San Anselmo, Calif. — At the age of 76, Patty Blum, a seasoned human rights attorney and scholar, has a wealth of achievements under her belt, including notable contributions to legal academia and impactful litigations. Among her feats is founding the first International Human Rights Law Clinic at UC Berkeley and authoring a heartfelt book drawn from an extensive family correspondence from the World War II era.
Blum’s career is marked by a deep commitment to justice. She has spearheaded critical cases, including landmark civil litigations against former Salvadoran defense ministers accused of overwhelming human rights violations during the Salvadoran Civil War. These efforts resulted in a jury awarding $54.6 million in damages to the victims, a historic verdict that reinforced the doctrine of command responsibility in human rights law.
Her academic tenure as a clinical professor of law emerita at UC Berkeley has been complemented by her role as a Senior Research Fellow at the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center. Further contributing to the global human rights discourse, Blum serves as a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford, guiding master’s students through complex international legal landscapes.
The personal side of Blum’s life is equally compelling. Born in Baltimore on St. Patrick’s Day to Jewish parents, she adopted the nickname Patty, a name that stuck and later became a formal part of her identity when she legally changed her name to Carolyn Patty Blum. Despite her East Coast origins, Blum has made her home in Lafayette, California, to stay close to her expansive family, including two daughters, a stepson, and five grandchildren.
In addition to her legal work, Blum ventured into authorship with “Somewhere: The Story of Irv, Lois and World at War.” This book contains a narrative woven from over 1,300 letters exchanged by her parents during World War II, offering an intimate glimpse into the personal lives affected by global conflict. The book stands as a testament to her family’s experiences during these tumultuous times.
Blum’s expertise is recognized in her ongoing involvement with the Center for Justice and Accountability, where her advocacy has led to the deportation of war criminals residing in the U.S. Her prolonged commitment saw the conviction of a former Salvadoran Vice Minister of Defense for the 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter — a case that spanned 22 years.
Recognizing her multifaceted career, Blum’s identity has transitioned from a litigator to a mentor and educator. She emphasizes the import of shaping young professionals not only in their craft but also in their societal roles. Her teachings extend beyond the classroom, as she remains a core faculty member at the GW-Oxford International Human Rights Summer School, supervising master’s dissertations.
As she reflects on her journey, Blum feels a profound connection to the label of a senior or elder, proudly embracing this phase of her life. Her experience and wisdom continue to inspire a new generation of human rights advocates.
Blum’s narrative is featured in her meticulously designed book that includes photographs, typed and handwritten letters from her parents, reflecting a bygone era of communication deeply personal yet enormously historical. She has donated these precious artifacts to the American Jewish Historical Society, ensuring their preservation.
Summarizing her life’s trajectory in her own words, Blum cites her mother’s philosophy that the two most crucial elements in life are love and luck. With a return to Oxford planned this summer for the 30th anniversary of the summer school, she aims to foster connections that transcend generations, underscoring the enduring influence of dedicated educators and advocates in shaping a just world.
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