Why We Joined WLC
The beginning of law school has a rather intimidating reputation among students, but it is also an exciting time to begin a new intellectual challenge and meet new people with similar passions. I entered my 1L year in September with this combination of apprehension and enthusiasm, but I have been thrilled to find Northwestern a welcoming and collaborative environment. In fact, one of the factors that has made the start of the year so great has been the community I have found in the Women’s Leadership Coalition.
I first became interested in WLC while attending the organization’s panel discussion about women achieving excellence in the legal field. Entering law school, I was aware of the alarmingly small percentage of female partners in firms despite the nearly equal graduation rate between male-identifying and female-identifying students. In other words, I knew the glass ceiling was still a reality in the profession I was hoping to enter. Thus, the WLC panel, which featured respected female professors and a successful female upperclassman, was an inspiring and empowering event to jumpstart my legal education. Each woman’s perspective and advice for navigating gender stereotypes was invaluable. I was reassured that challenging gender bias, while frustrating, is possible. The panelists also refreshingly emphasized the importance of remaining genuine to your identity and to your values in the professional world. I knew leaving the panel discussion that day that I wanted to be a member of WLC and that I would apply to be a 1L representative.
I wanted to be more involved with the organization, not only because of the empowering panel event, but because I saw joining WLC as an amazing opportunity to help amplify the voices of female-identifying students at Northwestern. I additionally felt that building a network of supportive and successful women would be critical for my own academic success and professional development, and crucial for the advancement of women in the legal field at large. So far, WLC has been an exceptional resource for advice and support. I am so excited to be the 1L representative for Communications and I have loved getting to know the WLC community of inspiring women. My fellow 1L representatives and I are looking forward to the fun WLC events we have planned for the year!
Thoughts on why a few of our other 1L Representatives joined WLC:
Anouk Versavel, 1L Representative for Professional Development: “I believe that a supportive network of women supporting women is key to my personal and our collective success.”
Elisabeth Logan, 1L Representative for Membership: “I have had several powerful female mentors who have shaped my idea of the world and how I can make a difference in it, and before law school I worked for a non-profit that focused on women’s education and leadership. Coming to Northwestern, I knew I wanted to find similar relationships so that I could both talk with women who could provide me important insight on the legal field and also share some of own knowledge from my life experiences. WLC provided the perfect opportunity for that kind of community.”
Verde d’Aquino, 1L Representative for Symposium: “I am a feminist and gender equality advocate. I joined WLC because I wanted to be part of an engaged community where women’s voices are heard, valued, and promoted in all their diversity and across all sectors of the legal field.”
Post written by Emily Atseff, 1L Representative for Communications