Mary was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota at Duluth (B.A., magna cum laude, 1980), and Duke University (J.D., 1983). Mary was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1983. Mary is Board Certified in Real Estate by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education, served on the Real Estate Certification Committee of The Florida Bar from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2008, and from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2019, and served as its Chair from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005, and from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Mary served as a member of The Florida Bar’s steering committee for the fifth edition of Florida Real Property Complex Transactions.
Mary’s younger daughter, Clara, is an environmental specialist with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Her older daughter, Rachel, teaches Latin at St. Johns Country Day School in Orange Park, Florida.