We join the nation in mourning the passing of Supreme Court
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Over her 20-year career before
appointment to the D.C. circuit court, Justice Ginsburg fought for
equal rights in the workplace, among many other important issues.
Justice Ginsburg knew firsthand what it felt like to lose a job
because of her gender, including when Supreme Court Justice Felix
Frankfurter declined to hire her as one of his clerks because he
wasn't ready to hire a woman.
Justice Ginsburg's work had a profound impact on banking
and access to credit for women. In a series of cases, the Supreme
Court ruled in favor of Justice Ginsburg's clients, finding
that discrimination on the basis of sex is unconstitutional. Her
work paved the way for the passage of ECOA at a time when married
women generally could not have a bank account solely in their name
and when it was very difficult for women to get credit cards
without male cosigners. ECOA changed the legal landscape for
