Professor M. Katherine Baird Darmer was a beloved faculty member and colleague at the School of Law, where she worked for twelve years. Darmer was a passionate advocate for marriage equality and a vigorous opponent of discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. To our great loss, Professor Darmer died on February 17, 2012.

Darmer spent much of her life devoted to ending discrimination on the basis of sex. She always taught that every person matters.

In addition to inspiring countless law students over the years, Darmer was a specialist in criminal law and constitutional law, drawing upon her experience as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s office in New York City, where she had obtained convictions of gang criminals, murderers, narcotics distributors, and those involved in public corruption. Her academic record included a bachelor’s degree with high honors from Princeton, and a J.D. degree from Columbia Law School, where she was the Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She clerked for judges on the US District Court and the US Court of Appeals in New York before joining the prestigious New York law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell.

In recognition of Professor Darmer’s many accomplishments, her family has set up a memorial scholarship named in her honor. Students interested in using their law degree to promote human rights and public interest law may apply for the M. Katherine Baird Darmer Memorial Scholarship. Special consideration will be given to students who have shown a commitment to issues of gender equality. Alumni and friends are encouraged to donate to this scholarship fund to ensure that Professor Darmer’s name lives on at Chapman University.

Our Twitter friend, @RobbieGMunoz23, reflects on past accomplishments of Professor Darmer.