Background
She was born in Kristiansand as the daughter of philologist Gorgus Coward.
She was born in Kristiansand as the daughter of philologist Gorgus Coward.
She graduated as candidate.jur.
From the University of Oslo in 1963, and worked as a research assistant there for a period. She was hired in the Ministry of Justice and the Police in 1965. She worked as deputy under-secretary of State there from 1988 to 1994, and as a Supreme Court Justice from 1994.
From 1989 to 1995 she was a member of the board and deputy leader of the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association.