Resident Highlight: Leila Kern

 

Leila Kern learned early to envision her future and to forge a path to get there. Her parents, and others in her Brooklyn neighborhood, had come from places where violent oppression displaced entire villages. They journeyed to America to claim its golden promise.

Thanks to her parents’ courage, Leila forged that path, breaking barriers that had thwarted women for centuries. A B.A. from Barnard College led to a Ph.D in psychology at Columbia University.

Working as a professor of psychology at universities throughout the country while raising a family would have brought contentment to most people. Pioneer that she was, Leila didn’t stop. In mid-life, she decided to study law at Harvard University. She enjoyed a second distinguished career, which included the founding of the largest all-women litigation firm in New England, capping it all off by serving as a Superior Court Judge in Massachusetts from 1999 to 2012 and from 2016-2018 on Recall Status.

Leila carries the impact of her parents’ journey with her always. She champions social justice and combats hate in all forms, and antisemitism in particular. When she came to North Hill, the community embraced her. She returns that embrace by serving on myriad committees, including Resident Council and as Chair of the Dining Committee, offering insights from her expansive learning to enrich the lives of North Hill Residents every day.