This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. It includes the year in which the women were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are women who achieved other distinctions such becoming the first in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.
Firsts in New Jersey's history
Lawyers
*First female:
Mary Philbrook
Mary Philbrook (1872-1958) was the first female attorney in New Jersey, and the first female to be admitted to the bar association in New Jersey. The New Jersey Supreme Court initially refused Philbrook's petition in 1894 on the grounds that no ...
(1895)
* First female to independently defend a client on a homicide charge: Elizabeth Blume Silverstein (1913)
*First African American females: M. Bernadine Johnson Marshall and Martha Belle (1949)
*First undocumented female: Marisol Conde-Hernández (2018)
State judges
* First female (justice of the peace): Martha Kemble in 1920
* First female judge: Libby E. Bernstein Sachar (1925) in 1946
* First female (
New Jersey Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging th ...
): Marie L. Garibaldi in 1982
* First African American female:
Shirley Tolentino
Shirley Tolentino (1943–2010) was the first black woman to serve on the New Jersey Superior Court and was the first black woman appointed to the Jersey City Municipal Court and to serve as its presiding judge. She served as president of Nation ...
(1971) in 1984
* First female (Chief Justice;
New Jersey Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging th ...
): Deborah Poritz (1977) in 1996
* First female (Superior Court; Assignment Judge): Sybil Moses (1974) in 1997
* First Latino American female (magistrate):
Esther Salas
Esther Salas (born December 29, 1968) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey sitting in Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most popul ...
(1981) in 2006
* First African American female (Superior Court; Assignment Judge): Lisa Thornton (1992) in 2014
* First African American female (
New Jersey Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging th ...
): Fabiana Pierre-Louis in 2020
* First South Asian (female) (municipal court): Dipti Vaid Dedhia in 2022
* First hijab-wearing: Nadia Kahf in 2023
Federal judges
* First (African American) female (U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey): Anne Elise Thompson (1964) in 1979
* First Hispanic American woman (U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey):
Esther Salas
Esther Salas (born December 29, 1968) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey sitting in Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most popul ...
(1981) in 2006
* First South Asian American female and first Muslim female (U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey): Rukhsanah L. Singh in 2022
Attorney General of New Jersey
The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limited ...
* First female: Deborah Poritz (1977) from 1994-1996
*First Hispanic American (female): Zulima Farber in 2006
*First African American female: Paula Dow in 2010
Deputy Attorney General
* First female: June Strelecki in 1957
Assistant Attorney General
* First female: Marilyn H. Loftus (1961)
United States Attorney
* First female: Faith S. Hochberg from 1994-1999
Assistant United States Attorneys
* First (African American) females: Barbara Ann Morris and Carolyn Elizabeth Arch respectively in 1956 and 1966
* First Hispanic American (female): Camelia M. Valdes (2001) in 2009
*First Asian American (female): Grace H. Park in 2013
Political Office
* First Latino American female (Acting
Governor of New Jersey
The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...
New Jersey State Bar Association
The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of New Jersey.
History
In June 1899, 74 attorneys launched NJSBA in Atlantic City; annual dues were $5.00. Within the next decade, the Canon of Ethics was ...
): Marie L. Garibaldi
*First African American (female) president (
New Jersey State Bar Association
The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of New Jersey.
History
In June 1899, 74 attorneys launched NJSBA in Atlantic City; annual dues were $5.00. Within the next decade, the Canon of Ethics was ...
): Karol Corbin Walker in 2003
* First Latino American female president (
New Jersey State Bar Association
The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of New Jersey.
History
In June 1899, 74 attorneys launched NJSBA in Atlantic City; annual dues were $5.00. Within the next decade, the Canon of Ethics was ...
): Evelyn Padin in 2018
*First African American (female) president (Federal Bar of New Jersey): Karol Corbin Walker in 2015
Firsts in local history
* Mary Freed: First female magistrate in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1922) nowiki/>Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Atlantic County, New Jersey">nowiki/>Atlantic County, New Jersey">Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Atlantic County, New Jersey">nowiki/>Atlantic County, New Jersey Patricia M. Thompson (1964): Reputed to be the first African American female lawyer in Bergen County, New Jersey
* Sybil Moses (1974): First female judge in Bergen County, New Jersey
* Lois Ely: First female to serve as the Assistant County Prosecutor for Bergen County, New Jersey
* Julie Kim: First Asian American (female) judge in Bergen County, New Jersey
* Lillian Baker (née Dubrow) (1946): First female lawyer in Burlington County, New Jersey
* Ann Schmerling Salsberg (1928): First female lawyer in Camden County, New Jersey
* Mary Ellen Talbott (1963): First female judge in Camden County, New Jersey (1973)
* Judith S. Charny (c. 1984): First female municipal judge in Cherry Hill, New Jersey (Camden County, New Jersey; 2014)
* Kimberly Mutcherson: First African American and openly LGBT female to serve as the Dean for
Rutgers Law School
Rutgers Law School is the law school of Rutgers University, with classrooms in Newark and Camden, New Jersey. It is the largest public law school and the 10th largest law school, overall, in the United States. Each class in the three-year J.D. pr ...
