100 Years of Women in Law
2019 marked the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 which paved the way for women to become lawyers for the first time.
The University of Glasgow is proud that the first female lawyer in the UK was a graduate of the University. Madge Easton Anderson graduated on 8 November 1919 with a Bachelor in Law (BL) and went on to graduate the following year with an LLB. She was the first practising female law agent in Scotland and the first professional female lawyer in the UK. She later became the first woman to qualify in both jurisdictions of Scotland and England and Wales.
To celebrate Madge and women in law, the School of Law held a series of events, exhibitions and projects throughout 2019 and 2020, including its flagship '100 voices for 100 years' digital exhibition.
This is an ongoing collaboration between members of the School, Alison Lindsay (National Archives Scotland) and Pat Lucie (University of Glasgow) to piece together a fuller picture of Anderson and other early pioneering women in law.
If you have a story to share please get in touch by emailing Seonaid Stevenson: Seonaid.Stevenson@glasgow.ac.uk
100 Voices for 100 Years
First 100 Years animation
Watch our especially commissioned animation celebrating the First 100 Years
The Next 100 Years
Women in law timeline
Timeline charting the progress of female pioneers over the last century
The Centenary Celebration
Read our blog post about the 2019 centenary celebration event at the University
