Ada Kepley: The First Woman to Graduate from Law School – A Pioneer of Justice

Meet Ada Kepley

Imagine being told you can’t study law because you’re a woman. Ada Kepley didn’t just imagine it—she lived it and changed the course of history. In 1870, she became the first woman to graduate from a formal law school in the United States. This was a time when women were expected to focus on home and family, not legal arguments or courtroom battles. Higher education for women was rare, and professional education in law was almost unheard of. Most people thought women lacked the intellect or temperament for such work. Kepley proved them wrong by earning her Bachelor of Laws from Union College of Law in Chicago. Her graduation was a quiet but powerful act of defiance, a crack in a door that had been firmly shut.

Why It Still Matters

Ada Kepley’s story isn’t just a historical footnote. It matters now because it shows how individual courage can challenge deep-seated norms. In an era when gender equality is still a work in progress, her journey puts today’s struggles in perspective. Law, once a male-only fortress, is now a field where women comprise over half of law school students. But leadership positions in law—judgeships, law firm partnerships, corporate counsel roles—still lag behind in representation. Kepley’s achievement reminds us that every step forward starts with someone willing to be the first. When you see a female judge or lawyer, you can trace a line back to pioneers like her. She’s a symbol of resilience, proving that change is possible even when the world tells you no. Her story also connects to broader fights for equality, like the suffrage movement, and encourages us to appreciate how far we’ve come while acknowledging how far we still have to go.

What Did She Accomplish Exactly?

Let’s be precise. Ada Kepley was the first woman to graduate from a law school in the United States. She received her degree in 1870 from Union College of Law, which later became part of Northwestern University’s law school. This is different from being the first woman to practice law. That honor belongs to Arabella Mansfield, who was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1869 after studying law in an office—the traditional apprenticeship route. Kepley, however, completed a formal academic program, attending classes and passing exams at a time when most institutions barred women entirely.

Her accomplishment wasn’t about immediate courtroom glory. After graduation, she was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1870 but rarely practiced. Instead, she used her legal knowledge for activism: promoting women’s suffrage, temperance, and social reform. Her true impact was symbolic. She shattered the assumption that women couldn’t handle the intellectual rigor of legal education. That alone was revolutionary. Kepley proved that women belonged in law schools, even if the legal profession itself wasn’t ready for them.

Her Journey: From Classroom to Courtroom

Kepley’s path to graduation was anything but easy. In the 19th century, legal education was almost exclusively male. Women who sought entry faced ridicule, hostility, and outright exclusion. Union College of Law was one of the few schools willing to admit women, but it wasn’t a welcoming place. Kepley had to endure skepticism from professors and peers who doubted her capabilities. She had no role models or support networks—just her own determination.

After earning her degree, the “courtroom” part of her journey looked different than you might expect. Kepley chose not to pursue a traditional law practice. Why? The professional environment was aggressively hostile. Women who tried to argue cases were often laughed out of court or had their credentials openly questioned. Instead, Kepley channeled her legal training into advocacy. She worked alongside her husband, Henry Kepley, himself a lawyer, on campaigns for women’s rights and social justice. She wrote articles, gave speeches, and drafted petitions. So, while she didn’t become a trial attorney, she used her law degree as a tool for change outside the courtroom. Her journey shows that a legal education can empower you in many ways—not just through practicing law.

Women in Law: Then and Now

The contrast between Kepley’s world and our own is striking. In 1870, female law graduates were so rare they made headlines. Today, women consistently make up a majority of law school students. In 2023, according to the American Bar Association, 55% of law students were women. More women are becoming judges, law firm partners, and even Supreme Court justices. But progress hasn’t been linear. After Kepley graduated, many law schools remained closed to women for decades. It took persistent efforts by later pioneers like Belva Lockwood, Clara Shortridge Foltz, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to chip away at the barriers.

Today, women still face challenges in the legal profession. Female lawyers earn less on average than their male peers, and women of color face even wider gaps. Leadership roles in big law firms and the judiciary are still disproportionately held by men. But Kepley’s story is a reminder that these battles have deep roots. She became a graduate at a time when the very idea of a female law student was radical. Her achievement helped create a foundation for the diversity we see today, even as the work continues.

Misconceptions About Ada Kepley

People often get parts of Kepley’s story wrong. Let’s set the record straight.

• She wasn’t the first woman to practice law. That’s Arabella Mansfield, who was licensed in Iowa a year earlier. Kepley was the first law school graduate, a different but no less important milestone.
• Her law school was not prestigious. Union College of Law was new and small, not a famous institution like Harvard or Yale. This shows that progress can come from unexpected places.
• Her graduation did not instantly open doors. After Kepley, many law schools continued to exclude women. Her achievement was a symbolic breakthrough, not an immediate policy change.
• Her path was not easy. She face significant discrimination, not a smooth ride. She chose to use her degree outside the courtroom because the barriers were so formidable.

Understanding these details helps us appreciate the true nature of her accomplishment—and the long road to gender equality in law.

Explore More Pioneers

If Ada Kepley’s story sparks your curiosity, here are other legal trailblazers you should know:

• Arabella Mansfield: First woman licensed to practice law in the US (1869). She studied through an apprenticeship.
• Belva Lockwood: First woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court (1879) and a presidential candidate (1884). She also pushed for laws to allow women to practice before federal courts.
• Clara Shortridge Foltz: First female lawyer on the West Coast, who also pioneered the idea of a public defender system.
• Lillie V. Johnson: First African American woman to become a lawyer in the US (1872). She paved the way for women of color in the profession.
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A modern icon who used the law to fight gender discrimination from the bench, often citing early pioneers as inspiration.

These women are connected through a shared legacy of persistence. Each built on the work of those who came before, including Kepley.

Key Takeaways

• Ada Kepley was the first woman to graduate from a US law school in 1870.
• Her achievement was symbolic, challenging deep-seated gender norms in education.
• She did not practice law actively but used her degree for social activism, including suffrage and temperance.
• Women now dominate law school enrollments, but gender gaps in legal leadership persist.
• Kepley’s story reminds us that progress often starts with one person’s courage and resilience.