Anna Pettersson facts for kids

Anna Maria Pettersson (born January 5, 1861 – died September 6, 1929) was a pioneering Swedish lawyer. She made history by opening the first legal office in Sweden run by a woman. This office mainly helped other women. Anna Pettersson was also very active in the Swedish National Association for Women's Suffrage, which worked for women's right to vote.

Early Life and Education

Anna Pettersson was born in Uppsala, Sweden. Her father was Johan Fredrik Pettersson, a gardener, and her mother was Charlotta Amalia Günlsdorff. Anna never married.

She first trained to be a language teacher. However, she was always very interested in law. She taught herself law, becoming an autodidact (someone who learns on their own). From 1890 to 1901, she worked as a clerk at the local law court in Uppsala. Then, from 1901 to 1904, she worked at a law firm in Stockholm.

Founding a Legal Office

In 1904, Anna Pettersson started her own legal office in Stockholm. She called it the Kvinnliga Juridiska Byrån, which means 'Women's Legal Bureau'. This made her the first woman in Sweden to open and run a legal office. Her office focused on helping women with their legal problems.

She specialized in family issues. This included matters like divorce and women's property rights. In the early 1900s, a woman's rights were very different depending on if she was married or not. Anna Pettersson was known for giving free legal advice to women who could not afford to pay.

Women's Rights Activism

Anna Pettersson was a member of the Fredrika Bremer Association. This was an important organization that worked for women's rights. She also served on the board of the Swedish National Association for Women's Suffrage. This group fought for women to have the right to vote.

She wrote many articles about women's legal rights. She also wrote about marriage rights, both in Sweden and in other countries.

Support and Legacy

Anna Pettersson received support from other important women. These included Elsa Eschelsson, Sofia Gumaelius, and Agda Montelius. Elsa Eschelsson, who was also a legal expert, sometimes helped Anna with advice. She encouraged Anna to keep her office open as long as women needed her help.

Even though it was not against the law for someone without formal training to give legal advice, some lawyers questioned her work. Despite this, her office was very successful among women. In 1915, Anna Pettersson retired. She passed her legal office to Eva Andén, who became Sweden's first formally trained female lawyer.

Anna Pettersson passed away in Stockholm in 1929.