Three smart, independent women: two who were criminal attorneys and one who was a career criminal. They stood on opposite sides of the law, yet they confronted many of the same challenges and discrimination, persevering in a world where men made up the rules.

One Sophie Lyons was one of the most notorious female criminals of the nineteenth century. Late in life she “went straight” and became a successful Detroit businesswoman.  Jessie Levy and Bess Robbins defended six members of the infamous John Dillinger gang in the early 1930s.

Authors D. M. Testa who wrote Defending the Dillinger Gang: Jessie Levy and Bess Robbins in the Courtroom. (McFarland, September 2020) and Shayne Davidson, author of Queen of the Burglars: The Scandalous Life of Sophie Lyons will talk about these three women who spent their lives on opposite sides of the law; what they had in common, how society viewed their chosen fields and the cultural forces which drove them. Through their own intriguing stories, we’ll answer how they succeeded in places where women normally weren’t welcome.

Event Link to join program will be sent to registered participants day before event.