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Lavinia goodell

First Woman Admitted to practice Law in wisconsin

In 1874 Lavinia Goodell became the first woman admitted to practice law in Wisconsin. Ms. Goodell went on to become, among other things, one of the nation’s first female trial lawyers, Vice President of the Association for the Advancement of Woman, a jail reformer, a lobbyist, and a nationally respected writer. This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of her successful fight for the ability of women to practice law.

Ms. Goodell was born in Utica, New York in 1839 and moved to Janesville, Wisconsin with her family in 1871. She began to study law on her own shortly after arriving in Wisconsin. On June 17th, 1874, with sponsorship from local attorney Pliny Norcross, and after some pushback from the local Circuit Court judge tasked with conducting the oral exam required before admission, Ms. Goodell was sworn in as a lawyer.

Please join the Legal Association for Women, the Association for Women Lawyers, Women Lawyers of the North, and Wisconsin’s legal community in celebrating this 150th anniversary of Ms. Goodell’s admission to the bar!

For more information or to receive updates on this year’s celebrations contact wiswomenlaw150@gmail.com.