Albany Law School has hosted an annual Kate Stoneman Day since 1994 to celebrate the first woman admitted to the Bar in New York, who was also the first woman to attend Albany Law School. This important book shares the inspiration, advice and experiences of pioneering women in the legal profession who continue to pave the way for others. Their speeches, delivered at Kate Stoneman Day and published here, are from our leading women lawyers-many of them active members of the American Bar Association as well as judges, professors and partners in major law firms. Book jacket.

Woman Lawyer tells the story of Clara Foltz, the first woman admitted to the California Bar. Famous in her time as a public intellectual, leader of the women's movement, and legal reformer, Foltz faced terrific prejudice and well-organized opposition to women lawyers as she tried cases in front of all-male juries, raised five children as a single mother, and stumped for political candidates. She was the first to propose the creation of a public defender to balance the public prosecutor. Woman Lawyer uncovers the legal reforms and societal contributions of a woman celebrated in her day, but lost to history until now. It casts new light on the turbulent history and politics of California in a period of phenomenal growth and highlights the interconnection of the suffragists and other movements for civil rights and legal reforms.

Cornelia Sorabji (1866 1954) was a pioneer woman lawyer of India whose formative years coincided with the high noon of the British empire. Discussing Sorabji s life and times, this biography focuses on her decisive role in opening up the legal profession to women much before they were allowed to plead before the courts of law.

In Rebels at the Bar, prize-winning legal historian Jill Norgren recounts the life stories of a small group of nineteenth century women who were among the first female attorneys in the United States. Beginning in the late 1860s, these determined rebels pursued the radical ambition of entering the then all-male profession of law. They were motivated by a love of learning. They believed in fair play and equal opportunity. They desired recognition as professionals and the ability to earn a good living. Rebels at the Bar expands our understanding of both women's rights and the history of the legal profession in the nineteenth century. It focuses on the female renegades who trained in law and then, like men, fought considerable odds to create successful professional lives. In this engaging and beautifully written book, Norgren shares her subjects' faith in the art of the possible. In so doing, she ensures their place in history.

The life and times of a trailblazing feminist in American law. The first female Stanford law professor was also first director of the District of Columbia Public Defender Service, one of the first women to be an Assistant Attorney General of the United States, and the biographer of California’s first woman lawyer, Clara Foltz. Survivor, pioneer, leader, and fervent defender of the powerless and colorful mobsters alike, Barbara Babcock led by example and by the written word—and recounts her part of history in this candid and personal memoir. “For woman lawyers, Barbara Babcock has led the way. How? By being smarter and tougher than the men; also, more empathetic and self-aware. Funny, shrewd, and telling, her memoir Fish Raincoats is a joy to read.” — Evan Thomas, author of Being Nixon: A Man Divided “An immensely engaging, articulate and detail-rich memoir from a pioneer who helped forge the path for women in the legal profession. Barbara Babcock taught, mentored and inspired generations of law students to look beyond the billable hour; she has chronicled her times—the modern Women’s Movement, the challenges and characters she met along the way—with insight, humility and grace.” — Thelton E. Henderson, Senior U.S. District Judge, San Francisco “Life will afford you no better sherpa on the extraordinary journey women have taken in the legal profession than Barbara Babcock. From her description of her career in DC courtrooms, to her role in the battle to defeat the Bork nomination, and her pathbreaking biography of another woman ‘first,’ she is the same warm and generous storyteller and narrator who welcomed untold numbers of new students to Stanford Law School and assured us all that we indeed had a place in the life of the law. This should be required reading for anyone who isn’t certain that they have a place at the lawyers table. Babcock’s amazing life has made a space for so many of us. Her story will do the same.” — Dahlia Lithwick, Senior Editor, Slate “‘But men are writing the history!’ Barbara Babcock thought to herself in response to a sexist comment about women in the law years ago. Not anymore. Babcock spins her formidable legal career into insightful stories about how she made her way and made her field her own. The best kind of personal history.” — Emily Bazelon, author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy Fish Raincoats is a compelling new addition to the Journeys & Memoirs Series from Quid Pro Books; also available in paperback and clothbound editions. Quality digital formatting includes linked notes, active Contents, active URLs in notes, and all the original images (thirteen, most in color) from the print editions.