Archives and Special Collections
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Archives and Special Collections Finding Aids

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Collection Overview
Title:Emma Jean Lang Avery papers
Dates:1916-1931
Location:73/1
Call Number:M3
Volume:2.00 cubic ft. (6 manuscript boxes)
Scope and Content Abstract:The collection consists of lecture notes, study notes, quizzes, and exams from law courses taken at Northeastern University in 1923-1927 and 1931.
Biographical Abstract: Emma Jean Lang Avery was born in Boston in 1893 or 1894. She attended Boston University from 1916 to 1923, graduating from the College of Business Administration with honors. Avery then attended Northeastern University's Evening School of Law from September 1923 to June 1927, and received her LLB in 1927. In 1931, she returned to NU to take the Comprehensive Review course offered to law students in their fourth year, most likely in preparation for the Massachusetts Bar Exam. It is unclear whether she practiced law afterwards. Between 1927 and 1931 she married Lester Avery. Avery died in Milton, Massachusetts in January 1980.
Arrangement:The collection is arranged in one alphabetical sequence.
Subjects and Contributors:
  • Avery, Emma Jean Lang, 1894?-1980.

  • Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.). School of Law.
  • Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.). Class of 1927

  • Women--Massachusetts--Boston.
  • Law--Study and teaching--Massachusetts.
  • Women lawyers--Massachusetts--Boston.
Restrictions:The collection is unrestricted.
Processor:Finding aid prepared by Patricia Mulderry, February 1995

Scope and Content Note

The Emma Jean Lang Avery Papers comprise approximately two cubic feet of material.  The collection is organized alphabetically by course title and consists mainly of lecture notes, study notes, quizzes, and exams from law courses taken at NU.  There is a folder of material for each course of NU's Evening Law School Curriculum at the time Avery was a student.  The collection also includes one folder of Drama notes and poems (box 3, folder 23), from when Avery was a student at Boston University.

The lecture notes are typed, and all were taken by Avery except for those from her Evidence class on 9/12/26 (box 3, folder 25) where she has noted that Morris Goldberg took notes for her because she was unable to attend class that day.  In some instances instructors provided additional handouts which are included within the appropriate folder.

The Comprehensive Review lecture notes (box 2, folders 15-17) dated 2/31-6/31 are the last group of notes taken by Avery.  The NU School of Law, Evening Session 1920-1931 Course Catalog indicates that Northeastern offered this course to help students prepare for the Bar Exam.  Since Avery graduated in 1927, it appears likely she returned to Northeastern to study for the Bar Exam.

Biographical Note

Emma Jean Lang Avery was born in Boston in 1893 or 1894.   She attended Boston University from 1916-1923 but did not receive her degree. Avery attended Northeastern University's Evening School of Law from September 1923 through June 1927 and received her LLB in 1927.  In 1931 she returned to NU to take the Comprehensive Review course offered to law students in their fourth year, probably in preparation for the Massachusetts Bar Exam.  It is unclear, however, if she ever took the Massachusetts Bar Exam because she is not listed in the records of the Massachusetts Bar Association. Avery's obituary refers to her as a retired attorney, but no records could be found indicating that she practiced law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Sometime between 1927 and 1931 she married Lester  Avery.  They had no children.  Avery died in Milton in January 1980.
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BoxTitleDate
1Agency1923-1924
1Bankruptcy1926-1927
1Bar Review
1Bills and Notesca. 1926-1927
1Criminal Lawca. 1926-1927
1Equityca. 1926-1927
1Exam1927
1Felix Forte Review1926-1927
1Massachusetts Bar Exams1927
1Property Ica. 1926-1927
1Quizzes: Cases on A-Lca. 1926-1927
2Quizzes: Cases on M-Wca. 1926-1927
2Bills and Notes1924-1925
2Business Associations1925-1926
2Common Law Pleading1926-1927
2Comprehensive Review (3 folders)1931
3Constitutional Law (2 folders)1927
3Contracts1923-1924
3Contracts, Revised1922
3Criminal Law1923-1924
3Criminal Law, Revised1923
3Drama Notes from Boston Universityn.d.
3Equity1924-1925
3Evidence1926-1927
4Evidence, Summaryca. 1926-1927
4Legal Ethics1924-1928
4Massachusetts Practice1927
4Personal Property and Sales1924-1925
4Property III (2 folders)1925-1926
5Real Property1924-1925
5, 6Study Notes (3 folders)n.d., 1927
5Torts1923-1924
5Trusts1925-1926
5Wills1925-1926