Women and the Law

Women in the law

The purpose of the ”Women and the Law“ project is to acknowledge the contributions of women in Michigan, not only to the legal profession, but also to the daily lives of the people. While there are undoubtedly countless influential women in our past and present, this list is simply meant to highlight a few of the most renowned. The descriptions that accompany each name are not intended to provide a detailed overview of the entire life of the individual, but rather to concentrate on their most publicly recognized or personally important accomplishments to date and the impact of these achievements on other women in the legal profession and in the general population of Michigan. This project is meant to serve as a basic introduction to the many women who have changed the Michigan legal system to better reflect the values of all it represents.

Octavia Bates

Patricia Boyle

Mary Coleman

Maura Corrigan

Julia Darlow

Anne Davidow

Joyce Dixson

Jennifer Granholm

Martha Griffiths

Marilyn Kelly

Jean Ledwith King

Virginia Nordby

Dorothy Riley

Emelia Schaub

Jessie Pharr Slaton

Martha Strickland

Anna Diggs Taylor

Elizabeth Weaver

Sarah Killgore Wertman

On June 13, 2024, the Miller Johnson law firm in Grand Rapids and Michigan Supreme Courts Historical Society hosted The Legacy of Women on the Michigan Supreme Court: A Conversation with Current Justice Elizabeth Welch and Former Justice Maura Corrigan. An article write-up in available as well as the recording of the event.

Many thanks to Justices Welch and Corrigan for their participation and Miller Johnson for hosting!