TEXAS SUPREME COURT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

In 1950, most law firms would not hire women to work as attorneys; firms relegated women to secretarialpositions if they hired them at all. After being turned down by more than forty law firms, O’Connor applied tothe County Attorney’s office in San Mateo, California. She persuaded the County Attorney to hire her as DeputyCounty Attorney after she offered to work for no salary and without a separate office. She ended up sharing workspace with a secretary.Early Life and CareerAfter O’Connor’s husband graduated from Stanford Law School (he was a year behind her), he wasdrafted and was then assigned to the Judge Advocate General’s office of the U.S. Army in Germany. Whilethere, O’Connor served as a civilian lawyer in the Quartermaster’s Corps. When the O’Connors returned to theUnited States, they settled in Phoenix, Arizona. Again, O’Connor found that law firms were not willing to hire awoman attorney, so she, with a partner, opened her own practice and handled a wide range of small cases. She leftthe practice of law for five years to care for her three sons. During this time, she became involved in volunteeractivities for various organizations,including the State Bar of Arizona,local schools, and the ArizonaRepublican Party.When she resumed her legalcareer, she obtained a position as anassistant state attorney general inArizona. Later, Arizona’s governorappointed her to fill a state senatevacancy in the legislature. Shesuccessfully ran for the positionin two subsequent elections andultimately became the majority leader.In 1974, she ran for a judgeship onthe Maricopa County Superior Courtand a year later was nominated forthe Arizona Court of Appeals, aposition she held for two years untilbeing nominated by President Reaganto be the first woman Justice on theSupreme Court.In light of the discriminationshe faced early in her career, it is notPresident Ronald Reagan and Supreme Court nominee Sandra DayO’Connor, photographed at the White House on July 15, 1981, twomonths before the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her appointment.National Archives, public domain.surprising that Justice O’Connor supported the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as it was moving through thestates for ratification. 3 At the time, there was great support across the country for ratification of the ERA. Inresponse, President Reagan had promised that, if elected, he would appoint a woman to the Supreme Court. 43See, e.g., Stephen E. Weisman, “Reagan Nominating Woman, an Arizona Appeals Judge, to Serve on Supreme Court,” New YorkTimes (July 7, 1981), http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0707.html.4Id.92