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    Women And Their Impact in Law

    by SimpleLaw on
    Attorney

    With Women's History Month and International Women's Day on March 8, we turn our attention to the impact women have made, and continue to make, on the practice of law.  While the list is longer than our entry here can cover, we absolutely give a shout-out to the women who are not mentioned here, specifically. The trailblazers out there today, doing the work, who may not yet be recognized. 

    Margaret Brent

    Arriving in the colonies in 1638, Ms. Brent was the first recorded woman to start a law practice. She had an enormous influence over the Maryland region and actively led the region out of a tumultuous time period. As a single, female, landowner, she fought to gain the right to vote. Although denied, she pushed the boundaries of what it was to be a woman in the 17th century. 

    Lucy Terry Prince

    Kidnapped from Africa when she was a baby, Lucy was brought to the colonies as a slave. Ultimately, she was freed through marriage. Her children also were free people, unheard of at that time as the children of a slave mother remain slaves. She pursued higher education for one of her children at Williams College. Although denied due to race, Lucy's passionate plea was described as eloquent and earnest. When an effort was made to steal some of the land owned by Lucy and her husband, the case ultimately went to the Supreme Court. Lucy argued against two of the leading lawyers in the state. And she won. The presiding justice of the Court at that time, Samuel Chase,  described her argument as better than any he'd heard from a licensed attorney in Vermont. 

    Arabella "Belle" Babb Mansfield

    The first woman attorney admitted to a State Bar, Belle overcame several hurdles to get there. Graduating from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1865, she joined her brother's firm as an apprentice. Although the bar exam in Iowa at that time was for men over 21 years of age only, Arabella challenged the rule and was allowed to take the exam. She passed the exam and was admitted to the State Bar of Iowa. Subsequently, the state changed the rule to allow both men and women to take the bar exam. Although she never practiced law, she taught at Iowa Wesleyan and DePauw University.

    Mabel Walker Willebrandt

    The first female Assistant Attorney General, Mabel was appointed in 1921 by then-President William Harding. Charged with enforcing prohibition, she is the person the character of Esther Randolph in Boardwalk Empire is based on. Following her tenure as Assistant Attorney General, Mabel's private practice introduced various aspects of aviation law, and was a friend of Amelia Earhart.

    Florence Ellinwood Allen

    Florence was the first female federal appellate court judge, appointed by President Roosevelt in 1934. Although educated in music, Florence then decided to attend law school. She graduated from New York University Law School in 1913, cum laude. In 1919, Florence was appointed Assistant Prosecutor for Cuyahoga County, Ohio. She was the first woman to hold this position in the U.S.

    She then ran for Common Pleas Court Judge in Cuyahoga County. Again, she set a precedent, becoming the first woman elected to a judgeship. In 1922, she became the first woman to sit on a state Supreme Court. She served two terms in the Ohio Supreme Court.  

    RBG

    How many attorneys, Supreme Court members or not, are known solely by their initials? Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the second female on the U.S. Supreme Court. Known for her work in gender equality, among other efforts, Ruth attended Harvard Law School and was one of eight women in the class of 500. Professors openly chided Ruth for taking the place of a man. Later, she transferred to Columbia Law School, where she graduated top of her class. She taught at Rutgers and Columbia law schools, becoming the first female tenured professor. Notably, she argued six gender equality cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. In her tenure on the Supreme Court, she steadily relied on her belief that the law is gender blind. The nickname, the Notorious RBG, came from a Tumblr post made by an NYU Law Student in 2013. The contrast between Ruth's small physical stature and her powerful influence and presence was the basis of the name, following the influence of rapper Notorious B.I.G. 

    There are so many other women who have led and promoted the practice of law. For those of you out there continuing to push the boundaries, we look forward to writing about you in the coming years. 

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