The San Francisco call., 1896-12-13


had to contend with in the past in follow
| ing legal pursuits. Left widow with
children while yet young woman, she
determined to practice law in California,
despite the fact that the State code gave
no authority to women to enter the legal
profession. That obstacle was soon re-
moved, ard she attempted to enter the
Hastings College in San Francisco. The
| faculty refused to admit her, and she
brought a suit which was finally decided
| in her favor. She was admitted to prac-
tice in the District Court of California,
! then in the California Supreme Court
and finally in the Supreme Court of the
United States, achieving, after many dif-
fclties, complete triumph in her fight
for legal status as a lawyer. Another
woman who was early admitted to prac-
tice in the United States courts is Mrs.
Emma H. Haddock, who is now a men,
ber OF the faculty of the Iowa State Uni
versity.
Chicago is said to. have more women
lawyers than any other city in the coun-
try. Of these Ellen A. Martin is one of
the most prominent and has been longest
practitioner. She made her first essay
at the law in Chicago nineteen years ago.
A remarkable woman lawyer of Chicago
is Miss Blanche Fearing, who is poet as
we'll as lawyer and has done excellent
work in both fields in spite of great
handicap. She is totally blind. Milwau-
kee has a family of women lawyers. Mrs.
Kate Pier and her three daughters have
all been admitted to the bar and are in
active practice, with a business which is
already large and is rapidly growing.
There are many other prominent women
lawyers in the various cities, and their
work proves the falsity of the old belief
that women have neither the inclination
nor the ability to master the lntricacies of
the law. 1t is true that a woman arguing
case before jury is a rarity, but it must
be remembered that the great bulk OF
legal business is done out of court and not
in it. In talk with the writer on women
in the law Mrs. Cornelia Hood of Brook
lyn. who is the founder CT the Women's
Legal Education Society, has the follow
ing to say:
II think the time is coming when a
knowledge OF the law Will be considered
an essential part of the education of both
men and women. In the last few years
the Legislatures in most of the States
have very considerably augmented
women's civil rights and are continuing
to do so. To understand and reap the
benefit of her new position in the eyes of
the law woman must have some legal
knowledge; when she acquires the right
to take part in the affairs of government
through her ballot she will be at great
disadvantage if she does not know some
thing of legal principles. | believe that
women lawyers will be in demand in the
near future, and therefore l think that
the law is good profession for bright
women. It is no more difficult than other
professions for women whose reasoning
powers are good and just as interesting
when once entered.
THE woman practitioner need not 60
into the courts unless she desires to. A
great many lawyers have lucrative office
practices, ana clever woman may do a
great deal of business managing estates
for women and advising them in matters
of law. l do not believe, however, that
women need have any trepidation about
practicing in the courts. The few who
have attempted it have been remarkably
successful. Tuey have received the closest
attention from juries, and the judges have
IN most cases treated them in all respects
like their masculine fellow-lawyers. The
public is rapidly becoming accustomed to
women lawyers 1t is beginning to appre-
ciate the fact that they are careful, con-
scientious and capable"