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 graduate from law school 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

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

Law Clerk

First female to clerk for Rhode Island's federal courts: Sandra L. Lynch (1971)^[5]

State judges

First female: Florence K. Murray (1942) in 1956^[6]
First female (district court): Corinne P. Grande in 1969^[7]^[8]
First female (Chief Justice; Rhode Island Superior Court): Florence K. Murray (1942) from 1978-1979^[6]
First female (Rhode Island Supreme Court): Florence K. Murray (1942) from 1979-1996^[6]
First Jewish American female (Rhode Island Supreme Court): Victoria Lederberg in 1993^[9]
First openly lesbian female: Melissa Dubose in 2019^[10]
First African American (female) (Rhode Island Supreme Court): Melissa A. Long in 2021^[11]
First Asian American (female) (superior court): Linda Rekas Sloan in 2021^[12]
First Latino American female (Rhode Island Family Court): Elizabeth Ortiz in 2021^[12]
First Indian American (female) (Rhode Island Family Court): Shilpa Naik in 2022^[13]

Federal judges

First African American female (U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit): Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson (1976) in 2010^[14]
First female (United States Magistrate Judge; United States District Court, District of Rhode Island): Patricia Sullivan in 2012^[15]
First African American and LGBT [female] (United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island): Melissa R. DuBose in 2024^[16]

Attorney General of Rhode Island

First female: Arlene Violet (1974) in 1985^[17]^[18]

Deputy Attorney General

First female: Susan E. McGuirl^[19]

United States Attorney

First female: Margaret E. Curran (1983) from 1998-2003^[20]

Public Defender

First female: Mary S. McElroy in 2012^[21]

Rhode Island Bar Association

First female president: Beverly Glen Long from 1981-1982^[22]
First Jewish American female president: Susan DeBlasio in 1989^[9]
First African American (female): Jametta Alston in 2004^[23]

Political Office

First female (senator): Florence K. Murray (1942)^[6]
First openly lesbian female (Rhode Island Senate; Fifteenth District): Donna Nesselbush (c. 1991) in 2011^[24]

Firsts in local history

Angelyne Cooper:^[12] First African American (female) to serve as a municipal court judge in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island (2021)
Elizabeth Ortiz:^[25] First Latino American female to serve as a municipal court judge in Central Falls (2019) [Providence County, Rhode Island]
Debra L. Chernick:^[26] First female President of the Washington County Bar Association, Rhode Island (2000-2004)

References

^ "Women's Legal History | Biographical Search". Women's Legal History. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
^ Association, American Bar (June 1975). ABA Journal. American Bar Association.
^ "New England Law | Boston – Centennial Exhibit (Blanche Braxton and Dorothy Crockett - Portia Law School 1921 and 1931)". student.nesl.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
^ 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.
^ "Sandra L. Lynch '68". Wellesley College. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Delaney, Michael. "Irish who left their mark on Rhode Island sod". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
^ Mooney, Tom. "Passages: Judge Corinne P. Grande, 89, presided over von Bulow retrial". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
^ 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.
^ ^a ^b Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes. Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. 2005.
^ Mulvaney, Katie. "Raimondo leaves legacy of diversity in RI courts". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
^ "Melissa Long sworn in as first Black justice in RI Supreme Court". WPRI.com. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Judicial appointments of women of color make R.I. history". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
^ "Governor McKee Swears in Five Judges | Governor's Office, State of Rhode Island". governor.ri.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
^ "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.
^ Mulvaney, Katie. "Pushing the bar in R.I.: 5 women who blazed trails through the legal system". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
^ "Melissa DuBose, a Black lesbian judge, makes R.I. history". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
^ Weatherford, Doris (2012). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. Los Angeles: CQ Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.
^ Rutgers, Center for American Women And Politics (accessed 5/23/2007) Archived May 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
^ Mulvaney, Katie. "Judge who unseated Corrigan has worked on high-profile RI cases". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
^ Congressional Record, V. 144, Pt. 19, October 19, 1998 to December 19, 1998. Government Printing Office.
^ Botelho, Jessica. "McElroy sworn in as first female RI Public Defender". Warwick Beacon. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
^ "Rhode Island Bar Association". www.ribar.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
^ Botelho, Bridget (2004-05-17). "Incoming bar president promotes diversity". Providence Business News. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
^ "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.
^ Brito, Arelis Peña (2019-01-29). "Nombran primera jueza latina en Tribunal Municipal de Central Falls". Acontecer Latino (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-07-28.
^ "Debra L. Chernick Esq. | Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP | Newport, Rhode Island". Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP. Retrieved 2018-12-25.

[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.

[:0-6] 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.

[:1-9] Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes. Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. 2005.

[10] Mulvaney, Katie. "Raimondo leaves legacy of diversity in RI courts". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2022-02-16.

[11] "Melissa Long sworn in as first Black justice in RI Supreme Court". WPRI.com. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-05-01.

[:2-12] "Judicial appointments of women of color make R.I. history". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

[13] "Governor McKee Swears in Five Judges | Governor's Office, State of Rhode Island". governor.ri.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-17.

[14] "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.

[15] Mulvaney, Katie. "Pushing the bar in R.I.: 5 women who blazed trails through the legal system". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-09.

[16] "Melissa DuBose, a Black lesbian judge, makes R.I. history". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.

[Weatherford-17] Weatherford, Doris (2012). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. Los Angeles: CQ Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.

[caw-18] Rutgers, Center for American Women And Politics (accessed 5/23/2007) Archived May 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine

[19] Mulvaney, Katie. "Judge who unseated Corrigan has worked on high-profile RI cases". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.

[20] Congressional Record, V. 144, Pt. 19, October 19, 1998 to December 19, 1998. Government Printing Office.

[21] Botelho, Jessica. "McElroy sworn in as first female RI Public Defender". Warwick Beacon. Retrieved 2019-03-25.

[22] "Rhode Island Bar Association". www.ribar.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.

[23] Botelho, Bridget (2004-05-17). "Incoming bar president promotes diversity". Providence Business News. Retrieved 2019-01-06.

[24] "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.

[25] Brito, Arelis Peña (2019-01-29). "Nombran primera jueza latina en Tribunal Municipal de Central Falls". Acontecer Latino (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-07-28.

[26] "Debra L. Chernick Esq. | Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP | Newport, Rhode Island". Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP. Retrieved 2018-12-25.

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