Spyri, Emily Kempin (1853–1901)

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Spyri, Emily Kempin (1853–1901)

Swiss lawyer. Born 1853 in Switzerland; died 1901; niece of Johanna Spyri (writer); University of Zurich, doctorate of law, 1887; married with children.

The 1st woman in Europe to earn a doctorate of law degree, was prohibited because of her gender to practice law in Switzerland; immigrated with family to NY (1888), where she established and taught the 1st law classes for women; persuaded by husband and children to return to Zurich (1891), was still not allowed to pursue a law career; collapsed and spent the remainder of her life in an asylum.

See also Eveline Hasler, Flying with Wings of Wax: The Story of Emily Kempin Spyri (1993).

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