Caroline G. Thummel McCarthy (1873 – November 14, 1947) and Adelaide O'Brien were the only law partnership of women practicing in the Western United States in the 1910s.

[1][2] In 1910 she made the news with her statement that if women had equal opportunities with man in the industrial world, they would have a larger circle from which to choose a potential husband and would do so with more particularity, in this way decreasing the number of divorces.

At the beginning of her career in 1911 she declared "I want to be a help to widows and orphans and women whose education prevents them fighting their own battles.

I think the placing of an equal number of men and women on a jury would eliminate the natural chivalry existing between sex.

"[5] "Murders, assaults and other deeds coming under the head of crimes against the person can not be atoned for by prison sentences."

Each man should have been made to earn and repay exactly what he stole, with interest, and to pay the costs; then he should be allowed to go free.

In all cases of oflfense where the wrong suffered can be reduced to a money value; that is, in all crimes affecting property, the convicted person should be sentenced to labor at the regular wage rate until he has earned a sufTicient sum to reimburse his victim and pay the costs.

Thummel was very successful in investigations of the treatment given the workhouse prisoners, and was very active and enthusiastic in every reform movement for the benefit of suffering humanity.

The vice-president, Thummel, was of the opinion that women's clubs and organizations would be spending their time very profitably if they would study law.

[8] In October 1915, Thummel demanded to be examined for Head of Legal Aid Bureau, a position from which she was excluded due to the fact she was a woman.

She lost her suit before Judge Jones who held that the Efficiency Board had the power, under the charter, to enforce rules and regulations governing examinations, so long as it acted within reason.

[9] In 1936 she ran in the Democratic party primary for Prosecuting Attorney of Warren County, Missouri; she lost in the general election to Republican Alvin H. Juërgenmeyer, 1096 to 2801.

They lived at 1036 Fairmont Ave in Saint Louis and owned a farm near Jonesburg, Missouri, the McCarty Lodge.