List of first women lawyers and judges in New York

Firsts in state history

Lawyers

• Kate Stoneman : First female lawyer in New York
• Rosalie Loew Whitney : First Jewish American female lawyer in New York
• Helen Z.M. Rodgers : First female lawyer to try a case before the New York State Court of Appeals
• Clarice Baright : First female admitted to the American Bar Association
• Ruth Whitehead Whaley : First African American female lawyer in New York
• Tsuneko Tokuyasu : Reputed to be the first Japanese American female lawyer in New York
• Irma Vidal Santaella : First Puerto Rican American female lawyer in New York
• Judith Lewis Meggesto : First Native American female lawyer in New York
• Loida Nicholas Lewis : First Asian American female to pass the New York State bar exam

  Judicial Officers

State

Judges

• Jean H. Norris: First female magistrate in New York
• Rebekah Bettelheim Kohut: First female judge on the Jewish Court of Arbitration in New York City
• Justine W. Polier: First female judge in New York
• Jane Bolin : First African American female judge in New York
• Dorothy Chin Brandt : First Asian American female judge in New York
• Faviola Soto : First female of Dominican Republic descent elected as a judge in New York
• Toko Serita: First Japanese American female judge in New York
• Connie Mallafre Melendez : First Cuban American female elected as a judge in New York
• Judy Kim : First Korean American female elected judge in New York
• Raja Rajeswari : First Indian American and South Asian female judge in New York
• Kathryn S. Paek : First Korean American female appointed judge in New York
• Rachel Freier : First Hasidic Jewish American female judge in New York
• Mojgan Lanman: First Iranian American female elected as a judge in New York

  Court of Claims

• Lillian Wan : First Asian American female to become a Judge of the New York Court of Claims

  Supreme Court

• Birdie Amsterdam : First female to become a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court
• Betty Weinberg Ellerin : First female appointed as an Associate Justice of the New York State Supreme Court
• Mary Johnson Lowe : First African American female elected to the New York State Supreme Court
• Irma Vidal Santaella : First Puerto Rican American female appointed as a Justice of the New York Supreme Court
• Marcy Kahn : First openly LGBT female appointed as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court
• Doris Ling-Cohan : First Asian American female elected to the New York State Supreme Court
• Diccia Pineda-Kirwan: First Hispanic American female to be elected to the New York State Supreme Court

  Supreme Court, Appellate Division (By Department)

• Betty Weinberg Ellerin : First female appointed as the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, First Department
• Rosalyn Richter : First openly LGBT female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, First Department
• Dianne Renwick : First African American female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, First Department
• Sallie Manzanet-Daniels: First Hispanic American female Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department
• Geraldine T. Eiber: First female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Second Department
• Sandra L. Townes: First African American female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Second Department
• A. Gail Prudenti: First female appointed as the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Second Department
• Betsy Barros: First Hispanic American female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Second Department
• Karen K. Peters: First female elected as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Third Department. She later became the first female to become the Presiding Justice of the Third Department.
• Ann T. Mikoll: First female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Third Department
• Elizabeth A. Garry: First openly LGBT female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Third Department
• M. Dolores Denman: First female appointed as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Fourth Department. She later became the first female to serve as the Presiding Justice of the Fourth Department.
• Rose Sconiers: First female appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division, New York State Supreme Court, Fourth Department
• Christina Ryba: First African African female appointed as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Third Judicial District

  Appellate Court

• Judith Kaye : First female appointed as a Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals and serve as its Chief Judge
• Carmen Ciparick : First Hispanic American female appointed as a Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals
• Sheila Abdus-Salaam : First African American female appointed as an Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals
• Doris Ling-Cohan : First Asian American female to become an appellate judge in New York State and sit on the Appellate Term
• Jenny Rivera : First Hispanic American female appointed as a Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals without having had a prior judgeship

  Chief Administrator

• Ann Pfau: First female to serve as the Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York
• Betty Weinberg Ellerin: First female to serve as the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York
• Fern Fisher: First African American female to serve as the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York

  Federal

District Court

• Deborah Batts : First openly LGBT / African American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Dora Irizarry : First Hispanic female appointed as a Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• Sonia Sotomayor : First Hispanic female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Elizabeth A. Wolford : First woman appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
• Lorna G. Schofield : First Filipino American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Pamela K. Chen : First openly LGBT / Asian American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• Alison J. Nathan : First openly LGBT female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Thérèse Wiley Dancks: First female to serve as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York
• Ona Wang: First Asian American female to serve as the U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York

  Circuit Court

• Amalya Lyle Kearse : First African American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

  Attorneys General

• Barbara Underwood : First female Acting Attorney General of New York
• Letitia "Tish" James : First female elected as the Attorney General of New York

  Deputy Attorney General

• Julie R. Jenney: First female to serve as the Deputy Attorney General for New York

  Assistant Attorney General

• Julie Regula Jenney : First female to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for New York

  Solicitor General

• Barbara Underwood : First female Solicitor General of New York

  United States Attorney

• Mary Jo White: First female to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Denise O’Donnell: First female to serve as a U.S. Attorney for Upstate New York

