The study of feminist legal theory is a school thought based on the common view that law's treatment of women in relation to men has not been equal nor fair. It possesses many similarities to liberal feminism, however it is not seen as a alternative to other feminist schools of thought rather than a complimenting theory.

The goals of feminist legal theory as defined by leading theorist Claire Dalton , consist of understanding exploring the female experience, figuring out how law and institutions oppose females, and figuring out what changes can be committed to. This is to be accomplished through studying the connections betwen the law and gender as well as applying feminist analysis to concrete areas of law.

There are three phases in the developement of feminist legal theory. Initially there was the "equality stage" where women would fight for equal rights and representation. From this women achieved the right to vote, better access to male dominated jobs, and other goals. Secondly, there was the "difference stage" where the inate female experience was taken into account. This brought about issues such as the inequity in the work environment in dealing with pregnancies, among others. Lastly, there was the "diversity phase" where the focus changed to looking at the experience of female minorities.