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First African-American lawyer to argue a case before the Supreme Court
Samuel R. Lowery was the first black lawyer to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/lowery-samuel-r-1830-or-1832-1900/ -
First Women to Graduate to be a Lawyer
Christabel Pankhurst was the first woman to graduate from the Victoria University, Manchester (now the University of Manchester), and the only woman studying law throughout her degree.https://first100years.org.uk/digital-museum/timeline/ -
Law School Approval
In 1923, the ABA began approving law schools according to its standards. But as late as 1951, 20 percent of American lawyers had not graduated from law school. Half of those had not graduated from college. By 1960 lawyer wannabes had to graduate from college, endure three years of law school and persuade a bar committee of their high moral character in order to practice law. https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/100_innovations_in_law -
First West African woman to take the bar
Stella Thomas became the first West African woman to be called to the Bar by Middle Temple on 19th May 1933. Stella graduated from Oxford University with a law degree and also became the first female Magistrate in Nigeria https://first100years.org.uk/digital-museum/timeline/ -
First U.S. Attorneys' Conference held
The first United States Attorneys' conference was held in April 1939 in Washington, D.C. https://www.justice.gov/usao/timeline/history#event-622486 -
Executive office for United States Attorneys established
EOUSA was created on April 6, 1953, by Attorney General Order No. 8-53. https://www.justice.gov/usao/eousa -
Computers Take Over!
The start of the law firm computer revolution in law began in the early 1970s when Wang introduced word processing computers, which became the center of law firms’ word processing departments. https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/100_innovations_in_law -
First Judge
Thurgood Marshall was an American lawyer who was appointed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1967. He was the first African-American to hold the position and served for 24 years, until 1991. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/thurgood-marshall -
Attorney General’s Advisory Committee created
The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee was created to provide advice and assistance to the United States Attorney General. https://www.justice.gov/usao/timeline/history#event-622406 -
First Lawyer Advertisement
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, allowing advertising by attorneys. So advertising began here. https://www.lawyermarketing.com/services/solutions/attorney-advertising-that-was-then-this-is-now/#:~:text=What%20can%20be%20called%20the,just%20over%2040%20years%20old. -
First Margaret Brent Awards For Women Lawyers
The first Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards is presented to women lawyers who have influenced other women to pursue legal careers and advanced opportunities for women within a of the legal profession. https://www.americanbar.org/about_the_aba/timeline/ -
Tech Tools
By the early 2000's, Deposition- transcript software became an essential tool for preparing deposition summaries. -
Geo-location Technology
Geo-location technology opened in 2000 and it allowed internet services providers to determine where a user is by tracking the user's Internet protocol address. Attorneys used the information in countless court cases. Great for evidence. http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/100_innovations_in_law -
Lawyer's PowerPoint
Lawyers want their audience to remember their carefully prepared statements. This could be done with the new technology by them presenting a slide presentation, like Microsoft PowerPoint.
https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/100_innovations_in_law -
Modern Technology can do the Lawyers work
Modern technology allows modern software to scan legal documents and find relevant casework for lawyers. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/06/technology-is-changing-the-legal-profession-and-law-schools.html#:~:text=Advances%20in%20technology%20such%20as,be%20automated%20by%20existing%20technology.