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    Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards

    Each year, the Commission on Women in the Profession honors up to five outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence and paved the way for other women in the legal profession.  The award recipients are honored at the ABA Annual Meeting.

    Congratulations to the 2024 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards Honorees

    The event was held on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the Swissotel Chicago.

    Margaret Brent Awards Ceremony & Reception

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    Meet the - 2024 Honorees

    2024 Margaret Brent Award Sponsors

    Thank You to the Generous Supporters of the 2024 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards!

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    34th Annual Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards

    The event was held on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the Swissotel Chicago, in conjunction with the ABA Annual Meeting, to honor five outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence and paved the way for other women in the legal profession.

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    Margaret Brent Award Nomination Information

    Margaret Brent was the first woman lawyer in America, arriving in the colonies in 1638. The Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, established by the Commission in 1991, recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of women lawyers who have excelled in their field and have paved the way to success for other women lawyers.

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    About Previous Brent Honorees

    Honorees receiving the Margaret Brent Award have achieved professional excellence in their field and influenced other woman to pursue legal careers, opened doors for women lawyers in a variety of job settings that historically were closed to them, and/or advanced opportunities for women within a practice area or segment of the profession.

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    Who Was 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 eight 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 make a stand for the rights of her sex.”