Mary K. Dudley is a life-long resident of Butler County, Ohio. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Ohio University, and a Juris Doctorate from Ohio State University College of Law (1983). She became a licensed attorney in Ohio in 1983.

After law school she worked for the Twelfth District Court of Appeals and then the Butler County Common Pleas Court before beginning more than twenty years as a private attorney. Her practice focused on juvenile abuse, neglect and dependency cases, domestic relations, child custody, criminal, and other civil matters.

She returned to government service when hired by the City of Hamilton to serve as an Assistant Law Director in November, 2006. During her twelve year tenure with Hamilton, she served as prosecutor in Hamilton Municipal Court as well as administrative, legislative, and a variety of civil litigation for the City. She was subsequently hired by Butler County and worked with the Butler County Land Reutilization Corporation (the county land bank) from its inception.