Career Timeline of Elizabeth Warren: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Elizabeth Warren built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Elizabeth Warren is a prominent American politician and the senior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts since 2013. As a Democrat with progressive views, her senatorial work centers on consumer protection, economic equality, and strengthening social safety nets. Prior to her political career, she was a distinguished law professor. Warren was a presidential candidate in the 2020 Democratic primaries, where she finished third.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1912: Site of Bread and Roses Strike

The entry mentions the 1912 Bread and Roses strike, although it does not describe events from that specific date. In February 9, 2019, Warren officially announced her candidacy at a rally in Lawrence, Massachusetts, at the site of the 1912 Bread and Roses strike.

1970: Graduation from University of Houston

In 1970, Elizabeth Warren graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science degree in speech pathology and audiology.

1970: Taught Children with Disabilities

In 1970, Elizabeth Warren taught children with disabilities for a year in a public school.

1976: Juris Doctor and Bar Examination

In 1976, Elizabeth Warren received her Juris Doctor and passed the bar examination.

1977: Lecturer at Rutgers University

In 1977, Elizabeth Warren began her career in academia as a lecturer at Rutgers University, Newark School of Law.

1978: Moved to University of Houston

In 1978, Elizabeth Warren moved to the University of Houston Law Center.

1980: Associate Dean

In 1980, Elizabeth Warren became an associate dean at the University of Houston Law Center.

1980: Published Article on Public Utilities

In 1980, Elizabeth Warren published an article in the Notre Dame Law Review arguing for automatic utility rate increases due to over-regulation.

1981: Tenure and Visiting Professor

In 1981, Elizabeth Warren obtained tenure at the University of Houston Law Center and served as a visiting associate professor at the University of Texas School of Law.

1983: Professor at University of Texas

In 1983, Elizabeth Warren became a full professor at the University of Texas School of Law, staying until 1987.

1985: Visiting Professor at University of Michigan

In 1985, Elizabeth Warren was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan.

1987: End of Tenure at University of Texas

In 1987, Elizabeth Warren ended her tenure at the University of Texas School of Law.

1987: Joins University of Pennsylvania Law School

In 1987, Warren joined the University of Pennsylvania Law School as a full professor.

1989: Publication of "As We Forgive Our Debtors"

In 1989, Elizabeth Warren, along with Teresa A. Sullivan and Jay Westbrook, published "As We Forgive Our Debtors", a book based on their research into bankruptcy law.

As We Forgive Our Debtors: Bankruptcy and Consumer Credit in America

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1990: Named William A. Schnader Professor

In 1990, Warren obtained an endowed chair at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, becoming the William A. Schnader Professor of Commercial Law.

1992: Visiting Professor at Harvard Law

In 1992, Warren taught for a year at Harvard Law School as the Robert Braucher Visiting Professor of Commercial Law.

1995: Harvard Law School Listed Warren as Native American

From 1995 to 2004, Elizabeth Warren's employer, Harvard Law School, listed her as a Native American in its federal affirmative action forms; Warren later said she was unaware of this.

1995: Advising the National Bankruptcy Review Commission

In 1995, Elizabeth Warren began advising the National Bankruptcy Review Commission at the request of Mike Synar.

1995: Joins Harvard Law School

In 1995, Warren left the University of Pennsylvania to become the Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.

1995: First Foray into Public Policy

In 1995, Warren started working to oppose what later became a 2005 act that restricted bankruptcy access for individuals.

1996: Highest-Paid Professor

In 1996, Warren became the highest-paid professor at Harvard University who was not an administrator.

2004: Harvard Law School Listed Warren as Native American

From 1995 to 2004, Elizabeth Warren's employer, Harvard Law School, listed her as a Native American in its federal affirmative action forms; Warren later said she was unaware of this.

2004: Published "The Two-Income Trap"

In 2004, Elizabeth Warren and her daughter, Amelia Tyagi, wrote "The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke," discussing the financial struggles of middle-class families.

The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke

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2004: Rising Prominence

In 2004, Elizabeth Warren began to rise in prominence with an appearance on the Dr. Phil show, and published several books including The Two-Income Trap.

The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Parents Are (Still) Going Broke

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2004: Published Article on Middle-Class Struggles

In 2004, Elizabeth Warren published an article in the Washington University Law Review arguing against correlating middle-class struggles with over-consumption.

2005: Among Most-Cited Scholars

From 2005 to 2009, Warren was among the three most-cited scholars in bankruptcy and commercial law.

