Agnes Lundell (13 July 1878 – 17 September 1936), also known as Agneta, was the Finland's first female lawyer.

Biography

Born on 13 July 1878 in

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

, Finland, Agnes Lundell was the daughter of Alfred Wilhelm Lundell (1839 – 1904) and Olga Wilhelmina Åkerman(1846 – 1900). She studied in a Girls’ School at Turku. She later enrolled at the

Imperial Alexander University The University of Helsinki ( fi, Helsingin yliopisto, sv, Helsingfors universitet, abbreviated UH) is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku (in Swedish ''Åbo'') in 1640 as the ...

to study law. In 1906 she became the first woman in Finland to graduate with a law degree. Upon graduation, Agnes Lundell began her legal career as the secretary of a senate division. In 1911 she became the first woman lawyer in Finland. She also involved in business. With Hjalmar Erlund, one of her school mates from Turku, she established a bilingual law firm named “Lundell & Erlund.” In the beginning of her legal career, she faced many challenges including dress code, and the use of her first name in judicial offices. She was also known for her feminist activities particularly her lectures on upholding women's rights. She died in

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

on 17 September 1936.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lundell, Agnes 1878 births 1936 deaths Legal professions 20th-century women lawyers Finnish women lawyers