For the first time, a panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals composed entirely of women judges convened in Nashville on March 24. Judges Carma Dennis McGee, Kristi M. Davis and Valerie L. Smith sat together during the court’s regular monthly session, a milestone made possible by the court’s traveling judge assignments. “When I came on the court in 2019, I was the only female,” said Judge McGee. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby, one of the court’s early female pioneers, called the panel inspirational, noting the progress of women in the judiciary. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The Church Street Park in Nashville will celebrate Women’s History Month with two events over the next few weeks highlighting Nashville’s role in the suffrage movement. On March 22, the park will host a historical retelling of the history with Nashville historian David Ewing. On March 29, it will host live music with the Song Suffragettes. Both events begin at 2 p.m. CDT and take place just steps from where Tennessee lawmakers cast the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment in 1920.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee will offer a special Women’s History Month event next Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. The program, “From Vision to Action: Women's Leadership in Community Change,” is designed to bring together women leaders who are working across different sectors to strengthen communities and expand opportunity. Speakers include Antricia Gordon with The Equity Alliance, Alexza Barajas Clark with EdTrust-Tennessee and Katina R. Beard with the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center. This event is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided for the first 50 in-person registrants. Register for the in-person program. A virtual option also will be available. ​​​​​​​Register for the virtual option.

Marion Scudder Griffin, the first woman licensed to practice law in Tennessee, is now honored with a historical marker in Memphis recognizing her legal career. According to Local Memphis, Griffin made history in 1907 after the Tennessee legislature passed a law clarifying that women could obtain law licenses. She previously had passed an oral law examination but was denied a license by the Tennessee Supreme Court because state law did not explicitly permit women to practice. Griffin later enrolled at the University of Michigan Law School, completed her studies and reapplied as supporters lobbied lawmakers to change the law. She went on to practice law for more than 40 years and later became the first woman to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly before retiring in 1949. Historians say her achievements helped pave the way for future generations of women in the legal profession.

Organizations in Knoxville are marking Women’s History Month with events that celebrate, educate and inspire. These include a March 12 lecture on “Knoxville Women: Education and Hope,” which explores how women shaped Knoxville’s education system; a March 15 screening of the documentary “Fly With Me,” which looks at the trailblazing women who became flight attendants at a time when single women couldn’t order a drink or dine alone; and a March 29 Women’s History Tea Party, where attendees are encouraged to read a poem or passage written by a favorite author or educator.

The Tony-winning musical "Suffs," currently touring in Nashville through Sunday at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), dramatizes the pivotal summer of 1920 when Tennessee cast the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment and secure women's right to vote. Axios reports that the show highlights the Hermitage Hotel — less than a block away from TPAC — where suffrage and anti-suffrage activists camped out and pressured lawmakers in a frenzy of dealmaking so intense that the hotel lobby was dubbed the "third house" of the General Assembly. A key dramatic moment centers on Tennessee lawmaker Harry T. Burn, who broke a deadlock by switching his vote to yes after receiving a letter from his mother urging him to support the cause, making Tennessee the 36th and deciding state to ratify the amendment on Aug. 18, 1920.

Today is International Women’s Day and American Bar Association (ABA) President Mary Smith is honoring the women who make up more than 50% of law firm associates and the majority of U.S. law school students. In a statement released today, she notes that this year’s theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing journey to ensure women’s full and equal participation in every sector, including the legal field. However, Smith says there is work still to be done, citing data that women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership positions at U.S. law firms. Read more about the ABA's efforts to advance the status of women and girls at home and abroad. On March 1, Smith issued this statement in support of Women's History Month.

The American Bar Association (ABA) celebrates National Women’s History Month this month, recognizing the vital contributions of women who have played pivotal roles in our nation’s history and the legal profession. This year’s theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” According to a press release from the ABA, a recent National Association of Law Placement study shows a historic shift: for the first time, women account for more than 50% of associate attorneys in law firms.

Join the Nashville YWCA for a special Women’s History Month Stand Against Injustice webinar — Women Empowering Women — featuring community leaders and historians. This virtual lunch and learn is taking place on March 29 from noon–1 p.m. CDT. Click here to register for this free event. The webinar will focus on the legacy of the Blue Triangle Branch of the YWCA and the trailblazing African-American women who dedicated themselves to civil and human rights.

Women are leading the majority of national bar associations across the United States this year, and in celebration of Women’s History Month, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession will host a free webinar about the advancement, challenges and power of women in bar leadership. The program will take place Friday from 12:30-2 p.m. CDT. Groups involved include the National Bar Association, National Association of Women Judges, National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, National Native American Bar Association, and South Asian Bar Association. Read more about the event or register here.