2005: Published Study on Bankruptcy and Medical Bills

In 2005, Elizabeth Warren and David Himmelstein published a study on bankruptcy and medical bills, finding that half of all families filing for bankruptcy did so after a serious medical problem.

2006: Member of FDIC Advisory Committee

In 2006, Elizabeth Warren became a member of the FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion.

2007: Rise in National Profile

Around 2007, Elizabeth Warren's national profile began to rise after she took forceful public stances in favor of more stringent banking regulations following the financial crisis of 2007–2008.

November 14, 2008: Chair of Congressional Oversight Panel

On November 14, 2008, Harry Reid appointed Warren to chair the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.

2008: Financial Crisis

During the financial crisis of 2007–2008, Elizabeth Warren took forceful public stances in favor of more stringent banking regulations.

2009: Among Most-Cited Scholars

From 2005 to 2009, Warren was among the three most-cited scholars in bankruptcy and commercial law.

July 2010: Dodd-Frank Act Signed Into Law

In July 2010, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), was signed into law.

September 2010: Special Advisor on CFPB

In September 2010, Obama named Warren Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the CFPB to set up the new agency.

2010: End of FDIC Advisory Committee Membership

In 2010, Elizabeth Warren's membership of the FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion ended.

2010: Special Election After Kennedy's Death

In 2010, Scott Brown won the seat in a special election after Ted Kennedy's death, which Warren aimed to contest in the 2012 election.

September 14, 2011: Announced Senate Candidacy

On September 14, 2011, Warren declared her intention to run for the Democratic nomination for the 2012 election in Massachusetts for the U.S. Senate.

2011: Harvard's Only Tenured Public Law School Professor

As of 2011, Warren was Harvard's only tenured law professor who had attended law school at an American public university.

2011: Establishment of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

In 2011, Warren's scholarship and public advocacy were the impetus for establishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

January 2012: Cordray Appointed to CFPB

In January 2012, Obama appointed Richard Cordray as director of the CFPB, after it was determined that Warren could not win Senate confirmation.

June 2, 2012: Wins Democratic Nomination

On June 2, 2012, Elizabeth Warren secured the Democratic nomination, running unopposed and receiving a record 95.77% of delegate votes at the state Democratic convention. During this time, she faced opposition from business interests.

September 5, 2012: Speaks at Democratic National Convention

On September 5, 2012, Elizabeth Warren delivered a prime-time speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. During her speech, she portrayed herself as a champion of the middle class, stating the system is rigged against them and criticized Wall Street CEOs.

November 6, 2012: Elected to U.S. Senate

On November 6, 2012, Elizabeth Warren was elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, defeating Scott Brown with 53.7% of the vote, becoming the first woman elected to the Senate from Massachusetts.

December 2012: Assigned to Senate Banking Committee

In December 2012, Elizabeth Warren was assigned a seat on the Senate Banking Committee, overseeing the implementation of Dodd-Frank and banking industry regulations.

2012: Scott Brown Speculated Warren Fabricated Native Ancestry

During Elizabeth Warren's first Senate race in 2012, her opponent, Scott Brown, speculated that she had fabricated Native ancestry to gain advantage on the employment market and used Elizabeth Warren's ancestry in several attack ads. Warren denied that her alleged heritage gave her any advantages in her schooling or her career.

2012: Senate Election

In 2012, Elizabeth Warren was running for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.

2012: Worked on Warren's Senate Campaign

In 2012, Michelle Wu worked on Elizabeth Warren's Senate campaign before running for Boston City Council herself.

2012: Election to the Senate

In 2012, Warren defeated incumbent Republican Scott Brown and became the first female U.S. senator from Massachusetts.

January 3, 2013: Sworn into U.S. Senate

On January 3, 2013, Elizabeth Warren was officially sworn in as a U.S. Senator by Vice President Joe Biden.

February 2013: Questions Banking Regulators

In February 2013, at her first Banking Committee hearing, Elizabeth Warren questioned banking regulators about when they last took a Wall Street bank to trial, expressing concern that 'too big to fail' had become 'too big for trial'.

May 2013: Introduces Bank on Student Loans Fairness Act

In May 2013, Elizabeth Warren introduced the Bank on Student Loans Fairness Act, proposing that students receive government education loans at the same low rate as banks (0.75%). In May 2013, she also questioned the Justice Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Reserve regarding settlement decisions over court trials.

