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6 Famous Female Lawyers and Their Impact on The Field

Learn about six legendary and successful female lawyers in U.S. history and the impact they’ve made on the legal field.

Last updated: August 22, 2023

Women have played vital roles in the growth of the practice of law. Whether defending clients in court, representing companies, or making powerful rulings, female lawyers continue to fight for justice and pave the way for other women pursuing legal careers in law.


Several female attorneys have made remarkable contributions to the field of law. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting some of the most successful and famous female lawyers and their impact on the legal profession.

Hillary Clinton alongside President Barack Obama when she served as secretary of state

Hillary Rodham Clinton

While many people think of Hillary Rodham Clinton as a former first lady and presidential candidate, some may not know that her career began in the legal field. Clinton is one of the most famous female lawyers due to both a high-profile career that spans law, government, and politics.

A Yale Law School graduate, Clinton worked as a corporate lawyer,  defending companies and corporations for the Rose Law Firm for more than 15 years.

In addition to serving the country as a U.S. senator and secretary of state, Clinton’s notable achievements include helping to shape and pass the State Children’s Health Insurance Program as first lady. The program, which became law in 1997, extended health assistance to uninsured, low-income children.

With her background in law and contributions to public service, Clinton is one of the most notable women lawyers and political figures in the world.

Gloria Alfred practicing law

Gloria Allred

Gloria Allred is another famous female lawyer who is a renowned advocate for women’s rights. With a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. from New York University, Alldred’s more than 40 years of experience and practice as an attorney contribute to her influence and prominence.

In high-profile legal battles, Allred has been a supporter of women’s rights and a champion for victims of sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and wrongful termination of jobs or contracts.

She also leads a firm dedicated to representing those who have suffered discrimination based on their gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, health, and more.
Allred’s recognition for her contributions to the field of law, includes an honorary J.D. from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. Such honors reaffirm her status as one of the best female attorneys and reflect her indelible marks on the legal system, women’s rights, and support for minorities through the law.

Sandra Day O’Connor in court

Sandra Day O’Connor

When considering the best female attorneys, Sandra Day O’Connor immediately comes to mind. As the first female associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, O’Connor is a trailblazer for female lawyers and a role model for anyone looking to practice law.

Now retired, O’Connor received a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1950 from Stanford University and a law degree from Stanford Law School in 1952. She graduated at a time when opportunities for women in the legal field were limited.

With perseverance, O’Connor became deputy county attorney before President Ronald Reagan nominated her for a vacancy in the U.S. Supreme Court.

In her 25-year term on the Supreme Court, O’Connor contributed to influential rulings that addressed productive rights, sexual harassment, gender equality, and more. These contributions established her as a highly influential law professional.

Sonia Sotomayor serving as supreme court justice

Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a major inspiration to many.

Born to Puerto Rican parents, Sotomayor was diagnosed with diabetes at a young age,  and her father passed away when she was 9, but she persevered through adversity and discrimination. She received her J.D. from Yale Law School and began her distinguished career as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan.

Her lifelong dream to become a judge was realized in 1991 when she was nominated to a seat on the U.S. District Court for New York, making her the youngest judge in the Southern District and the first Hispanic federal judge in New York state. Following 11 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit—one of the nation’s most challenging judicial posts—President Barack Obama nominated Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2009.

  • 1979 – Sotomayor became an Assistant Direct Attorney in Manhattan.
  • 1984 – She joined a private practice where she was a general civil litigator.
  • 1992 – Sotomayor became a judge when appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
  • 1998 – She was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
  • 2009 – Sotomayor was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by former President Barack Obama, becoming the first Hispanic and third woman in the court.
Loretta Lynch, U.S. attorney general

Loretta Lynch

In 1999 President Bill Clinton appointed Loretta Lynch as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, a position she held for nearly two years before returning to private practice. In 2020, President Barack Obama reappointed her as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she led the office for five years. In 2015, President Obama nominated her to become the 83rd U.S. attorney general. In earning that office, Lynch became the first African American woman attorney general and the second woman attorney general.


As attorney general, Lynch facilitated high-profile cases involving corruption and policing in the U.S. One notable effort was an investigation into the Baltimore Police Department, which she launched in 2015. Lynch has made history as a famous African American female attorney, paving the way for others to follow in her footsteps.

