From Law to Politics: A Look at Successful Women in the US

There have been plenty of women throughout time who have served as an inspiration to people from all walks of life. Whether it be in politics, the legal field, the medical field, or as a small business owner, we have been privileged to meet some incredible women who have accomplished some astonishing feats.

Law and politics are two of the most difficult career fields in the United States for women to advance in. However, there have been plenty of women who have overcome the odds and excelled at different levels of government and different types of law, from labor law to serving on or presenting cases to the Supreme Court of Canada or the United States. Continue reading to learn about some of the most successful women in U.S. politics and the legal field.

Malliha Wilson

Malliha Wilson is the epitome of a woman working hard and overcoming obstacles. She spent her formative years working with her grandfather to fight for the human rights of her grandfather’s Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Malliha took what she learned as a teen and young adult and used it to fuel her through her time in law school at the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.

Malliha would go on to be the first recognizable minority to serve as the Assistant Deputy Attorney General of the Supreme Court of Canada, and she also served the Ontario Government as the Native Affairs Secretariat of Ontario. After her time on the Supreme Court, Malliha joined the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario as their special legal advisor.

You would think that would be satisfied after a lifetime of achievement, but she didn’t stop there. She’s the co-founder of Nava Wilson LLP, a legal firm that specializes in labor law, human rights law, and civil rights litigation, where she serves as senior counsel.

Suzanne Clark

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a century-old institution that serves to maintain the balance and secure the voice of America’s small businesses. In the 100 years of the Chamber of Commerce, there had never been a woman to serve as its CEO. All of that changed in early 2021 when Suzanne Clark became the first woman to serve as the CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Clark is a lifelong member of the Republican Party, but she understands how important it is to maintain the balancing act between specific partisan values and the best interests of the public sector.

After getting her MBA from Georgetown University, Ms. Clark went to work for the now-defunct Trucking Assn. From there, she served as the Executive VP of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for ten years before getting back into the public sector as the President of the National Journal Group and CEO of Potomac Research Group Holdings.

Suzanne returned to the U.S. Chamber in 2015 as its executive VP and worked her way up through the ranks to President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the CEO she is today. Now, she’s in D.C. working with President Biden on COVID-19 relief and ways to bring small businesses back after the pandemic. As a strong believer in a strong work ethic and free enterprise, Suzanne is a prime example of where hard work and dedication to your beliefs can take you.

Lydia Callis

People rarely mention translators as heroes, that is, not until they need translation serivces. When there is a language barrier, you need the help of a translator who’s effective at their job and sensitive to the challenges of the people for whom they’re offering translation services.

During Superstorm Sandy, interpreter of American Sign Language, Lydia Callis, played an essential role in keeping the deaf community of New York safe and informed. Lydia used the local fame she generated from interpreting Mayor Bloomberg as a sign linguist to advocate for the human rights of the deaf community.

Janet Reno

Janet Reno is a woman who serves as a prime example of tenacity. She’s the first woman ever to serve as the Attorney General of the United States, but her impressive career began long before she became the country’s top attorney.

After earning her law degree at Harvard Law School, Reno went on to work for several private practices in her hometown of Miami. When she did enter public service, she won five consecutive terms as the State’s Attorney of Miami-Dade County, an office she held for 15 years. It was Reno’s extensive experience and impeccable track record that got her the appointment to the office of the U.S. Attorney general, and the last thing anyone would ever accuse Ms. Reno of is taking the easy route.

Creating opportunities for women in the fields of law and politics is still an ongoing work. That’s why it’s important that stories about accomplished women like Ms. Reno, Ms. Wilson, Ms. Clark, and Ms. Callis are never lost in the archives of time. Indeed, these women are heroines by whom anyone can be inspired.