Dobby Walker
Encyclopedia
Doris Brin "Dobby" Walker Roberson (April 20, 1919 - August 13, 2009) was an American labor lawyer and founding partner with Robert Treuhaft
at the firm of Treuhaft, Walker and Burnstein.
, and went on to UC Berkeley's law school, Boalt Hall. She joined the Communist Party USA
whilst at UCLA in the late 1930s. The only woman in her class, Walker graduated from Boalt Hall in 1942.
Walker was close friends with the writer Jessica Mitford
for years; Jessica was married to Robert Treuhaft
, Doris’ law partner. Doris invited Jessica and her husband to join the Communist Party, prompting the latter to reply "We thought you’d never ask!" There have been articles speculating that author J.K. Rowling, who considers Mitford her heroine, named her Harry Potter
character Dobby the house elf after encountering the name Dobby in Mitford's works.
Walker was widowed in 1951, and re-married in 1952, thereby acquiring the additional surname "Roberson".
. The Court rejected the case on the grounds that there was no federal element, although a dissenting opinion considered it a First Amendment
issue.
After being fired by Cutter Labs, Walker returned to legal practice, representing people charged under the 1940 Smith Act
for being members of the Communist Party. In the 1950s Walker represented individuals subpenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee
, and in 1953 appeared before the Committee herself, declining to answer any questions on a number of grounds, including that constitutionally the Congressional committee was only entitled to act in a legislative capacity, and it was evident that it was seeking to act in a judicial capacity.
From 1956 to 1961, Walker provided "virtually pro-bono" defense of journalist John W. Powell
, who was prosecuted for reporting that the United States biological weapons program had been actively employed during the Korean War
.
In 1961 Walker was a founding partner, with Robert Treuhaft
, at the firm of Treuhaft, Walker and Burnstein. She remained a partner until 1977, her practice focusing on "civil rights, free speech and draft cases during the Vietnam War." She also defended death penalty cases, including the 1972 Angela Davis
case for which she is best known. In 1971-2 Walker played a key role in the defense of Angela Davis
in her historic California murder, kidnapping, & conspiracy trial in which Davis faced the death penalty. The defense pioneered use of the media and jury consultants. The Davis case is still being analyzed as a blueprint of modern day litigation, with Professor Charles Ogletree
in 2005 calling it "clearly the trial of the 20th century, and one that exemplified the vast and diverse talents of the true Dream Team of the legal profession." Future Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
was then an intern at Treuhaft, Walker, and Burnstein, during the Summer of 1971.
In 1970, Walker was elected the first woman president of the National Lawyers Guild
. Walker remained active in her 80s as a Guild lawyer in the San Francisco Bay chapter on the Labor & Employment Committee and the State Bar Committee, and was an East Bay leader in the Gray Panthers
.
In 1996 Walker was one of eight international observers at South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In spring of 2004, Walker submitted on behalf of the National Lawyers Guild
Bay Area Chapter to the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Association asking the California Congressional Delegation to investigate representations by the Bush administration used to justify the war in Iraq for possible impeachment
.
The resolution follows:
Robert Treuhaft
Robert Edward Treuhaft was an American lawyer and the second husband of Jessica Mitford.The son of Hungarian immigrants, he worked for labor union and radical left causes much of his life...
at the firm of Treuhaft, Walker and Burnstein.
Background
Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1919, Walker graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, and went on to UC Berkeley's law school, Boalt Hall. She joined the Communist Party USA
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
whilst at UCLA in the late 1930s. The only woman in her class, Walker graduated from Boalt Hall in 1942.
Walker was close friends with the writer Jessica Mitford
Jessica Mitford
Jessica Lucy Freeman-Mitford was an English author, journalist and political campaigner, who was one of the Mitford sisters...
for years; Jessica was married to Robert Treuhaft
Robert Treuhaft
Robert Edward Treuhaft was an American lawyer and the second husband of Jessica Mitford.The son of Hungarian immigrants, he worked for labor union and radical left causes much of his life...
, Doris’ law partner. Doris invited Jessica and her husband to join the Communist Party, prompting the latter to reply "We thought you’d never ask!" There have been articles speculating that author J.K. Rowling, who considers Mitford her heroine, named her Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
character Dobby the house elf after encountering the name Dobby in Mitford's works.
