Composed of inlaws. 42 years ago i was assigned to help judge oconnor, it was my first day in a new job with the Justice Department and i was proud to be out of her team. I thought the group to do good job, after all, the justice was confirmed 990. I should have learned her approach was simple and direct. Get it done. Justices have a style on the bench. Back and forth. Some badger councils. Others spell out a theory and asked for comment. All of this is fine versus good but Justice Oconnor was different. The justice would jump in before her colleagues could with a wellprepared question, the question was clear, direct, even and then seated carefully. He went to the heart of the case with no fluff. The approach was, lets get what is most of to me at the outset. She saw a problem and solution she wanted to get it done so they could rest easy. Justice a headset for an actual debate but a second vacancy and delays led to her and i sitting together for more than half of the next term. That was enough time for another lesson. She and i were discussing a case in chambers and i think she retired. She simply got up and said just have to decide. There was not patients but i dont think it was entirely due to me. She made her own decision about the future and announced her retirement six months earlier. I think she was anxious to get it done. The last several weeks after her passing i had spoken with many women judges and lawyers who were young adults. They say the same thing. Younger people cannot understand what it was like before Justice Oconnor said the distance is a measure of time but also a measure of her life and work. She was a strong, influential and iconic tourists. Makes it obvious the judges are both women and men. The time seems so far away as Justice Oconnor was so good when she was on the bench. Sandra day oconnor had to study the launch a career when most of the promotion did not want women lawyers, let alone judges. She had to find her own style to unite colleagues when there was no example to follow for the First Female Senate leader in the country. She had to ignore slights and work to bring people together in social, professional, all the while setting a model is the first woman on the job. She had to fight for dignity and respect. She had to speak and it inspire about the necessity, so our generation and the next i have a roadmap safeguarded with all the gifts god has given us. She had to