Washington, D.C. — Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who blazed trails as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, has died, the court announced today.

In response, President & CEO Skye Perryman released the following statement:

“Today, the nation lost a legal trailblazer with the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Beginning her career at a time when, notwithstanding her top performance at Stanford Law School, no private firm in California would hire her based on her gender, she shattered glass ceilings as a lawyer, lawmaker, and as the nation’s first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice. As we reflect on her legacy and the barriers she faced and broke, may we recommit our efforts to making the legal profession and our judiciary more diverse, accessible, and inclusive of all.”

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