The First Female Lawyer in Scotland: Paper L.S.E.

Madge Easton Anderson (1896-1982) was the first woman in Scotland and the UK to qualify as a lawyer. Later, she became the first woman to qualify in both Scottish and English jurisdictions. Yet very little is known about her, unlike her English contemporaries. As part of the LSE Legal Biographies Project, Alison Lindsay of the National Records of Scotland will talk about her research into Anderson’s life and career.

Easton took the degrees of M.A. and LL.B. at the University of Glasgow. She had attended Hutchesons’ Girls’ Grammar School in Glasgow. She was not, however the first female law student in Scotland. That honour goes to two Edinburgh graduates: http://www.sln.law.ed.ac.uk/2009/04/04/first-women-llbs-centenary/

The first woman graduates the United Kingdom came from England and Ireland in 1888.

Alison Lindsay has worked as an archivist in the National Records of Scotland for 25 years, most recently as Head of the Legal and Historical Search Rooms where every day she helps people seeking access to the 80km of records held there. She is currently researching early Scottish women in the law as part of the 2019 Women’s Legal Landmarks project.

Her talk will be at 7pm, Moot Court Room, New Academic Building, LSE