Wisconsin State Law Library

Lavinia Goodell became Wisconsin's first woman lawyer in 1879, but her legacy is often obscured in history books. Supreme Court Commissioner Nancy Kopp and Attorney Colleen Ball want to change that. They spent the last year researching the life of Goodell and have created a website to share Lavinia's history with the world. http://www.laviniagoodell.com is an online biography, accessible to all, which will chronicle Lavinia's life and her contribution to the practice of law in Wisconsin.

In their introduction, they note:

"The first woman lawyer admitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court had to fight for that status, overcoming opposition from the most powerful legal figure in the state. Lavinia Goodell (1839-1880) was also one of the first female trial lawyers in the United States, a nationally-respected writer, a Vice President of the Association for the Advancement of Woman, a candidate for Janesville City Attorney, a successful lobbyist, a jail reformer, and a temperance advocate. "


Turn to this site for an introduction to Lavinia Goodell's history, and revisit often as more articles are added. Follow the blog, or keep up on Twitter or Facebook for updates.