State Bar of Wisconsin

Celebrating the Short History of Women in the Law

By Susan Steingass

On Oct. 28, 1998, at the Monona Terrace and Convention Center in Madison, the State Bar of Wisconsin celebrates the lives and careers of the first 150 women lawyers to practice in this state. These women span the time from 1879 to 1943, a 60-year periods in Wisconsin history. This is the State Bar's contribution to Wisconsin's own 150th birthday party commemorating the statehood of this great state. We honor the lives and careers of these remarkable women, but of their colleagues, families, and the men and women who made it possible for them to reach such achievements.

This event to modeled after a similar one sponsored by the State Bar of Utah. While attending an informal session of women bar leaders at the American Bar Association convention, the president of the State Bar of Utah described an event celebrating that state¹s first 100 women to practice law. In Utah the last of the first 100 women went into the law school class of 1976, which was my class. In fact, one of my friends from law school was one of the honorees.

This really pulled me up short. It was hard to believe that it was well into the second half of the 1970s before the 100th woman was admitted to practice law. It reminded me how short the history of women in the law is. In Wisconsin the 150th woman entered the practice of law in 1943.

Publishing the biographies of these remarkable women has been challenging and personally rewarding. With the assistance of nearly 150 volunteers, we have culled material from the often sketchy records of the State Historical Society law school alumni record obituaries published in local newspapers, city directories, and so on. In some cases, conversations with friend and family members revealed rich detail not available in any published account. I believe you will find the following biographies fascinating as I have.

Let us, through this event and this book, celebrate the achievement of the women who paved the path for today's women lawyers.

Susan Steingass is the current president of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

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