According to a recent ABA report, women are reshaping the legal profession, now making up more than 4 in 10 of the nation’s lawyers, while female law students outnumber their male counterparts. It’s a significant shift, but it didn’t happen overnight. Not so long ago, the legal profession was considered off-limits to women. These five pioneers refused to accept the world as it was. They studied, they fought, they argued, and they won not just for themselves, but for every woman who would come after them. Here are five women in law who didn’t just enter the courtroom—they changed it forever.
Trailblazing Women in Law
1. Arabella Mansfield (1846–1911)
Before Arabella Mansfield, the law was simple: women need not apply. In 1869, she became the first woman in the United States to be admitted to the bar, breaking a rule that had explicitly reserved the legal profession for white men. As such, she’s also recognized as the first female lawyer in the United States.
2. Charlotte E. Ray (1850–1911)
Just three years after Arabella Mansfield became the first woman admitted to the bar, Charlotte E. Ray shattered another barrier entirely. In 1872, she became the first African American woman to practice law in the United States and the first woman admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C. after earning her law degree from Howard University School of Law. She reportedly applied to the bar using the name ‘C.E. Ray’ to disguise her gender.
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3. Constance Baker Motley (1921–2005)
If you want to talk about a track record, look no further than Constance Baker Motley. As a civil rights attorney, she argued ten cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and won nine of them. However, the legal precedent from her one loss was eventually overturned by the Court 21 years later, vindicating her argument all along. Even so, a 90% success rate is a batting average most lawyers can only dream of. Her cases helped dismantle segregation and expand civil rights for millions of Americans. She also went on to become the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary in 1966, and the first female Manhattan Borough President.
4. Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020)
Few female figures in American legal history are as instantly recognizable as Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Long before she became a cultural icon and Supreme Court Justice, RBG co-founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project and argued landmark gender equality cases that changed the legal landscape for women across the country. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 and served until her passing in 2020. Her legacy is woven into the very fabric of American law—and her lace collar garnered its own following along the way.
5. Sandra Day O’Connor (1930–2023)
In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor made history as the first woman ever appointed to the United States Supreme Court. Nominated by President Reagan, she served for 25 years as one of its most influential justices. O’Connor’s appointment inspired generations of young women to pursue careers in law. She passed away in December 2023, leaving behind a legacy that will echo through the courts for generations to come.
Final Thoughts
These five women in law represent just a fraction of the extraordinary legal minds who have shaped American law. Their careers spanned different eras, courtrooms, and causes, but each of them moved the needle in ways that are still felt today. If you’re a woman considering law as a career, remember that the profession they fought hard to enter is still yours to shape. Go make your mark!
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