Offbeat Oregon History podcast · www.offbeatoregon.com (finn @ offbeatoregon.com)

West’s first female lawyer: A legal Mother Teresa?

February 18, 2026·11 min·1 clip

Mary Leonard vowed to get a 'legal clutch' on men who wronged women.

This episode re-examines the life of Mary Leonard, Oregon's first female lawyer, arguing that she was not the grasping nag portrayed by historians but rather a protector of marginalized women. The host presents a theory that Leonard's difficult personal experiences led her to establish a boarding house for prostitutes and study law to defend vulnerable women.

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