(2015)
* Demetrica Todd-Ruiz: First female (and African American female) judge in Vineland, New Jersey umberland County, New Jersey* Jennifer Webb-McRae: First African American (female) Prosecutor of Cumberland County, New Jersey (2010)
* Elizabeth Blume Silverstein (1913): First female lawyer in Essex County, New Jersey
* Julie Garcia: First female District Attorney for Essex County, New Jersey (2006-2009)
* Golden E. Johnson (1971): First African American female judge in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area. First Hispanic American female judge in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.nowiki/>Essex_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="Essex_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey">nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey">Essex_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey">nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey* Joanne Cocchiola: First female municipal court judge in Nutley, New Jersey (2012) nowiki/>Essex_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="Essex_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey">nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey">Essex_County,_New_Jersey.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey">nowiki/>Essex County, New Jersey* Lilia L. Munoz: First Hispanic American female (and Hispanic American in general) to serve as the President of the Hudson County Bar Association, New Jersey. She is also the first Hispanic female to serve as the Chief Municipal Court Judge in Union City, New Jersey.
* Carmen M. Garcia: First Hispanic American female to be appointed to the Trenton Municipal Court (1988) and first Hispanic American female Chief Judge of Trenton Municipal Court (2001).
* Esther Beckhoff (1924): First female lawyer in Middlesex County, New Jersey
* Aldona E. Appleton: First female to serve as the President of the Middlesex County Bar Association (1961)
* Renee Anthony: First African American (female) to serve as the President of the Middlesex County Bar Association
* Arlene Quinones-Perez: First female (and Latino American female) to become the City Attorney for Perth Amboy iddlesex County, New Jersey* Florence Forgotson (1927): First female lawyer in Monmouth County, New Jersey
* Lori Linskey: First female to serve as the First Assistant Prosecutor for Monmouth County, New Jersey (2017)
* Lisa Miralles Walsh: First Hispanic American female assignment judge in Monmouth County, New Jersey
* Lourdes Lucas: First Hispanic American (female) judge appointed in the Monmouth Vicinage
* Rose Danna Ruesch (1935): First female lawyer in Morris County, New Jersey
* Katherine Hayden: First female President of the Morris County Bar Association, New Jersey
* Dorothy Reeve: First female lawyer in Ocean County, New Jersey
* Sadie Pasternack Ranzenhofer (1914): First female lawyer in Passaic County, New Jersey
* LaToyia Jenkins Stewart (2000): First African American female judge in Passaic County, New Jersey
* Linda H. Samson: First female to serve as the President of the Passaic County Bar Association
* Camelia M. Valdes (2001): First Latino American female to serve as the County Prosecutor for Passaic County, New Jersey (2009)
* Sandra Lopez: First Hispanic American female judge in Salem County, New Jersey
* Mary E. Alward (1898): First female lawyer in Union County, New Jersey
* Grace H. Park: First Asian American (and female) to serve as the County Prosecutor of Union County, New Jersey (2013)
* Kelly A. Waters: First female Public Defender for Mountainside and Fanwood. She later became a municipal court judge in the Union Township (2007). nion County, New Jersey
See also
*
List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
This list of the first women lawyers and judges in each state of the United States includes the years in which the women were admitted to practice law. Also included are women of other distinctions, such as the first in their states to get law de ...
*
Timeline of women lawyers in the United States
This is a short timeline of women lawyers in the United States. Much more information on the subject can be found at: List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
* 1869 – Arabella Mansfield became the first female lawyer in the ...
*
Women in law
Women in law describes the role played by women in the legal profession and related occupations, which includes lawyers (also called barristers, advocates, solicitors, attorneys or legal counselors), paralegals, prosecutors (also called Distri ...
Other topics of interest
*
List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States
This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in each state. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their stat ...
*
List of first minority male lawyers and judges in New Jersey
This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in New Jersey. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state ...