Vignette 82: Co-founder all female legal practice

Mary Cecil Tenison Woods (1893–1971) CBE made history as the first female law graduate from the University and in 1917, became the first woman to be admitted to the South 
Australian Bar. 

In 1924, Tenison Woods faced gender discrimination after her marriage, as her law partners objected to working with a married woman. So, in 1925, she co-founded what is thought to be the first female legal practice in Australia. 

Tenison Wood’s contributions were not limited to legal practice. From 1950 to 1958, she was appointed Chief of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. During that time, she played a crucial role in adopting conventions such as the Convention on the Political Rights of Women (1952) and the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women (1957), marking significant progress for women’s rights worldwide.

Tenison Wood’s ground-breaking legal and humanitarian work has contributed significantly to law, child welfare, and women’s rights.

The University of Adelaide: 150 Years of Making History.  Leading for the future. p.116