She didn’t yell. She didn’t play the game. But she changed the rules anyway.
Even if you’re not a court-watcher, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s influence probably touched your life in some way. Pay equity, gender rights, military policy — she rewrote the fine print without ever breaking a sweat.
This list rounds up 15 of her biggest legal power moves. Some were bold, some were quiet, but all of them helped reshape what justice looks like in America.
Graduated First in Her Class from Columbia Law School
Ginsburg juggled law school, a toddler, and a transfer from Harvard to Columbia. She still graduated first in her class.
That should’ve guaranteed a top-tier law job, right? Nope. Firms flat-out refused to hire her — too female, too Jewish, too “motherly.” Instead of quitting, she filed that rejection away like evidence. It lit the fire behind everything she’d do next in court.
Co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU
When she joined the ACLU in 1972, Ginsburg wasn’t looking to “empower” women with speeches. She wanted to crush sexist laws in court.
She co-founded the Women’s Rights Project and used it to file case after case, including ones where men were the victims of gender bias. Her logic? If you can prove gender discrimination hurts everyone, the courts have to listen. And they did.
Argued Landmark Gender Discrimination Cases Before the Supreme Court
The way Ginsburg rewrote gender law? Straight-up ninja-level legal strategy.
She argued six major cases before the Supreme Court — and won five. Her secret weapon? Picking male plaintiffs so the mostly-male justices would feel the sting of discrimination themselves. That subtle pivot helped get the Equal Protection Clause to cover gender. No yelling. No theatrics. Just cold, calculated brilliance.
Appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Before she wore that lace collar on the big bench, Ginsburg was already shaping federal law behind the scenes.
Jimmy Carter put her on the D.C. Circuit in 1980 — a court that’s basically the legal bullpen for future Supremes. She got known fast for her no-BS, by-the-book opinions. Even folks who disagreed with her called her “laser sharp.”
Second Woman Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court
In 1993, President Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court — and boom, RBG officially entered the judicial stratosphere.
She became the second woman ever on the bench and instantly upgraded the Court’s gender balance from “dismal” to “getting there.” Her quiet force and pinpoint logic earned respect across the aisle. You didn’t have to agree with her to know she meant business.
Authored Majority Opinion in United States v. Virginia (1996)
When VMI tried to keep women out of their military program, Ginsburg basically said, “Nah, that’s not gonna fly.”
She wrote the opinion that shut it down, and in legal speak, it slapped. Her words set a new bar: any gender-based law needed an “exceedingly persuasive justification.” Translation? Weak excuses weren’t gonna cut it anymore.
Championed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
After the Supreme Court ruled against Lilly Ledbetter’s equal pay claim, Ginsburg basically dropped the mic from the bench.
Her dissent called out how impossible it was for workers to catch wage discrimination in real time. She told Congress ‘fix this.’ And they did. Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, think of it as the legislative remix to RBG’s dissent track.
Advocated for Gender-Neutral Legal Language
Ginsburg was picky about words, and for good reason. She pushed the legal world to ditch “sex” in favor of “gender” because, well… judges can be children.
By making legal arguments clearer (and less giggle-prone), she helped shift how gender bias was framed in court. She wasn’t just changing laws; she was rewriting the language that made laws stick.
First Supreme Court Justice to Officiate a Same-Sex Marriage
Other justices stayed buttoned up on LGBTQ+ rights. Ginsburg said, “I’ll do the ceremony.” Literally.
In 2013, she officiated a same-sex wedding — the first sitting Supreme Court justice to do it. It was quiet, classy, and loud all at once. The message? Equality doesn’t start in court rulings. Sometimes, it starts at the altar.
Subject of the Documentary “RBG”
The RBG documentary didn’t just win awards. It introduced her to a whole new audience who didn’t even know what the Supreme Court did.
The film went viral, gave us gym footage of her planking like a boss, and reminded everyone that power doesn’t always look loud. In 90 minutes, she became a cultural icon and a national treasure.
Inspired the “Notorious R.B.G.” Moniker
The nickname started on Tumblr, blew up on T-shirts, and somehow felt exactly right.
Ginsburg got called “Notorious R.B.G.” — a nod to rapper Biggie Smalls. She leaned in, said they were both from Brooklyn and kept slaying in her dissent collars. The vibe? 82-year-old grandma serving dissents with the energy of a diss track.
Received the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture
In 2019, she won the $1 million Berggruen Prize for her impact on human rights.
She gave it all away. No red carpet. No long speech. Just action. Ginsburg never saw her work as a charity; it was justice, plain and simple. The award just confirmed what most already knew: her mind changed the world.
Posthumously Honored with a U.S. Postal Service Forever Stamp
Released in 2023, the stamp shows her in full RBG form — collar crisp, glasses strong, stare locked in.
It sold fast. Not just for collectors but for folks who felt she’d stood up for them. Now, she’s part of the mail — a forever stamp for a forever kind of impact.
Advocated for Women’s Rights at Rutgers Law School
When Rutgers hired her in 1963, she was one of the only women on staff — and they paid her less than the men.
She fought back. She also taught one of the first courses on women and the law and worked with students on lawsuits that laid the groundwork for future Supreme Court wins. Rutgers didn’t just get a professor, they got a revolution.
First Female Member of the Harvard Law Review
Back when Harvard had fewer than 10 women in the entire law class, Ginsburg made Law Review — the school’s top legal journal.
No shortcuts, no quotas. Just brilliance. Her acceptance sent a clear signal: even at Harvard, change had officially arrived. And RBG was leading the charge, one bluebook citation at a time.
