By Selena Stevens

Weddington has achieved many other firsts throughout her career, including being the first woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives, the first female general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the first female director of the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations, a post she held from 1983 to 1985.

April 2, 2002 (Lexington, Ky.) -- Sarah Weddington, the trial lawyer made famous by winning the Roe v. Wade case, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4, in Memorial Hall at the University of Kentucky in celebration of Women's History Month. Weddington will talk about her experiences in the Roe v. Wade case and with abortion issues. The event is free and open to everyone.

In 1973, at age 26, Weddington became the youngest woman to ever win a case in the U.S. Supreme Court.

After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Weddington was introduced to Norma McCorvey, who wanted to challenge the constitutionality of Texas's law after being denied an abortion. McCorvey became "Jane Roe," and Henry Wade was the district's criminal attorney who appealed to the Supreme Court. The court granted review and heard oral arguments and rearguments before the justices handed down the Court's opinion on Jan. 23, 1973.

Weddington has achieved many other firsts throughout her career, including being the first woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives, the first female general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the first female director of the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations, a post she held from 1983 to 1985. Weddington also served as an assistant to President Jimmy Carter from 1978 to 1981.

In 2000, she was named "One of the Most Influential Lawyers of the 20th Century" by Texas Lawyer magazine and an "Outstanding Young American Leader" by Time magazine.

Weddington also is the best-selling author of "A Question of Choice," which details the Roe v. Wade case.

The event is sponsored by the UK Student Activities Board.