Congratulations to the 2024 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards Honorees!
These five outstanding women lawyers will be honored during the ABA Annual Meeting on Sunday, August 4, 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. CT at the Swissotel Chicago.
- Dolores Atencio; Visiting Scholar, University of Denver Latinx Center, Sturm College of Law, Denver, CO
- Pamila J. Brown; Associate Judge, Howard County District Court, Ellicott City, MD
- Estelle H. Rogers; Retired Public Interest Lawyer, Forestville, CA
- Gina Shishima; Ph.D., Chief Strategy and Operations Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, Austin, TX
- Barbara Wall; Current Board Member and former Chief Legal and Operating Officer of Gannett Co., Inc., Washington, DC
These esteemed honorees were chosen because they carry the legacy of Margaret Brent. Margaret Brent was the first woman lawyer in America. She arrived in the colonies in 1638. She was a master negotiator, an accomplished litigator, and a respected leader. She was involved in 124 court cases over 8 years and won every case. In 1648, she formally demanded a “vote and voice” in the Maryland Assembly, which the governor denied. Over 250 years later, Harper’s magazine noted: “By this action, Margaret Brent undoubtedly placed herself as the first woman in America to stand for the rights of her sex." View a video about Margaret Brent's life here.