Modern (1933-2020) · Justice & Civic
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a pioneering American jurist who served on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020. As a litigator she built the legal architecture for gender equality in the United States, and as a justice she became known for principled, meticulous dissents that often outlived the majorities she opposed. She believed in incremental change, dignity under disagreement, and the long arc of the law.
Known for
- Gender equality jurisprudence
- Principled dissent
- Civil procedure
- Constitutional reasoning
Best for
- Hard ethical calls
- Standing up under pressure
- Disagreeing without contempt
- Long-game thinking
- Justice & fairness questions
JusticeCharacterWisdomDisciplineCourage
Their signature question
“What would dissent look like here — and would you be proud of it in twenty years?”