Walker was widowed in 1951, and re-married in 1952, thereby acquiring the additional surname "Roberson".
Career
Walker was fired from her first law firm, which she attributed to her gender. In the mid-1940s she left legal practice and became a labor organizer in a series of canneries, being fired when her employers learned she was a Communist. From 1946 to 1949 she worked at Cutter Laboratories in San Francisco, becoming a union leader before being fired in 1949. A labor-management arbitration panel ordered her reinstated, on the grounds that Cutter had long known she was a Communist and improperly dismissed Walker for her union activity, but in a 4-3 ruling the California Supreme Court declared that a Communist had no right to a job, even under a union contract. In 1956, the case was heard at the US Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. The Court rejected the case on the grounds that there was no federal element, although a dissenting opinion considered it a First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
issue.
After being fired by Cutter Labs, Walker returned to legal practice, representing people charged under the 1940 Smith Act
Smith Act
The Alien Registration Act or Smith Act of 1940 is a United States federal statute that set criminal penalties for advocating the overthrow of the U.S...
for being members of the Communist Party. In the 1950s Walker represented individuals subpenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
, and in 1953 appeared before the Committee herself, declining to answer any questions on a number of grounds, including that constitutionally the Congressional committee was only entitled to act in a legislative capacity, and it was evident that it was seeking to act in a judicial capacity.
From 1956 to 1961, Walker provided "virtually pro-bono" defense of journalist John W. Powell
John W. Powell
John William Powell was a journalist and small business proprietor who was most well known for being tried for sedition after publishing an article in 1952 that reported on allegations made by Mainland Chinese officials that the United States and Japan were carrying out germ warfare in the Korean...
, who was prosecuted for reporting that the United States biological weapons program had been actively employed during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
In 1961 Walker was a founding partner, with Robert Treuhaft
Robert Treuhaft
Robert Edward Treuhaft was an American lawyer and the second husband of Jessica Mitford.The son of Hungarian immigrants, he worked for labor union and radical left causes much of his life...
, at the firm of Treuhaft, Walker and Burnstein. She remained a partner until 1977, her practice focusing on "civil rights, free speech and draft cases during the Vietnam War." She also defended death penalty cases, including the 1972 Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
case for which she is best known. In 1971-2 Walker played a key role in the defense of Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
in her historic California murder, kidnapping, & conspiracy trial in which Davis faced the death penalty. The defense pioneered use of the media and jury consultants. The Davis case is still being analyzed as a blueprint of modern day litigation, with Professor Charles Ogletree
Charles Ogletree
Charles J. Ogletree is Jesse Climenko Professor at Harvard Law School, the founder of the school's Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, and the author of numerous books on legal topics....
in 2005 calling it "clearly the trial of the 20th century, and one that exemplified the vast and diverse talents of the true Dream Team of the legal profession." Future Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
was then an intern at Treuhaft, Walker, and Burnstein, during the Summer of 1971.
In 1970, Walker was elected the first woman president of the National Lawyers Guild
National Lawyers Guild
The National Lawyers Guild is an advocacy group in the United States "dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system . ....
. Walker remained active in her 80s as a Guild lawyer in the San Francisco Bay chapter on the Labor & Employment Committee and the State Bar Committee, and was an East Bay leader in the Gray Panthers
Gray Panthers
The Gray Panthers was an organization in the United States founded by Maggie Kuhn in 1970, in response to her forced retirement at age 65. The group focused on health and other issues....
.
In 1996 Walker was one of eight international observers at South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In spring of 2004, Walker submitted on behalf of the National Lawyers Guild
National Lawyers Guild
The National Lawyers Guild is an advocacy group in the United States "dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system . ....
Bay Area Chapter to the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Association asking the California Congressional Delegation to investigate representations by the Bush administration used to justify the war in Iraq for possible impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
.
The resolution follows:
Resolved, that the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations urges California
Congressional Delegation to commence a Congressional investigation of representations by George
Bush, Dick Cheney, and the Bush Administration, used to justify war on Iraq and Afghanistan to
Congress, the United Nations and to the people of the U.S. and the world, without a formal request for Congress to declare war.