“Society as a whole benefits immeasurably from a climate in which all persons, regardless of race or gender may have the opportunity to earn respect, responsibility, advancement and remuneration based on ability.” – Sandra Day O’Connor (by the US National Archives).

With this as her motto, Justice O’Connor served as the first female United States Supreme Court Justice. The New Jersey Women Lawyers Association mourns the loss of this great trailblazer. 

After being unanimously appointed, Justice O’Connor served as an Associate Supreme Court Justice from 1981-2006. During her time on the Court, she protected the rights of women and minorities in her majority opinions including Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Grutter v. Bollinger. Justice O’Connor broke the glass ceiling for women lawyers, changing not only the structure of the Court, but the building itself. In a great example of how the Supreme Court and legal profession as a whole had been initially designed by and for men, after Justice O’Connor was appointed, the first women’s restroom was designated near the lauded Courtroom. After Justice O’Connor obtained her law degree from Stanford in 1952, the only job offer she received from a private law firm was as a legal secretary, so she entered public service. O’Connor was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2009. 

Justice O’Connor serves as a role model to many of our members, and showed girls and young women around the country that they could not only be successful lawyers, but perhaps even Supreme Court Justices someday. For that, we are thankful.