Alpern was born in the Russian Empire and moved with her family to Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania, as a young child.

[4] The job was unpaid, but Alpern worked long hours and won a number of cases, and she was promoted the next year to first assistant city solicitor.

[12] In 1953, after a distinguished career as city solicitor, Alpern was elected to the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County as a Democrat.

[4] On July 26, 1961, Governor Lawrence appointed Alpern to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Chief Justice Charles Alvin Jones.

[4][15] Analysts attributed her loss in part to the support she lost from Democrats on account of her investigation of electoral fraud as attorney general.

[4] After Alpern's defeat, Governor Lawrence appointed her to the seat in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County that had been vacated by O'Brien.