  • 1990 – Lynch started her rise in the ranks as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
  • 1999 – She was named U.S. attorney by President Bill Clinton.
  • 2010 – Lynch resumed her U.S. attorney career after being appointed by President Barack Obama.
  • 2015 – She became the U.S. attorney general in the Department of Justice, using her position to fight for minority rights, including those of the LGBTQ+ community.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg serving in the U.S. Supreme Court

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

With an upbringing grounded in her mother’s encouragement of her education, Ginsburg graduated with a B.A. in government from Cornell University, attended Harvard Law School, and graduated with a law degree from Columbia Law School.

Ginsburg’s enthusiasm for academia continued into her career as she undertook research in Sweden for Columbia Law School’s Project on International Procedure, followed by positions as a law professor at Rutgers University and Columbia Law School.

She was dedicated to fighting for gender-based equality throughout her education and career, which included her work to found the ACLU Women’s Rights Project.

Ginsburg was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980, which led to her eventual nomination and confirmation as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. She served from 1993 until her death in 2020.

She is remembered today both for her impact on the field of law and the barriers she broke while advocating for women’s rights throughout her career.

  • 1969 – RBG co-founded the first law journal focusing on women’s rights, the Women’s Rights Law Report.
  • 1972 – She co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).
  • 1980 – RBG was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.
  • 1993 – She became the second female to become appointed into the Supreme Court justice.

The road to becoming the best female attorney you can be

With skill and perseverance— and often in the face of adversity— each of these powerful women paved the way for new legislation and more equitable policies as they fought injustice. Their contributions to the legal field are worthy of emulation and celebration.

Learn more about how you can make a difference. If you’re inspired to practice law and create positive change in the world, the first step is to pursue a law degree. Apply to The Colleges of Law today. We offer Juris Doctor (J.D.) and a Master of Law degree. 

The Colleges of Law offers traditional and hybrid J.D. programs as well as a Master of Arts in Law. Begin your legal journey by applying here today.

For more insight into the legal field, head to our blog or fill out the form below to learn more.

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How an M.A. in Law degree helps your career

No matter your industry, an M.A. in Law provides a valuable background into crucial elements of law. Discover how this degree can help advance your career.

Interested in expanding your knowledge in law but don’t have the luxury of enrolling in law school? A Master of Arts in Law (M.A. in Law ) program is the perfect solution for those looking to achieve a law degree unique to their professional goals.

An M.A. in Law degree adds depth and room for advancement to any career, even outside of the field of law. Here we explore exactly what a Master of Arts in Law entails and how an M.A. in Law degree can enhance your career. 

What is an M.A. in Law degree?

An M.A. in Law is a relatively new degree that equips students with the skill set and knowledge required to carry out intensive analysis and interpretation of legal matters. M.A. in Law programs improve students’ understanding of the law and serve as a guide for incorporating law into the business world.

Depending on the university, M.A. in Law programs can go by a wide variety of names, including:

  • Master of Science of Law (M.S.L.)
  • Juris Master (JM)
  • Master of Jurisprudence (MJ)
  • Master in Law (ML)

Although it sounds similar to a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree, an M.A. in Law is not the same. An LL.M is a second degree offered only to law students who already have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B). In contrast, an M.A. in Law can be awarded to students with a bachelor’s degree in any field.

How can an M.A. in Law help your career?

M.A. in Law degree programs allow professionals across a variety of industries to further their careers. This is due to the programs’ specialized focus on how legal matters can apply to a variety of business operations in fields such as:

  • Business
  • Education
  • Health care
  • Human resources
  • Law enforcement

An M.A. in Law can advance your career in the following ways:

  • Gain a valuable skill set. Most organizations do all they can to avoid unnecessary legal battles. Having an employee inside the company with a clear understanding of legal processes and how they affect the industry is an invaluable asset to any company. Plus, it may reduce costs by eliminating the need for a legal consultant or legal retainer. M.A. in Law graduates provide built-in prevention for future legal issues. By achieving an M.A. in Law, you may increase your chances of a promotion due to your advanced knowledge and specialized skill set within the field of law.
  • Join a diverse network of professionals. By acquiring an M.A. in Law, you increase your access to a diverse network of established professionals in the legal field and beyond. Your professors may be practicing judges, lawyers, business leaders, and more.
  • Jump-start your legal career. If you are looking to go to law school or start a career in the legal field, an M.A. in Law degree will give you the competitive edge and experience necessary to pivot fields easily.