2013: Warren Becomes Senator

In 2013, Elizabeth Warren began serving as the senior United States senator from Massachusetts.

2013: Michelle Wu Runs for Boston City Council

In 2013, Michelle Wu, a former law student of Warren's, ran for Boston City Council.

April 2014: Published "A Fighting Chance"

In April 2014, Metropolitan Books published Elizabeth Warren's book "A Fighting Chance," which discusses the challenges to the American dream.

A Fighting Chance

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2014: Top Democratic Fundraiser

During the 2014 election cycle, Elizabeth Warren was a top Democratic fundraiser, supporting various candidates and party initiatives.

July 2015: Reintroduces 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act

In July 2015, Elizabeth Warren, along with John McCain, Maria Cantwell, and Angus King, reintroduced the 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act, aimed at reducing taxpayer risk in the financial system.

2015: Criticizes the Trans-Pacific Partnership

In 2015, Elizabeth Warren criticized the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), arguing that it lacked sufficient dispute resolution mechanisms and labor protections for American workers.

September 20, 2016: Calls for Wells Fargo CEO resignation

On September 20, 2016, during a hearing, Elizabeth Warren called for Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf to resign and be criminally investigated over the company's unauthorized opening of two million checking and credit-card accounts.

December 2016: Gains Seat on Senate Armed Services Committee

In December 2016, Elizabeth Warren was appointed to the Senate Armed Services Committee, a high-profile position considered to fuel speculation about a potential 2020 presidential bid.

2016: Pressuring Clinton on Appointees

Ahead of the 2016 election, Elizabeth Warren pressured Hillary Clinton to commit to not appointing Wall Street-friendly people to her administration.

2016: Shaping Hillary Clinton's Potential Administration

In 2016, Elizabeth Warren discreetly engaged in an effort to influence how Hillary Clinton might staff her administration if she won the election.

2016: Influence on Presidential Staffing

In 2016, Warren influenced 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on the matter of staffing presidential administrations.

2016: Foreign Government Attacked 2016 Election

In April 2019, Elizabeth Warren referenced the Mueller Report in her call to impeach Donald Trump, citing the report's claim that a hostile foreign government attacked the 2016 election to help Donald Trump, and that Donald Trump welcomed that help.

January 6, 2017: Announces run for second Senate term

On January 6, 2017, Elizabeth Warren announced via email that she would run for a second term as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, citing the need to stand up against Donald Trump's policies.

January 2017: Presidential Conflicts of Interest Act Read in Senate

In January 2017, the Presidential Conflicts of Interest Act, written by Elizabeth Warren, was first read in the Senate.

February 2017: Senate rebukes Warren for reading Coretta Scott King letter

During Jeff Sessions's attorney general nomination debate in February 2017, Elizabeth Warren quoted a 1986 letter from Coretta Scott King. Senate Republicans ruled Warren had violated Senate rules, prohibiting her from further debate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's rebuke, 'She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,' became a slogan for Warren.

April 2017: Published "This Fight Is Our Fight"

In April 2017, Elizabeth Warren published her 11th book, "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class," exploring the plight of the American middle class and advocating for stronger social programs.

This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class

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October 3, 2017: Calls on Wells Fargo CEO to Resign

On October 3, 2017, Elizabeth Warren called on Wells Fargo CEO Timothy J. Sloan to resign during his appearance before the Senate Banking Committee, accusing him of incompetence or complicity in the bank's wrongdoings.

September 29, 2018: Considers running for president in 2020

On September 29, 2018, at a town hall meeting in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren stated that she would "take a hard look" at running for president in the 2020 election after the 2018 United States elections concluded.

2018: Boston Globe Investigation on Ethnicity

A 2018 Boston Globe investigation found that Elizabeth Warren's reported ethnicity played no role in her rise in the academic legal profession.

2018: Called for abolishing ICE

In 2018, Elizabeth Warren called for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

2018: Wins Senate Re-election

In 2018, Elizabeth Warren won re-election to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican Geoff Diehl by a margin of 60% to 36%.

2018: Re-election to Senate

In 2018, Warren was reelected as a U.S. Senator, defeating Republican nominee Geoff Diehl.

December 31, 2018: Announces exploratory committee for presidential run

On December 31, 2018, Elizabeth Warren announced that she was forming an exploratory committee to run for president of the United States.

January 2019: Criticized Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan

In January 2019, Elizabeth Warren criticized Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan, arguing that such withdrawals should be part of a "coordinated" plan with U.S. allies.

