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Writer's pictureSamantha Elley
Sep 102 min read

Female law student undeterred by prejudiced professor

In the era that Ada Emily Evans was born, it was rare for women to be in the legal profession. Coming from a legal family, she was convinced there was a need for women to be trained in the law and as she saw it, to counter prejudices from an all male legal system.


She was born on 17 May 1872 at Wanstead, Essex, England, as the youngest daughter of Henry Griffiths Evans, who was an architect and his wife, Louisa, nee Cansdell. In 1883 the family arrived in Sydney and Ada attended Sydney Girls High School and then Sydney University.


Despite knowing she would not be able to practice law as a woman, in 1899 she enrolled in the Sydney University Law School. The only reason she was able to enrol was because the dean, a Professor Cobbett, was overseas at the time. Despite on his return from his trip, calling her to his office and trying to dissuade her from her studies, saying she didn't have the physique for it, Ada ignored him and continued her studies.


In 1902 she became Australia's first woman to graduate with a law degree. She attempted to seek admission to practise, but was refused. She tried to enter to the English Bar, but there too she was told there 'was no precedent'. It wasn't until 1905 before a woman was admitted to the Victorian Bar.

Ada Emily Evans, first female to graduate with a law degree.


Ada continued to fight for the laws to be changed with many women's groups supporting her endeavours. When the Women's Legal Status Act was passed in 1918 the legal profession in New South Wales was finally opened to females. Ada was required to serve two years as a student-in-law then on 12 May 1921 was the first woman to be admitted to the New South Wales Bar. She did not end up practising as a barrister, as she felt too much time had lapsed since her graduation, however, she paved the way for those women who would come after her.


Ada lived at Kurkulla in Bowral with her brother, where she died on 27 December, 1947 and was cremated in Sydney with Anglican rites with her ashes given to surviving family members.


On 12 May, 2021, the Women Barristers' Forum celebrated the centenary of Ada's great achievement in the legal world. The Honourable Patricia Bergin SC reminded the women and men gathered at Verandah Bar how fortunate they were to be the recipients of Ada’s legacy.




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