M.A. in Law degree programs

In-person learning is not the only route to a law degree. You can achieve a master’s degree remotely, on your own time through an online M.A. in Law program.

At The Colleges of Law, you can earn your M.A. in Law online, allowing you to work full time while you earn your degree on the side. Head to our program page for more details and other law-related degrees.

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Famous Black lawyers throughout history

Increasing diversity in the legal field has been a long battle. Learn about a few of the Black lawyers who have helped pave the way for others.

As it stands, 5.1% of all U.S. legal associates in 2020 were Black, and only 1.2% of law firm partners were Black. This lies in stark comparison to the 13.4% of Black Americans who make up the U.S. population. While equal representation in the legal field still has a long way to go, many barrier-breaking Black lawyers have paved the way for increased diversity in the profession as we continue to work toward true equity. Here are just a few of them and their accomplishments.

  • In 1844, Macon Bolling Allen passed the bar exam, making him the first African American licensed to practice law in the U.S. Allen then went on to become the first African American to hold a judicial position as Massachusetts Justice of the Peace in 1848.
  • Following Allen came trailblazer Charlotte E. Ray, who became the first female African American lawyer in the U.S. in 1872. She was a crucial player in early abolitionist movements and the first woman to practice before the Supreme Court.
  • Charles Hamilton Houston spent his career fighting against Jim Crow throughout the South and successfully challenged segregation at the University of Maryland Law School. He was also the first Black editor of the Harvard Law Review and fought in multiple cases before the Supreme Court. He mentored Thurgood Marshall, who carried on his fight.
  • Fred Gray was an essential part of the U.S. civil rights movement. As a young Black lawyer, Gray provided legal counsel during the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, defending Rosa Parks. He also worked closely with the NAACP and defended civil rights cases such as Gomillion v. Lightfoot and Dixon v. Alabama.
  • In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall as the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Prior to his judicial service, he successfully argued Brown v. Board of Education with United States District Court Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first African American female federal judge in the U.S.
  • In 1939, Jane Bolin became the first female African American judge in the country. Jane Bolin served 40 years fighting for families on the family court bench. She broke new ground as the first Black woman to graduate Yale Law, join the NYC Bar Association, and join the NYC Law Department.
  • Before he was elected the first African American president in 2008, Barack Obama graduated from Harvard Law School and, as a community organizer, helped rebuild Chicago neighborhoods that had suffered as a result of the fall of the steel industry there.

Learn more about the degrees offered at The Colleges of Law or request more information below.

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Did Biden stick the landing? A critical analysis of the 59th inaugural address

Inaugural addresses act like oral histories, adding new chapters to our national narrative. And above all, they’re often well-written and delivered by orators who can stick the landing.

I aspired to be a political speechwriter prior to my adventures in higher education administration. I studied the craft under Professor Mark Siegel at the George Washington University. Siegel was a pro. He worked in the Carter administration and would write speeches for luminaries across the globe. He once missed a lecture because he was on assignment for the late Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan.

We spent significant class time studying the inaugural address—its history, purpose, and structure. According to Siegel, inaugurals that endure are those that meet the moment. They reflect the times. They put our country’s tradition of a peaceful transition of power into context. They act like oral histories, adding new chapters to our national narrative. And above all, they’re well-written and delivered by orators who can stick the landing.

I learned from Professor Siegel that speechwriters listen for what’s often called the “master line.” It’s the passage that resonates and best captures an inaugural’s thesis. New presidents and their speechwriters are conscious of this rhetorical device. They typically drop the line early and branch off from the theme or build to the moment. If you’re looking for a clue, the language is often preceded by a prompt, something like, “and so my fellow Americans …”

Franklin Roosevelt’s inaugural master line, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” is in the first paragraph. Ronald Reagan also went early with his declaration that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Conversely, John F. Kennedy saved his big moment for the end with a call to service: “Ask not what your country can do for you …”

President Joseph Biden delivered our nation’s 59th inaugural address this week. We know through news reports that a plea for “unity” would pervade—he used the word 12 times throughout. But his signature line speaks to something that some may take for granted. Look at the news headlines and clips on television—it’s right there:

“And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”

Like FDR, Biden goes early with his theme and puts the moment into context, a simple reminder of the miracle of our country’s commitment to self-governance. It should be noted that Biden isn’t the first president to use a unity theme. Dwight Eisenhower spoke of the “necessity and by belief that the strength of all free peoples lies in unity; their danger, in discord.” Then Richard Nixon, who in his first inaugural said, “We are torn by division, wanting unity. We see around us empty lives, wanting fulfillment.” While Eisenhower looked outward at a post-World War II geopolitical landscape, Nixon looked within and reflected on the turbulence of the late 1960s, an era often compared to the challenges of today.

