Two Remarkable Women: Trailblazers in the Law
Lunch, Then Learn | Registration opens 3/23/2026 9:00 AM EST
The backstories of two remarkable and colorful local attorneys, Charlotte Frank, born in Poughkeepsie in 1917, and Susanna Bedell, born in Hungary in 1918, are truly fodder for historical fiction. With careers peaking in the 1980s, they were trailblazers, paving the way for the women who followed. Their lives were shaped by history, the culture of their times and significant personal losses. With personas so different, their stories have many parallels, including ties to Vassar College—particularly for Susanna, who likely would not have survived World War II without receiving a scholarship to Vassar, for which she was forever grateful.
Diane O'Leary
Diane O'Leary, admitted to the bar at age 40, is retired after forty years of involvement in the law, first as a paralegal and student, followed by thirty years in private practice, most spent on Collegeview Avenue. She received the highest rating via peer review and was honored by the New York State Bar Association for her contributions to the profession and the community. A true believer in lifelong learning, she taught in the Marist Paralegal Program early in her career and continues to be an eager student enrolled in Vassar LLI.