly's legal career began at the

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...

, where she worked first at the Land and Natural Resources Division and later in the

Office of the Solicitor General The Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippines ( fil, Tanggapan ng Taga-usig Panlahat), formerly known as the Bureau of Justice, is an independent and autonomous office attached to the Department of Justice. The OSG is headed by Menardo G ...

. She left the Justice Department in 1986 to enter private practice. In 1991, she joined

Ernst & Young Ernst & Young Global Limited, trade name EY, is a multinational professional services partnership headquartered in London, England. EY is one of the largest professional services networks in the world. Along with Deloitte, KPMG and Pricewat ...

, becoming general counsel in 1994. In 2008, Oberly was nominated to the D.C. Court of Appeals by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

. She joined the court in 2009 and retired in 2013.D.C. Court of Appeals Judge Oberly to Retire
Blog of Legal Times, May 31, 2013

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oberly, Kathryn A. 1950 births 21st-century American judges American women lawyers Judges of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Lawyers from Chicago Lawyers from Washington, D.C. Lawyers who have represented the United States government Living people People from Park Ridge, Illinois University of Wisconsin Law School alumni 21st-century American women judges