But Biden goes further. One could argue that he does something in this speech that no president since Abraham Lincoln in 1861 felt necessary—appeal to the “better angels of our nature” toward quelling intentions of insurrection. He acknowledges that while democracy has prevailed, it stands on soft ground. It won’t last if recent events become prologue and further calcify into mainstream culture. This, he argues, is our existential challenge. While previous presidents have rallied the country to face a common external foe—fascism, communism, war on terror, etc.—Biden walks a more delicate tightrope. The antagonist in his story is from within. It’s here that he delivers his second key message:

“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility.”

To scan early news coverage is to see that the statement had its desired effect, especially globally. The Daily Telegraph, a major U.K. daily, pulled the quote as its headline, so did Reuters and other wire services.

Listen to any conventional political speech—candidate announcement, nomination acceptance, fundraising pitch, the inaugural, etc.—and the structure is consistent. It’s a story featuring a challenge, a solution, and a hero. Biden’s inaugural is no different. He presents many challenges—“anger, resentment, hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness and hopelessness”—and a solution—unity. The last piece is the hero. This is where the orator can sometimes lose the audience. Great speeches, according to Professor Siegel, are those that only the speaker can give. They’re personal and authentic; they feel like the dialogue the actor on stage should be giving. While we all know that speechwriters are involved, for a moment we picture the speaker scratching down the copy on the back of an envelope.

Did Biden rise to the occasion? He did. To use marketing language, he’s built a personal brand over decades of public service. He’s affable and empathetic, plainspoken and pragmatic. He’s Uncle Joe. He opened his campaign nearly two years ago with a message of “restoring the soul of America.” For the most part he never deviated from that theme. You could find it in almost every speech. He brought it back this week, although with a slight twist:

“On this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause.”

And so, it all comes full circle. Based on the outcome of the last election, we know there is still a market in the political landscape for integrity, (“I will give you my word”), truth (“I will always level with you”), and faith in our institutions (“I will defend the Constitution. I’ll defend our democracy”).

As I think back on Professor Siegel’s class, I wonder what grade he would give Biden’s inaugural address. My guess: a high mark. It had all the conventions: optimism and big ideas, triumph over adversity, and best of all, the promise of a happy ending.

Will President Biden be the hero in this story? That’s to be seen. That’s the best part of history: seeing what will happen next. But on this day, January 20, 2021, after all that he has endured through decades in the public eye, and the bruises that come with it, Biden was still standing.

He stuck the landing.

Matthew Nehmer, Ph.D., is president of The Colleges of Law.

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What is a Hybrid J.D.?

Hybrid J.D. programs offer students a high-quality education while allowing flexibility for other commitments. Learn more here.

Juris Doctor (J.D.) programs are a key part of practicing law. Recent initiatives by some schools are making J.D.s more accessible to students by developing hybrid Juris Doctor programs. These flexible degrees have made it easier for students to complete a J.D. while allowing them to continue to meet family or job obligations.

What is a J.D. Degree?

A Juris Doctor degree, otherwise known as a Doctor of Jurisprudence, is a graduate-level degree program in the legal profession. In the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and other common law countries, this degree is earned by completing law school and is needed to become a practicing lawyer.  

In the legal profession, the Juris Doctor is considered a professional degree that prepares students to take and pass the state bar exam, thereby making them eligible to earn a license and practice law in their respective states.

What is a Hybrid J.D.?

A hybrid J.D. is a specific J.D. program that combines online learning with short-term, intensive, in-person residencies—preparing students to work in the ever-evolving legal market.

The hybrid J.D. program is for those who are hoping for a more accessible or flexible law school program. The majority of learning occurs online, which ensures that students can more conveniently receive a quality law education.

What is the difference between a J.D. and a Hybrid J.D.?

