 While at Good Counsel College, O'Beirne took a leave of absence to work on the successful 1970 U.S. Senate campaign of Conservative Party of New York State member James Buckley.She returned to his office as an aide after graduation.In 1976, she graduated from St. John's University School of Law, and in the same year married James O'Beirne, an infantry officer in the United States Army (now White House liaison to the Pentagon).