  Assistant United States Attorney

• Florence Perlow Shientag: First female to serve as the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Paula Ryan Conan and Nancy S. Jones: First females to serve as the Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Northern District of New York

  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney

• Mary Grace Quackenbos Humiston : First female to serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. and the Southern District of New York

  County Attorney

• Jane Hill Gordon: First female to serve as a County Attorney in New York

  District Attorney

• Charlotte Smallwood-Cook: First female elected as a District Attorney in New York

  Assistant District Attorney

• Helen P. McCormick : First female to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in New York
• Eunice Carter : First African American female to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in New York

  Political Office

• Mary Lilly : First female elected to the New York State legislature
• Geraldine Ferraro : First female vice presidential candidate for a major U.S. political party
• Hillary Clinton : First female Senator for New York. She would later become the first female U.S. presidential candidate

  Bar Association

• Maryann Saccomando Freedman : First female President of the New York State Bar Association

  Firsts in local history

Region

• Julie R. Jenny : First female lawyer in Central New York
• Lucinda M. Finley: First female lawyer from Western New York to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court

  New York City (in general)

• Jean H. Norris: First female magistrate in New York City, New York
• Clarice Baright : First Jewish female magistrate in New York City, New York
• Mary Bednar: First openly LGBT female appointed as a Judge of the New York City Family Court
• Patricia DiMango: First Italian American female to serve as a Judge of the Criminal Court of the City of New York
• Diccia Pineda-Kirwan: First Hispanic American female to be elected as Judge of the Civil Court
• Toko Serita: First Japanese American female appointed to the New York City Criminal Court
• Lillian Wan: First Asian American female appointed as a Judge of the Family Court in New York City
• Judy Kim: First Korean American female elected judge in New York City, New York

  Albany County

• Margaret Walsh: First openly LGBT female elected as a Judge of the Albany County Family Court, Third Department

  Bronx County (New York City)

• Cira Martinez: First Hispanic female to serve as a Judge of the Bronx Family Court
• Doris Gonzalez: First female to serve as a Justice of the Bronx Supreme Court, New York
• Nelida Malave-Gonzales: First Hispanic American female elected as the Surrogate in the Bronx
• Darcel Clark: First female District Attorney for Bronx County, New York

  Broome County

• Kathryn Grant Madigan: First female President of the Broome County Bar Association

  Cattaraugus County

• Lucy Thayer Waring : First female lawyer in Cattaraugus County, New York
• Lori Rieman: First female to serve as the District Attorney for Cattaraugus County, New York

  Cayuga County

• Kristin Garland: First female judge in Auburn, New York

  Chautauqua County

• Judith Claire: First female elected as a judge in Chautauqua County, New York

  Chemung County

• Minnie Knipp Porter: First female lawyer in Elmira, New York

  Chenango County

• Jane Hill Gordon: First female to serve as the County Attorney for Chenango County, New York
• Laura R. Parker: First female to serve as an Assistant District Attorney for Chenango County, New York

  Columbia County

• Victoria K. Hill: First female elected as a Justice in the town of Greenport, Columbia County, New York

  Delaware County

• Mabel Fenton: First female lawyer in Delaware County, New York

  Dutchess County

• Anna G. W. Dayley: First female lawyer in Dutchess County, New York
• Jane Bolin : First African American female to serve as the President of the Dutchess County Bar Association, New York

  Erie County

• Helen Z.M. Rodgers and Cecilia Bertha Wiener : First women to graduate from the University at Buffalo School
• Helen Z.M. Rodgers : First female lawyer in Buffalo, New York
• Winifred Claire Stanley : First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for Erie County, New York
• Carol McCormick Crosswell Smith : First female lawyer from Erie County to join the United Nations' legal staff
• Barbara Merriweather Sims : First African American female to graduate from the University of Buffalo
• Madge Taggart: First female to serve as the Buffalo City Court Judge and an Erie County Family Court Judge
• Rose LaMendola: First female to become a Judge of the Erie County Court Judge
• Maryann Saccomando Freedman: First female lawyer to become president of the New York Bar Foundation, the Bar Association of Erie County, and the New York State Bar Association
• Barbara Howe: First female to serve as a surrogate judge for Erie County, New York

  Essex County

• Julie A. Garcia: First female to serve as the District Attorney of Essex County, New York

  Franklin County

• Florence Boyce Bryant : Reputed to be the first woman to practice law in Franklin County, New York

  Genesee [County]

• Fern Kathleen Acomb: First female Public Defender for Genesee County, New York

  Herkimer County

• Helen T. Hooley : First female lawyer in Herkimer County, New York

  Jefferson County

• Amy Sayyeau-Simpson: First female elected as a judge in Rodman, New York
• Catherine J. Palermo: First female to become a Judge of the Watertown City Court

  Kings County (New York City)

• Jeanette G. Brill : First female magistrate in Brooklyn, New York
• Elizabeth Holtzman : First female District Attorney for Kings County, New York
• Patricia DiMango: First Italian American female to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York
• Margarita Lopez-Torres: First Hispanic American female elected to the Civil Court and serve as the Surrogate in Kings County
• Betsy Barros: First Hispanic American female elected to the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York
• Debra Silber: First openly LGBT female elected to the Civil Court in Kings County, New York

