List of first women lawyers and judges in Minnesota

Firsts in state history

Lawyers

• Martha Angle Dorsett : First female lawyer in Minnesota
• Lena O. Smith : First African American female lawyer in Minnesota
• Margaret Treuer : First Native American female lawyer in Minnesota. She would later become a tribal judge.
• Ilean Her : First Hmong American female lawyer in Minnesota

  Judicial Officers

State

Judges

• Eleanor Nolan: First female to briefly serve as a municipal court judge in Minnesota
• Betty Whitlock Washburn: First female judge in Minnesota
• Pamela Alexander: First African American female judge in Minnesota
• Regina Chu: First Asian American female judge in Minnesota
• Susan N. Burke: First Japanese American judge in Minnesota
• Sophia Vuelo : First Hmong American female judge in Minnesota

  District Court

• Linda S. Titus : First female appointed as a Judge of the Fifth Judicial District in Minnesota
• Leslie Metzen : First female appointed as a Judge of the First Judicial District in Minnesota

  Court of Appeals

• Natalie Hudson: First African American female to serve as a Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals

  Supreme Court

• Rosalie E. Wahl: First female appointed as a Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
• Margaret Chutich : First openly LGBT female appointed as a Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
• Anne McKeig : First Native American appointed as a Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
• Wilhelmina Wright : First African American female appointed as a Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

  Federal

Bankruptcy Court

• Margaret A. Mahoney: First female to serve as a Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Minnesota

  Appellate Court

• Diana E. Murphy: First female federal judge in Minnesota

  District Court

• Margaret Treuer : First Native American female to serve as a U.S. Magistrate for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota

  Attorney General

• Lori Swanson: First female Attorney General of Minnesota

  Solicitor General

• Cathy Haukedahl : First female Solicitor General of Minnesota

  United States Attorney

• Rachel Paulose : First Indian American female to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota

  County Attorney

• Mary P. Walbran : First female to serve as a County Attorney in Minnesota
• Helen Hill Bianz and Susan Grimsley: First females elected as County Attorneys in Minnesota

  Assistant County Attorney

• Phyllis Jean Jones: First female to serve as an Assistant County Attorney in Minnesota

  Bar Association

• Helen Kelly: First female to serve as the President of the Minnesota State Bar Association
• Sonia Miller-Van Oort: First Hispanic American female to serve as the President of the Minnesota State Bar Association
• Luz Maria Frias: First female to serve as the President of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association

  Firsts in local history

Region

• Gail Murray: First female judge in Northern Minnesota

  Anoka County

• Elizabeth A. Hayden : First female judge north of Anoka County, Minnesota

  Carlton County

• Leslie Beiers: First female to serve as a Judge of the Carlton County Sixth Judicial District

  Dakota County

• Leslie Metzen : First female judge in Dakota County, Minnesota

  Dodge County

• Susan Grimsley: First female elected as County Attorney in Dodge County, Minnesota

  Hennepin County

• Betty Whitlock Washburn: First female judge in Hennepin County, Minnesota
• LaJune Johnson-Lange: First African American female to serve as an Assistant Public Defender in Hennepin County, Minnesota
• Helen Kelly: First female to serve as the President of the Hennepin County Bar Association
• Pamela Alexander: First African American female judge in Hennepin County, Minnesota
• Amy Klobuchar: First female elected as the County Attorney for Hennepin County, Minnesota
• Adine Momoh: First minority female to serve as the President of the Hennepin County Bar Association, Minnesota

  Itasca County

• Helen Hill Bianz: First female elected as County Attorney in Itasco County, Minnesota

  Ramsey County

• Phyllis Jean Jones: First female to serve as an Assistant County Attorney in Ramsey County, Minnesota
• Harriet Lansing : First female judge in Ramsey County, Minnesota
• Gail Chang Bohr : First Asian American female judge in Ramsey County, Minnesota

  Scott County

• R. Kathleen Morris: First female to serve as the County Attorney for Scott County, Minnesota

  Stearns County

• Elizabeth A. Hayden : First female judge in Stearns County, Minnesota
• Virginia Marso : First female lawyer in St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota
• Janelle P. Kendall : First female County Attorney in Stearns County, Minnesota

  Steele County

• Mary P. Walbran : First female lawyer in Steele County, Minnesota

  Washington County

• Juanita Freeman: First African American female to serve as a Judge of the Tenth Judicial District in Washington County, Minnesota

  Winona County

• Karin Sonneman: First female to serve as the County Attorney for Winona County, Minnesota

  Other topics of interest

• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States
• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Minnesota