“In 1960, when I graduated from college, people told me a woman couldn't go to law school. And when I graduated from law school, people told me, 'Law firms won't hire you.'”

American lawyer and public official

Janet Reno was an American lawyer and public official who served as the 78th United States attorney general from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first woman to hold the office and the second-longest serving attorney general, after William Wirt. She is known for her years at the head of the Justice Department and for breaking a historic barrier in federal office. Her public life was defined by law, government service, and a long tenure in one of the country’s most visible legal posts.