There may be a bit of déjà vu for Matilda Schachter Yoelin on June 11 when she presents a ceremonial graduation hood to her granddaughter, Elyse, during the commencement for the DePaul University College of Law. The spark that could fuel a familiar feeling is the fact that in 1932 the older Yoelin was also awarded her law degree from DePaul.

     The younger Yoelin will enjoy the honor of having her grandmother share such an important part of her graduation day at the College of Law's commencement, which will be held at 2:30 p.m. June 11 at Navy Pier, Festival Hall A, 600 E. Grand Ave.

     "I'm thrilled to be able to present my granddaughter with a ceremonial hood from the same school that I was graduated from," remarked Yoelin, who is 88 years old and still dispensing legal advice to the tenants who live in the North Side building she owns. "I feel that, by choosing to become a lawyer like I did, Elyse will carry on my love of the law."

     The face of law school has taken on a new look in the 68 years since the older Yoelin walked across the stage to accept her law degree. In 1932 she was a pioneer as one of only six women graduates out of a class of more than 150 students. In contrast, the class of 2000 has 325 graduates and about half are women.

     "The entire law school experience has changed quite a bit," said Yoelin, a lifetime Chicagoan and Northwest Side resident. "When I was in school everyone studied law in general. Today there are so many specialty areas like intellectual property and taxes."

     Yoelin attended Harrison High School and graduated after three years. She then enrolled in Crain College where she completed a two-year program in just a year and a half. From there she attended DePaul's College of Law where she was graduated when she was just shy of 21 years old. "The bar exam was being offered the third week of July and I had to wait because I missed the age cutoff by a week," said Yoelin. "I was so young and naïve when I completed law school that I didn't even know where City Hall was located."

     She and her late husband Samuel, a fellow classmate whom she married the day after graduation, went into practice together with offices on LaSalle Street and in their North Side home. "I can remember that most of the work we did involved real estate," said Yoelin. "I still go to eviction court today."

     Yoelin, who admits she fell in love with the smell of the law books that surrounded her as she worked, counsels her granddaughter to be absolutely happy about practicing the law.

     "I feel like she's officially bringing me into the legal profession," said the younger Yoelin, a Lincoln Park resident who aspires to be a criminal defense lawyer. "Whenever I had a problem I went to grandma and she supported and encouraged me and told me that I would be successful. She was always there to provide me with direction. It's amazing and incredible that she will be the one to present me with my hood because she's always been such a role model for me."