Maude Riseden from Wartburg, the daughter of the first judge of Morgan County, was the first female admitted to the UT College of Law, in 1907. She earned her way through college by stenographic work and was the honor student of her class throughout, becoming the first female graduate in 1909. She was the first woman admitted to the bar by Judge J. W. Sneed. She moved to Louisville, Kentucky, upon passing the bar—at the time she graduated from UT Law, women were not admitted to the bar in Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas. Two years later, then Mrs. J. L. Hughett, she moved that the court admit her husband to the practice of law. She practiced with him in Louisville in the firm of Hughett & Hughett until their daughter, Josephine Hughett, joined the firm, after which the firm was named Hughett, Hughett, & Hughett. Her photograph hangs in the hallway of the offices of the Louisville Bar Association, along with other notable Louisville attorneys.
At the 2013 Law College Homecoming celebration, the class of 1999 dedicated their class gift to the college—a portrait of Riseden painted by Steve Moppert.