January 2019: Declines PAC Money

In January 2019, Elizabeth Warren stated that she does not accept money from Political Action Committees (PACs).

February 9, 2019: Presidential Candidacy Announcement

On February 9, 2019, Elizabeth Warren announced her candidacy in the 2020 United States presidential election.

April 2019: Called for Impeachment Proceedings Against Trump

In April 2019, after reading the Mueller report, Elizabeth Warren called on the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump.

June 2019: Places Second in Some Polls

In early June 2019, Elizabeth Warren placed second in some polls during the Democratic primary race, with Joe Biden in first place and Bernie Sanders in third.

July 2019: Deb Haaland Endorsed Warren for President

In July 2019, Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) endorsed Elizabeth Warren for president, calling her "a great partner for Indian Country".

July 17, 2019: Introduces College Student Hunger Act of 2019

On July 17, 2019, Elizabeth Warren and Representative Al Lawson introduced the College Student Hunger Act of 2019, legislation to make low-income college students eligible for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

September 2019: Holds Rally in New York City

In September 2019, Elizabeth Warren held a rally at New York City's Washington Square Park that was attended by over 20,000 people. Attendees waited in long lines for selfies with Warren.

October 2019: Limits Campaign Contributions

In October 2019, Elizabeth Warren announced that her campaign would not accept contributions of more than $200 from executives at banks, large tech companies, private equity firms, hedge funds, fossil fuel, or pharmaceutical executives.

2019: Raises $24.6 Million in Third Quarter

During the third quarter of 2019, Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign raised $24.6 million, with an average donation of $26.

February 2020: Accepts Support from Super PACs

In February 2020, Elizabeth Warren began accepting support from Super PACs, after failing to convince other Democratic presidential candidates to disavow them.

March 5, 2020: Withdrawal from Presidential Race

On March 5, 2020, Elizabeth Warren withdrew from the 2020 United States presidential election after Super Tuesday.

June 2020: Warren considered for VP by Biden

In June 2020, CNN reported that Elizabeth Warren was among the top four vice-presidential choices for Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

August 11, 2020: Kamala Harris announced as Biden's running mate

On August 11, 2020, Kamala Harris was officially announced as Joe Biden's running mate, ending speculation about other potential candidates like Elizabeth Warren.

November 2020: Considered for Secretary of the Treasury

In November 2020, Elizabeth Warren was named as a potential candidate for Secretary of the Treasury in the incoming Biden Administration.

2020: Criticizes Mike Bloomberg at Democratic Debate

During the ninth debate of the 2020 Democratic primaries, on February 19, Elizabeth Warren criticized fellow candidate Mike Bloomberg, citing non-transparent tax records, claims of misogyny and sexism, and a history of redlining poor neighborhoods.

2020: Presidential Campaign

In 2020, Elizabeth Warren was a candidate in the Democratic Party presidential primaries, ultimately finishing third after Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.

February 2021: Administration More Receptive to Warren's Input

In February 2021, Jeff Bridgood observed that the Biden administration appeared more receptive to Elizabeth Warren's input than the Obama administration had been, reflecting how the Democratic party had become more in line with her political philosophy.

March 2021: Influence on Biden's Personnel Decisions

In March 2021, Kara Voght of Mother Jones wrote that "Warren has been a private but constant voice to the Biden administration on personnel decisions."

June 24, 2022: Wrote Op-Ed Requesting Biden Unblock Resources for Reproductive Health Services

After the June 24, 2022, Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Elizabeth Warren wrote a New York Times op-ed requesting that President Joe Biden unblock critical resources and authority that states and the federal government can use to meet the surge in demand for reproductive health services.

2022: Voted for Respect for Marriage Act

In 2022, Elizabeth Warren voted to advance legislation to codify same-sex marriage into federal law by voting for the Respect for Marriage Act.

March 10, 2023: Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

On March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, an event that Elizabeth Warren analyzed in The New York Times on March 13, 2023.

March 13, 2023: Analysis of Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

On March 13, 2023, Elizabeth Warren presented a detailed analysis of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which occurred on March 10, 2023, and provided possible solutions to avoid further bank failures, in The New York Times.

March 2024: Signed Letter Urging Recognition of Palestinian State

In March 2024, Elizabeth Warren was one of 19 Democratic senators to sign a letter to the Biden administration urging the U.S. to recognize a "nonmilitarized" Palestinian state after the war in Gaza.