While J.D. and hybrid J.D. programs both aim to provide students with the same education, the format of the programs is what makes them distinct from one another.

While a typical J.D. program takes 36 months to complete, the hybrid J.D ranges from 32 to 40 months, depending on your specific program and the law school you are attending.

Additionally, most J.D. degree programs are offline and require the physical presence of the student in a classroom. A hybrid J.D. program, on the other hand, allows the student to complete the bulk of their program online, allowing flexibility in location and time. While the majority of an online J.D. program takes place virtually, hybrid programs may also host on-campus residencies that allow students to put their theory into practice.

What are the benefits of a Hybrid J.D.?

Some of the benefits that come with enrolling in a hybrid Juris Doctor include:

  • Flexibility: A hybrid J.D. makes learning easy for students who desire to make a difference but may have commitments that prevent them from attending classes on campus frequently. It makes it possible to combine learning with business, family, or other relevant restrictions and commitments.
  • Time frame: Hybrid J.D. programs do not take a marginally longer time to complete. The timeframe for a hybrid program ranges from 32 to 40 months, compared to the 36 months for typical J.D. programs.
  • Ability to network: Another benefit of the hybrid J.D. program is that despite schedules, it still allows students to meet professionals in the law community and advance their careers through valuable connections during the on-campus portion of the program.

Hybrid J.D. Programs

Completing a J.D. program is a must for those hoping to become an attorney. However, a hybrid J.D. may be right for you if you are looking for added flexibility.

The Colleges of Law’s innovative Hybrid J.D. program is one of the few available in the United States. We offer students a comprehensive understanding of law through a revolutionary legal education model that emphasizes practical skills, active learning, and schedule flexibility.

At The Colleges of Law, we merge the old with the new—resulting in a new era of legal practitioners who embrace modern technology. Our graduates increase efficiency, productivity, and quality of service to the ever-increasing legal clientele. Learn more about our admissions here.

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How legal automation helps lawyers

Technology is constantly evolving, making it challenging for professionals to keep up with trends and necessary advancements. The legal system is not immune to this issue, as lawyers need to continuously develop and evolve their reasoning and approach to problems to align with modern solutions.

Including modern technology in the legal field could improve many of its systems, especially in the way cases are handled. As a result, tech companies have begun introducing an array of innovations that can improve legal practice and help lawyers provide better, more efficient services to their clients. These innovations are known as legal automation

Legal automation is a software category that automates the management, creation, and approval of legal cases by streamlining legal processes and augmenting lawyer productivity. It involves a range of templates for documents lawyers use as they conduct their practice.

Legal document automation is designed to allow lawyers to speed up their workflows, spend less time on repetitive cycles, and gather information more efficiently by using the software to generate templates. Solutions such as this can be compared to an accountant using an accelerated version of Microsoft Excel to work out their sums as opposed to using a pen and paper to do math.

In law, lawyers and firms often need to process and create a variety of forms for each client, many of which use repetitive language. The legal document automation software presents questionnaires to lawyers and uses the information to build the forms and complex documents that they require for workflows, all while protecting sensitive client information. This way, a legal practitioner can build documents and case files within shorter periods of time.

The legal document automation software does not require any special coding skills—every lawyer can use it with ease.

Legal process automation uses AI and robotics to assist in performing the process of data collection and the mundane tasks involved in case compilation necessary to a legal process. Specifically, it aids law firms in compiling larger data with more efficiency and greater accuracy than humans can attain.

The main advantages of using legal process automation are:

  • More time and resources available to other tasks and client communications
  • Completing large case files more quickly
  • Increasing profitability of lawyers and firms

A legal workflow, like any other workflow, is simply the processes by which a legal case or data passes through from its initiation to its completion. Legal workflow automation, including document and process automation, is an innovation that automates all processes of a legal case. These technological advancements solve issues in delayed processes, number of errors, and efficiency of legal practitioners.

The advantages of adopting automated legal workflow are countless. By embracing machine learning, firms will achieve exceptional legal practice and proficient services.

At The Colleges of Law, we merge the old with the new to build the next generation of excellent legal practitioners. Our graduates are prepared to practice in the modern world—embracing technology and increasing efficiency, productivity, and quality of service to the ever-increasing pool of legal clientele.

For more insight into technological solutions in the field of law, read our article on “What is legal tech?”

