Carmen Lúcia

Cármen Lúcia's record is measured in firsts and institutional trusts rather than trophies. She was only the second woman appointed to Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, in 2006, and a decade later her peers elected her chief justice, making her the second woman to lead the court. She has also presided over the Superior Electoral Court, putting her at the head of the country's election administration. In April 2018 she exercised the powers of the presidency for two days, one of the rare occasions a woman has done so. Her standing rests on the confidence of the bench and the bar rather than on public awards.