Women Criminal Defense Attorneys: History and Inspiration

Each of us needs some encouragement and some inspiration from time to time. And one of my favorite sources of inspiration as a woman and a lawyer is the Makers website. If you’re not familiar with the site, which is a joint venture between PBS and AOL, I highly recommend that you check it out.  The site features a collection of video interviews of women, from all walks of life and from a wide range of professional sectors, sharing stories of their struggles and achievements.  The lawyers featured include Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor, Hilary Clinton, attorney Mae O’Malley, who started a law firm that is made up of eighty percent women lawyers focused on creating a more flexible work environment, and Sarah Weddington, who argued Roe v. Wade. (You can watch the interview with Justice Ginsburg at the bottom of this post.)

There are many inspiring videos, including an interview with the first woman to enter the Boston Marathon. She entered without identifying her gender only to be attacked by the director once he realized that a woman was running.  What I love about Makers is that it develops an oral history for women regarding our history and our struggles for equality.  At the same time it reminds us that that we need to assume the responsibility to affect change.  The stories are inspiring because the common thread that you see throughout the interviews is the courage that  these women had to forge a different path and push against the status quo.

There has been so much discussion in the last couple years about the imbalance of power between men and women in the legal field.  It will take courage and perseverance by those of us in the trenches to change things.

One of my primary goals and hopes for this blog is that it will create a history of the amazing women criminal lawyers around the country that are real champions of justice. That history is so important because it serves to inspire us all. It not only inspires younger women who aspire to be criminal lawyers, but it also reminds those of us that have been around for a while that we are not alone. I think the real recipe for change starts with connecting women in this field, supporting each other, and reaching out, up and back. And I hope this blog can play a role in this process.

With that in mind, I need your help to construct this history. Please share with me stories of women around the country that you think should be highlighted, or specific cases that you or someone you know is working on. I look forward to hearing from you!