Raising the Bar

Raising the Bar: A Lawyer's Memoir by Ruth Rymer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In Raising the Bar , Ruth Rymer reveals a life quintessentially as complex, rewarding, and demanding as it can get. In so doing, we read what it is to make a decision and stick to it no matter what. From marrying a man for whom her parents will disown her, to fighting like she'd never had to fight before in order to get a law degree, Rymer demonstrates the rewards and the setbacks in equal measure. With the balanced portrayal given in Raising the Bar, Rymer paints a reality demonstrative of the doubled-up efforts the women of previous generations were forced to apply if they desired success where only men trod.

Rymer made a lot of decisions in her life and makes no secret about them in this memoir. She also makes no attempt to camouflage any negative results for her choices; after all, this memoir is about deciding something and seeing it through. Reading of Rymer's personal triumphs, along with what doesn't work out, cinched my involvement in the story and kept me engaged.

Rymer was instrumental in facing up to the sexism and misogynistic attitudes in the legal system in California on all fronts, from defendants to plaintiffs to attorneys. When Family Law became a legal specialty, it was Rymer's tireless work, her endless fighting for it, which made it possible. I enjoyed reading about the legal cases Rymer was involved with, as well as the struggles she fought against in order to make women equal to men under the law. Bravo!

In 2008 Rymer was awarded a much deserved lifetime achievement award from The Queen's Bench Bar Association. I recommend Raising the Bar to all who would like to learn more about the legal system and especially to those who take their rights for granted, as the struggle to gain them was real – this book illustrates the decisive actions of one of the people who was instrumental in winning them for us.




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