We are closing out Women’s History Month by continuing our tribute to impactful women in the legal realm. For the first part of our series, click here.
Lyda Burton Conley became the first female Native American attorney in the U.S. (1910). Conley was not admitted to a law school, but self-taught.
Frances Allen was the first woman to serve as an assistant prosecutor (1919). She later became the first female with an Article III Appellate Judgeship.
Florence Ellinwood Allen is elected to the Ohio Supreme Court (1922), the first woman to become elected to any state’s highest court. In 1934, President Roosevelt appoints her to the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Genevieve Rose Cline became the first female federal judge (1928). She serves for 25 years.
Sandra Day O’Connor is appointed to the United States Supreme Court by President Reagan (1981), making her the first female Supreme Court Justice.
Janet Reno became the first female U.S. Attorney General (1993).
Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined O’Connor as the only other female Supreme Court Justice. Bill Clinton appointed her – and probably had some input from his wife, attorney Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Harriet Miers became the first female to have title in the office of White House Counsel (2005).
Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina to serve as U.S. Supreme Court Justice (2009).
Elena Kagan is appointed Supreme Court Justice by President Obama and three women simultaneously serve as Justices for the first time.
We hope you enjoyed Women’s History Month and the incredible contributions made by generations of female attorneys.
