This volume is a comprehensive comparative study of the development of systems for naming judges in two nations, over a period of three centuries. It is designed to confront the origins, both normative and political, that affected the evolution of the systems now used in the United States and France. This book places in normative and historical context discussions about how best to recruit judges, and it explores shifts in priorities for judicial offices and their implications.

Forty-three women who have made major contributions to the law through their work in the legal profession, scholarly legal research, and political activism directed at socio-legal reforms are profiled in this bio-bibliographical sourcebook. The women featured are from countries and regions with a Western legal tradition, including North America, Europe, Israel, Japan, the Philippines, and Africa. Each profile contains extended biographical information and details significant achievements and contributions to the law made by each woman, followed by references. Forty-three women who have made major contributions to the law through their work in the legal profession, scholarly legal research, and political activism directed at socio-legal reforms are profiled in this bio-bibliographical sourcebook. The women featured are from countries and regions with a Western legal tradition, including North America, Europe, Israel, Japan, the Philippines, and Africa. Each profile contains extended biographical information--their family backgrounds, education, and career development--and their significant achievements and contributions to law. The women featured include a number of those who were path-breakers like Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Bertha Wilson, the first woman to sit on the Canadian Supreme Court. Scholars like Margaret Somerville (Canada) and Beverly Blair Cook (U.S.), and political activists like Helene Stocker (Germany) and Leah Tsemel (Israel) are also included. The introduction to the work presents a comprehensive and historical overview of the role of women as citizens, scholars, lawyers, judges, office holders, and activists, and alsoprovides a review of the scholarship on women in law.