Harvard Law School (HLS) marked International Women’s Day by celebrating a trailblazing Filipina, Erlinda Arce Ignacio Espiritu, who made history as the first woman to earn a degree from HLS. Born and raised in the Philippines, Espiritu drew inspiration from the legends of the Knights of the Round Table, vowing to “defend the defenseless.” “The knights […] The post Philippines’ ‘Elle Woods’: Meet the first woman to earn a degree from Harvard Law appeared first on Interaksyon.
Erlinda Arce Ignacio Espiritu became the first woman to graduate from Harvard Law School (HLS) in 1951 after completing her LL.M. program. This Filipina lawyer, inspired by a desire to "defend the defenseless," persevered through World War II and challenges as a woman in law to achieve this milestone.