  Livingston County

• Helen Pratt : First female lawyer in Livingston County, New York
• Jennifer Noto: First female judge in Livingston County, New York

  Monroe County

• Patricia D. Marks First female elected as a Monroe County Court Judge
• Ellen Yacknin: First openly LGBT female elected as a Judge of the City Court of Rochester, Fourth Department
• Sandra Dooley: First female District Attorney for Monroe County, New York
• Paula C. Metzler: First female elected as Penfield Town Justice
• Karen Bailey Turner: First African American to serve as a Judge of the Monroe County Court

  Nassau County

• H. Barteau: First female lawyer in Nassau County, New York
• Kathleen Rice: First female District Attorney for Long Island

  New York County (New York City)

• Joan Lobis: First openly LGBT female elected to the New York City Supreme Court, as well as the Civil Court in New York County
• Rita Mella: First Hispanic American female elected as the Surrogate in New York County

  Niagara County

• Jacqueline M. Koshian : First female appointed as a Judge of the Niagara Falls City Court Niagara County, New York|
• Caroline Wojtaszek: First female District Attorney for Niagara County, New York

  Oneida County

• Winifred E. Welden : First female lawyer in Oneida County, New York
• Bernadette Romano Clark : First female judge in Oneida County, New York

  Onondaga County

• Julie R. Jenney : First female lawyer in Onondaga County, New York

  Ontario County

• Carrie Crane : First female lawyer in Ontario County, New York
• Holly Adams: First female appointed as County Attorney for Ontario County, New York
• Kristina "Kitty" Karle: First female to become a Judge of the Ontario County Court in New York

  Orange County

• Sadye Lascher: First female judicial officer for the city court in Orange County, New York

  Oswego County

• Kim Seager: First female judge in Oswego County, New York

  Queens County (New York City)

• Mojgan Lanman: First Iranian American female to serve as a Judge of the New York City Civil Court Queens County
• Diccia Pineda-Kirwan: First Hispanic American female elected as a Judge of the Civil Court in Queens County, New York
• Lourdes Ventura: First Latino American female to serve as the President of the Queens County Bar Association, New York

  Rensselaer County

• Mary O. Donohue: First female District Attorney for Rensselaer County, New York
• Debra Young: First female to serve as a Judge of the Rensselaer County Court

  Rockland County

• Natalie Couch : First woman to practice law in Rockland County, New York

  Saratoga County

• Francine Vero: First female to serve as a Judge of the City Court in Saratoga Springs, New York
• Dianne N. Freestone: First female to serve as an Assistant Public Defender for Saratoga County, New York
• Jennifer Jensen Bergan: First female elected as Judge of the Saratoga County Family Court Judge
• Karen Heggen: First female District Attorney for Saratoga County, New York

  Schenectady County

• Teneka Frost: First African American female to become a Judge of the Schenectady City Court

  Schoharie County

• Nellie Mae Crosby : First female lawyer in Schoharie County, New York

  Steuben County

• Jennifer Donlon : First female lawyer in Hornell, New York

  Suffolk County

• Lucy L. Liedtke and Syrena Stackpole : First female lawyers respectively in Suffolk County, New York
• Bertha Rembaugh: First female Justice of the Peace for Huntington, New York
• Catherine T. England : First female Judge of the Suffolk County Family Court and first female Justice of the Suffolk County Supreme Court
• Anne Mead : First female judge of the District Court in Suffolk County, New York
• Marguerite A. Smith : First Native American female lawyer in Suffolk County, New York
• Rita Adler : First female Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, New York
• Mary M. Werner : First female District Administrative Judge in Suffolk County, New York
• Valerie S. Manzo : Co-founder and first President of Suffolk County Women's Bar Association
• Patricia E. Salkin : First female lawyer to become a school Dean in Suffolk County, New York
• Christine Malafi : First female County Attorney of Suffolk County, New York
• Victoria Gumbs-Moore: First African American elected as a Judge of the Family Court in Suffolk County, New York

  Sullivan County

• Nellie Childs Smith, Rose Rosen and Frances Cosor: First female lawyers in Sullivan County, New York
• Cheryl McCausland: First female to serve as the County Attorney for Sullivan County, New York

  Tompkins County

• Georgia Hare : First female lawyer in Tompkins County, New York

  Ulster County

• Karen Peters: First female to a Judge of the Family Court in Ulster County, New York
• Deborah Schneer: First female to serve as a Judge of the Ulster County Court, New York

  Warren County

• Paulette Kershko: First female to win a countywide judge race in Warren County, New York

  Westchester County

• Jeanine Pirro : First female judge in Westchester County, New York. She was also the first female District Attorney in the same county.
• Maria Vazquez-Doles: First Hispanic American female elected to the Supreme Court in the Ninth Judicial District

  Wyoming County

• Charlotte Smallwood-Cook: First female District Attorney in Wyoming County, New York

  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 New York