St. Catherine of Alexandria

According to tradition, St. Catherine of Alexandria was a young woman of aristocratic family, great learning, and beauty who became a Christian and was martyred in the 4th century. Her legend relates that, when she was only 18, Catherine confronted the Roman Emperor Maximus, upbraiding him for his persecution of Christians and arguing against the worship of false gods. The emperor summoned  50 philosophers to debate Catherine and persuade her to reject Christ, but instead Catherine convinced them all to convert, at which point the emperor had the philosophers killed.  Furious, the emperor had Catherine scourged and threw her into prison. While in prison, she converted a number of people, including the empress. Catherine was then condemned to die by being bound to a spiked wheel, but the wheel fell apart. The emperor had Catherine beheaded. According to legend, angels carried her body to Mount Sinai, where a monastery was built in her honor. 

A popular saint in medieval times, St. Catherine was known as one of the fourteen "holy helpers," or important saints to pray to for healing. St. Catherine was one of the saints whose voices were heard by St. Joan of Arc. Because of her skill in argument and persuasion, St. Catherine is counted among the patron saints of lawyers.