Historic Icons of Law
Written by Emily Kemp
Marketing Executive
It’s crucial that we don’t allow the memory of these legal historic icons to fade into obscurity… so let’s look at their stories and their trailblazing contributions to changing the course of legal history!
1. Cornelia Sorabji
Cornelia Sorabji (born in India, 15th November 1866 – 6th July 1954) was the first woman to study law at Oxford University, first woman to graduate from Bombay University, the first female barrister in India, and the first woman to practice law in both England and India. That’s a lot of firsts, making her a veritable historic icon!
Sorabji was a relentless advocate for women’s rights in legal, social, and cultural contexts. Despite being denied the right to be recognised as a barrister initially, Sorabji often represented impoverished women for free as an ‘advocate’ until her recognition as a barrister in later years.
2. Helena Normanton
Helena Normanton (14th December 1882 – 14th October 1957) was the first woman to utilise the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919 and join a legal institution as a professional, making her application within hours of the law changing. She was also the second woman to be called to the Bar in England, after Ivy Williams.
Interestingly, Normanton was also the first woman in the UK to continue to use her own surname in her passport
after marriage, and the first woman to lead the prosecution in a murder trial in England, amongst other ‘firsts’.
3. Christian Frederick Cole
Christian Frederick Cole (born in Sierra Leone, 1852 – 1885) was the first Black African graduate of Oxford University (enrolling in 1873) and the first Black African Barrister in England.
After being called to the Bar a year prior, Cole first began practicing Law in the English Courts in 1884. Cole faced much racism during his studies and afterwards when practicing as a barrister. The discrimination he faced so severely impacted his ability to work that he ultimately moved to Zanzibar to practice in the consular court for the remainder of his career.
4. Ivy Williams
Dr Ivy Williams (7th September 1877 – 18th February 1966) retains many titles of being the first to do many things within the field of law.
Amongst these achievements she was the first woman in the UK to be called to the bar, the first woman to receive a Doctor of Civil Law Degree from Oxford University, and the first woman to teach law at an English university – St Anne’s College at Oxford, then known as The Society of Home Students.
Whilst she did not end up entering private practice, she served as an immense source of inspiration for other women wishing to enter into the field of law.
5. Charlotte E. Ray
Charlotte E. Ray (13th January 1850 – 4th January 1911) was the first African American woman to become a lawyer in the United States.
Determined to prove her ability, she even took her Bar exams under ‘C. E. Ray’ to conceal her gender, as women were not allowed to partake at that time in the District of Columbia.
After practicing law for a handful of years, Ray was forced to make a change of career due to the intense discrimination and racism she experienced in the industry. After leaving law Ray became a teacher in Brooklyn, where she is believed to have worked for the rest of her career.
These historic icons live on forever through the legacies they left behind, inspiring the next generations of legal legends. We have them to thank for much of our modern rights that we all-too-often take for granted.
Another fantastic source of inspiration for reflecting on the history of women in law is The First 100 Years. The First 100 Years is, in their own words, ‘a ground-breaking history project, supported by the Law Society, Bar Council and CILEx, charting the journey of women in law since 1919’ and very much worth viewing if you seek to be further educated on women in law in both a historic and present day context.
If you or someone you know is experiencing legal issues, please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our experienced and empathetic solicitors. Our team specialise in a number of fields of law and will be more than happy to help where possible.
Contact us by filling out the contact form below, or call us on 01582 343 453. Alternatively, you can email us at info@greystonesolicitors.co.uk.
