Mary Lanigar: America’s First Female Big 8 Partner

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ABSTRACT Mary Lanigar became the first woman partner in a Big 8 public accounting firm in 1957, after the local firm in which she had been a partner merged with Arthur Young & Company. This was nearly a decade before the next female was promoted to partnership at a Big 8 firm. This distinction has gone unrecognized in the accounting literature, despite being recognized in the Congressional Record. Lanigar was able to have a career in public accounting due to the shortage of male accountants during World War II. In addition to the timeliness of her entry into the profession, there were personal attributes that contributed to Lanigar’s success. This study reveals how she overcame obstacles that blocked entry and advancement in public accounting. Her experiences and perspectives on gender discrimination are revealing. Lanigar opened doors for women. This study adds to and corrects the literature on women in accounting.