The Top 10 most famous female attorneys in history. These ladies changed the game for good. Let’s celebrate them!
Undoubtedly, the legal profession is among the most prestigious ones. For a long time now, it hasn’t only been a “male” work position. Moreover, women have proven to be far better than men in professions called by prejudices as only men’s.
Being an attorney “in a skirt” affects other people respectfully, especially men. The female brain can coordinate several actions at once, so it definitely can work effectively when it comes to power to prove someone’s rights. Ladies are armed with arguments, and they have in-depth thinking. They also possess enough passion and charm. The victory here is clearly gained, at least in most cases, especially if the lady lawyer is beautiful!
There are many women lawyers in world history, and some have left lasting traces not only in the cases they participated in but also with their presence and charisma. These ladies have been influential in other areas as well, such as politics. Their names remain pronounced loudly, and their images are unforgettable. Here are the ten most famous women attorneys who have left their mark in that challenging profession:
1. Michelle Obama
The first African-American First Lady in USA history graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988, after which she joined Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin. It was there that she met Barack Obama, the love of her life and future husband. She has always been sharing that her life mission is to help people. In her career, she has enrolled in professions such as Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Development at the City of Chicago, CEO of Public Allies, as well as of AmeriCorps – a program that prepares young people for public services; Vice Dean of the University of Chicago, leader of “Let’s Move!”, an organization working to cope with the challenges of childhood obesity. Combining advocacy and a purely maternal instinct, Mrs. Obama has always felt devoted to social issues related to young people.
2. Hillary Clinton
It’s about the First Lady of the United States again, this time Hillary Clinton. Some people claim that there is no other woman in American political history like her. Although she was not elected president of her country, she served enough as a senator and secretary of state for many years.
After graduating as a lawyer, Hillary Rodham chose to work for the Child Protection Fund. When she was the first lady of the United States, she ran the children’s health insurance program through Congress, supporting a law providing health insurance for more than eight million children nationwide. In the spring of 1971, she met her law colleague Bill Clinton. She connected her destiny with him after her internship at the law firm of Treuhaft, Walker § Burnstein, famous for its support for constitutional rights, civil liberties, and radical causes.
3. Margaret Thatcher
Baroness Thatcher, The Iron Lady, is an excellent example of a stateswoman. For many years she was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Conservative Party. Lady Thatcher is the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the post until then.
Margaret Thatcher studied chemistry at Oxford. After that, she began studying law in 1952 and became a lawyer (court lawyer) a year later after passing the relevant exam. During this period, she was dedicated to her family and academic training, so she did not participate in politics but entered politics as an MP. Typical of the legal profession, Lady Thatcher passionately defended her views in politics. Despite her controversial political decisions, her achievements remain in history.
4. Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor is of Puerto American descent and has achieved a lot in her attorney career. She graduated with honors from Prince University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Yale Press School in 1979 with a Juris Doctor degree. After graduating, she worked as an assistant prosecutor in New York before continuing her private practice in 1984.
In August 2009, Sotomayor was elected to the US Supreme Court, becoming the first Latin American judge to hold this position. She is politically considered a centrist with a liberal bias. Since 2018, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
5. Elizabeth Warren
This remarkable lady is famous among the populists. Elizabeth Warren has served as a senior senator for the United States since Massachusetts since 2013. Still, before taking office, she was a law professor at the University of Texas Law School, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and Harvard Law School. Her experience is the greatest in the field of bankruptcy and commercial law.
Although she is regularly quoted as a possible candidate for president of the United States, Elizabeth Warren did not talk about her future plans. She remains loyal to the Democratic Party – particularly in progressive circles. As an experienced attorney, Warren is considered a consumer protection specialist.
6. Gloria Allred
Known as a very combative woman on women’s rights both inside and outside the courtroom, Gloria Allred is one of the most influential and respected women in the legal profession. Over the years, she has been serving a wide range of clients in cases of sexual harassment and discrimination against women’s employment rights. A virtuoso speaker, Gloria Allred is the queen of press conferences. Her clients include high-profile lawsuits against celebrities, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Esai Morales, Anthony Weiner, Scott Lee Cohen, and others.
7. Judy Sheindlin
That remarkable attorney lady is to all as Judge Judy. She is a US prosecutor, a former judge at the Manhattan Family Court, and a television personality, producer, and author. Since September 1996, she has been running her own successful Judge Judy series.
The charming woman took her bar exam in New York State in 1965 and became a prosecutor in the family court system. In 1982, the mayor of New York appointed her a judge, first in the criminal court and then as a supervisory judge in Manhattan.
Judy Sheindlin is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-serving judge in the history of courtroom programming. She also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2019.
8. Janet Reno
Janet Reno is an American lawyer who was the Attorney General of the United States under President Clinton, who nominated her in 1993. She is the first woman to be attorney general and the second longest-serving attorney general in US history.
Janet Reno graduated from Harvard Law School and began her career at a private law firm in Miami. She then worked for the district attorney’s office, after which she returned to her private practice. As a state attorney, she has built a reputation for ethical behavior, established a so-called drug court, worked actively in various civic organizations and child abuse cases. Janet Reno has been elected to the state prosecutor’s office five times.
9. Ada Kepley
In 1870, Ada Kepley became the first woman in the USA who has graduated from law school. But when she tried to get a license, she was denied because of a law in Illinois that forbids women from practicing law. When they finally repealed this law, Ada Kepley began working to support social reforms, especially abstinence. The lady became a staunch opponent of alcohol use and gambling. In addition, Kepley published anti-alcohol newspapers, in which she even mentioned the names of men who visited gambling parlors.
10. Myra Bradwell
Myra Bradwell is a famous American publisher and political activist who, similar to Ada Kepley, is trying to become the first woman admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association. She was the founder of the Chicago Legal News in 1868. She published a report on the law, and influenced by her case, in 1872, the Illinois legislature already passed a state law prohibiting gender discrimination in any profession, except military ones.
Myra Bradwell entered the Illinois College in 1890 and the US Supreme Court two years later, just four years before her death. In 1994, Myra Bradwell was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but the example of the ladies mentioned above lawyers is so striking that it has inspired many others who have also left trailblazing in the profession. Every female lawyer is a hero whose spirit continues to prevail in a world where women are still just beautiful objects in the men’s eyes. These ladies, titans in legal affairs, are names that we will never forget.
