She received a Bachelor of Science from College of William & Mary in 1968, then a Juris Doctor from University of Virginia School of Law in 1971.

She was then a trial attorney of Narcotics Task Force of the United States Department of Justice from 1973 to 1974.

She was an assistant United States attorney of the Eastern District of New York from 1974 to 1986.

[2] During her tenure at the United States Attorney's office, she received the John Marshall Award, the highest honor conferred by the Department of Justice.

She was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to be a United States District Judge of that court on May 18, 1990, to a seat vacated by Mark A. Costantino.