Mentschikoff, Soia (1915-1984)

Russian-born US law educator. A member of various legal commissions and organizations, she was president of the Association of American Law Schools (from 1974). She published articles in legal journals and several books including International Unification of Private Law (1961), coauthored with Nicholas Katzenbach. Mentschikoff was born in Moscow, Russia, to US citizens, and she was brought to the USA as a child. She studied for a law degree at Columbia University, graduating in 1937. She practised law in New York City (1937-49), and taught at Harvard Law School (1947-49) and the University of Chicago Law School (1951-74). She was dean of the University of Miami Law School (1974-82).