Florence Roisman truly embodies the essence of a legal “trailblazer” – and her oral history, now included on our website, deserves its place of honor among those collected as part of the American Bar Association’s Women Trailblazers Project. For decades, Roisman served as an inspired, creative, and passionate advocate for the rights of tenants in the District of Columbia courts. Her most notable victory established an implied warrant of habitability in every real estate lease – a doctrine that transformed landlord-tenant relationships and low-income housing policies throughout the city.
Later, she became a pioneer in the fight against housing discrimination. She unabashedly labels herself “feisty”; her opponents resorted to other descriptive terms. Historical Society member Carl Stern has provided this essential (and highly entertaining) summary of Roisman’s important, distinguished career.