Find the legal program that’s right for you. Fill out the form below for more information.

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How the Electoral College works

As the 2020 U.S. presidential election looms, many Americans are asking questions about the Electoral College, trying to fully understand exactly what it means and how it works. Here we give a detailed explanation of what it is, its purpose, and how it operates in practice.

What is the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is a body of electors formed every four years, as stated by the U.S. Constitution, to elect the president and vice president. 538 electors are distributed across the 50 states according to the number of representatives and senators in that state, with no state getting fewer than 3 electors. Washington, D.C., also has three electors.

California has the most electors, with 55 (53 representatives plus two senators), while states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Delaware, Vermont, and Montana, as well as Washington, D.C., get three electors each. There are 435 representatives in Congress and 100 senators, meaning that there are 535 electors for the states, plus three for Washington, D.C., bringing the total number to 538.

Electoral College history and purpose

The study of Electoral College history takes us to the first drafting of the Constitution in 1787. The writers feared that the citizens were not erudite enough nor had enough information to elect a president. Plus, the Founding Fathers were unsure if a “populist” president would command too much power. They also feared that states with larger urban populations would dominate elections. Racism and slavery played a large, yet often not discussed, role in the development of the Electoral College, as well.

Given these concerns, the Electoral College was formed in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, stating that citizens will vote for electors who would select the president and vice president. This worked until 1800 when Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson got the exact number of votes.

After the House of Representatives broke the tie, it led to the 12th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which spells out the role of the college in more detail and is representative of the system used today.

How does the Electoral College work today?

Before the general elections, each state selects its electors. Different laws govern the selection of electors depending on the state. However, electors are usually nominees from the state party committee or winners of elections conducted during the state party convention.

The Electoral College is a “winner-takes-all” system, meaning that if a party loses the popular vote in a state by just one vote, all the electors of that state go to the other party. These party electors are then expected (but not mandated) to vote for their party’s candidate.

In fact, electors can decide to vote for someone else if they don’t support the selected candidate. These electors are called faithless electors. This happened in 2016 when five Democratic electors and two Republican electors voted for other candidates, but it did not change the outcome of the election. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that states can require electors to cast their votes for the candidates they had pledged to support.

Electoral College pros and cons

Some people believe that the Electoral College serves its purpose properly, but others say it doesn’t allow for true democracy. The argument of Electoral College versus popular vote is a prevalent one.

Here are some of the points raised to support or discredit the Electoral College system:

Pros:

  • The Electoral College prevents states with high populations from determining the elections. This way, candidates do not campaign solely in states like California and New York. They have to focus on smaller states too.
  • The Electoral College works according to its created purpose, and it’s not very common to see the results go to the loser of the popular votes. In more than 220 years, this has happened only five times.

Cons:

  • The system of the Electoral College does not allow for pure democracy. A candidate can lose by almost 3 million votes and still become president, as Donald Trump did in 2016.
  • The Electoral College has made candidates avoid safe states while campaigning in swing states. In 2016, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton paid few visits to safe states like New York and Texas and spent more time in battleground states like Ohio and Florida.

Despite the arguments against it, it’s doubtful that the Electoral College will be leaving anytime soon, so it’s important to be aware of how it works and impacts our political processes.

Looking for a school that offers quality law programs online? Learn more about The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law. Check out our various programs and get started with your application today.

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The Colleges of Law debate series goes virtual in 2020

This year’s debate series hosts legal experts and local politicians to enlighten and spur conversation about important legal decisions on the docket in 2020.

The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law was founded to increase access to and diversity in the legal field in order to better serve the California community. One way it has promoted this is with its debate series that encourages important conversations with experts and average citizens about a variety of issues that affect everyone. The series began in 2016 with lively debates about the death penalty, firearm restrictions, the travel ban, and the housing crisis, among others.

The Colleges of Law is devoted to increasing civil discourse throughout the legal system and is proud to support the power of debating now and for the future.

The Colleges of Law is excited to announce that this year’s debate series will be conducted virtually—increasing access and encouraging attendance for more community members across California and beyond. The series will explore the following issues on this November’s ballot: California Proposition 25: the Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments; California Proposition 16: the Repeal Proposition 209 Affirmative Action Amendment; and California Proposition 22: the App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative.

The debates run on Thursdays from  September 24 to October 8. You can view the schedule, who will be debating, and registration information here.