Remembering a Supreme First

Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, passed away today in Arizona. It is rare in our modern society for one person to leave such a mark on society. She broke the glass ceiling on our nation’s highest court and leaves a legacy behind for the Court’s current female justices to carry on.

Her assignments weren’t always as prestigious as the Supreme Court. She started her career as an Army JAG officer in Germany. After leaving the army, she sometimes found herself in windowless offices while other attorneys got more exposure. Yet her hard work moved her up through the ranks of the legal world until she was at the very top.

She was also unique for not having a clearly defined judicial philosophy, instead paying meticulous attention to the facts and application of law for each case that came before her. Such an approach is one that earned her the respect of many, regardless of their political background.

She was such a game changer that roughly as many people tuned in to see her 1981 confirmation hearing as tuned in to see the 2020 Super Bowl. I guess that is what being a Supreme First gets you. And we can only hope that many modern day legal professionals learn from the example she set.