Honorees receiving the Margaret Brent Award have achieved professional excellence in their field by:
- Influencing other women to pursue legal careers,
- Opening doors for women lawyers in a variety of job settings that historically were closed to them and/or
- Advancing opportunities for women within a practice area or segment of the profession.
The Margaret Brent Awards are named for 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 stand for the rights of her sex." See this video about Margaret Brent's life to understand why it is so critical that our honorees carry on her legacy!
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