For centuries, the legal profession was closed to women, despite their long history of engaging with the law in unofficial capacities. International Women’s Day serves as a moment to reflect on progress, recognising the pioneering women who reshaped the legal profession and paved the way for future generations.
Long before women could formally practise law, some were recognised for their legal acumen or skill in oratory. In ancient Rome, women were barred from advocacy, but some challenged these norms; in 42 BC Hortensia, daughter of consul and orator Quintus Hortensius, famously argued before the Second Triumvirate against taxation imposed on women to fund civil war, achieving the significant reduction of the tax. Caia Afrania, the wife of a Roman senator, also ended up starting a busy practice of speaking for others in court after successfully defending herself, earning scorn and the introduction of a law that women could not speak on behalf of others.
Similarly, in the Islamic Golden Age, women played roles in adjudication and legal scholarship, particularly in areas such as family law. Notably, in the Ottoman Empire, women could serve as muftis, advising on religious and civil legal matters.
However, these were exceptions, not the rule. For most of history, women were excluded from the formal structures of legal practice. That began to change in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The 19th century saw the first women formally recognised as lawyers, though not without resistance. In the United States, Arabella Mansfield became the first female lawyer in 1869 after challenging Iowa’s restrictive bar admission rules. Her legacy inspired the Mansfield Rule, which today promotes diversity in legal hiring – a direct link between history and ongoing efforts for equity in the profession, which we analyse in a recent article.
In the UK, the fight for equality in law was long and hard-won. Eliza Orme became the first woman to earn a law degree in England from UCL in 1888 but was barred from qualifying as a solicitor or barrister. She nevertheless opened the country’s first legal office run by women with her UCL peer Mary Richardson, working within the system by offering document drafting and legal opinion rather than advice.
It wasn’t until 1920 that Madge Easton Anderson became the first woman to qualify as a solicitor in the UK (in Scotland), followed by Carrie Morrison, who became the first woman solicitor in England & Wales in 1922. This came after the landmark Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919, which finally allowed women to enter the profession. Meanwhile, in parallel, Ivy Williams became the first woman to be called to the Bar in England in 1922, followed by Helena Normanton, the first woman to practise as a barrister and later one of the first female King’s Counsel.
Across the world, similar breakthroughs were taking place, from Clara Brett Martin in Canada, who in 1897 became the first woman lawyer in the British Empire, to Anna Chandy in India, who practised law from 1929 and later became the country’s first female high court judge. Each of these women fought systemic opposition, laying the groundwork for today’s female legal professionals.
Today, women are entering the legal profession in record numbers, though disparities remain, particularly at senior levels. While progress has been made, the legacy of these pioneers serves as a reminder that equity in law is not just about access, but about leadership, influence and continuous evolution.
At SSQ, we are proud to work with exceptional female legal talent around the world. As we celebrate these historic achievements, we also look forward to a future where opportunity in law is truly universal.
