Firm news | March 8, 2023

Introducing The Agnes Lundell Society

The Agnes Lundell Society is a new networking platform named in honor of Agnes Lundell, the first woman in Finland to become a lawyer. In 1911, she founded the law firm that today is known as Roschier. The network aims to inspire those of us following in Agnes’ footsteps to create new connections and pave the way for generations to come. The first meeting in Finland is held in June and membership is by invitation only.

Agnes Lundell was a pioneer at the time but unfortunately, like so many other influential women of that era, she was largely forgotten. That is something that we are going to change. With The Agnes Lundell Society, we are creating a network for those of us following in Agnes’ footsteps. At the same time, we are creating a platform for the next generation, with a new scholarship and a mentorship program. More about those later this spring.

Agnes Lundell was born in Åbo in 1878 and she made Finnish herstory when she was the first woman in Finland to become a lawyer in 1906. In 1911, she founded her own law firm on Mikonkatu 2 in Helsinki.

She was a trailblazer who often took cases defending women and children. She also contributed to the new Marriage Act of 1930, which freed women from their husbands’ guardianship.

There is still much to find out about Agnes but in an interview from 1928 she said that she was happy in both her professional and personal life: “Of course, my profession is demanding, I have had to use all my intelligence and all my stubbornness to get ahead.”