List of first women lawyers and judges in Rhode Island

This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Rhode Island. It includes the year in which the women were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are women who achieved other distinctions such becoming the first in their state to obtain a law degree or become a political figure.

Firsts in state history
Mary Ann Greene: First female lawyer to argue a case before the Rhode Island Supreme Court (1907)

Lawyers
  • Mary Ann Greene (1888; Massachusetts):[1] First female lawyer to argue a case before the Rhode Island Supreme Court (1907)
  • Ada Lewis Sawyer (1920):[2] First female lawyer in Rhode Island
  • Dorothy Crockett (1932):[3][4] First African American female lawyer in Rhode Island

Law Clerk
  • Sandra L. Lynch (1971):[5] First female to serve as a law clerk for the federal courts in Rhode Island
Judges
Superior Court
District Court
  • Corinne P. Grande:[7][8] First female district court judge in Rhode Island (1969)
Supreme Court
  • Florence K. Murray (1942):[6] First female to serve as a Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court (1979–1996)
Appellate Court
  • Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson (1976):[9] First African American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (2010)

District Court
  • Patricia Sullivan:[10] First female to serve as a United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island (2012)

Attorney General

Deputy Attorney General
  • Susan E. McGuirl:[13] First female to become the Deputy Attorney General of Rhode Island

United States Attorney

Public Defender
  • Mary S. McElroy:[15] First female to serve as the Public Defender for the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office (2012)

Political Office

Bar Association
  • Beverly Glen Long:[17] First female to serve as the President of the Rhode Island Bar Association (1981-1982)
  • Jametta Alston:[18] First African American female (and African American in general) to serve as the President of the Rhode Island Bar Association (2004)

Firsts in local history

Alphabetized by county name

Washington County
  • Debra L. Chernick:[19] First female President of the Washington County Bar Association, Rhode Island (2000-2004)

See also

Other topics of interest

References
  1. "Women's Legal History | Biographical Search". Women's Legal History. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  2. Association, American Bar (June 1975). ABA Journal. American Bar Association.
  3. "New England Law | Boston – Centennial Exhibit (Blanche Braxton and Dorothy Crockett - Portia Law School 1921 and 1931)". student.nesl.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
  4. Bell, Andrew J. (May 1997). An assessment of life in Rhode Island as an African American in the era from 1918 to 1993. Vantage Press. ISBN 9780533120659.
  5. "Sandra L. Lynch '68". Wellesley College. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  6. Delaney, Michael. "Irish who left their mark on Rhode Island sod". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  7. Mooney, Tom. "Passages: Judge Corinne P. Grande, 89, presided over von Bulow retrial". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  8. Friendly, Jon; Times, Special to The New York (1985-06-02). "Judge Grande: She Keeps Von Bulow Case on Track". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  9. "Senate Confirms O. Rogeriee Thompson for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island". www.whitehouse.senate.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  10. Mulvaney, Katie. "Pushing the bar in R.I.: 5 women who blazed trails through the legal system". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
  11. Weatherford, Doris (2012). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. Los Angeles: CQ Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  12. Rutgers, Center for American Women And Politics (accessed 5/23/2007) Archived May 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  13. Mulvaney, Katie. "Judge who unseated Corrigan has worked on high-profile RI cases". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  14. Congressional Record, V. 144, Pt. 19, October 19, 1998 to December 19, 1998. Government Printing Office.
  15. Botelho, Jessica. "McElroy sworn in as first female RI Public Defender". Warwick Beacon. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  16. "Marriage Equality Rhode Island: Sen. Donna Nesselbush talks to GET (signing ceremony VIDEO) - Rhode Islands Premier All Inclusive Magazine | GET RI Magazine". get-ri.com. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  17. "Rhode Island Bar Association". www.ribar.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  18. Botelho, Bridget (2004-05-17). "Incoming bar president promotes diversity". Providence Business News. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
  19. "Debra L. Chernick Esq. | Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP | Newport, Rhode Island". Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
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