Women lawyers share their insights for law students
It has been a profound and reflective month at New England Law | Boston as we have celebrated Women’s History Month. In 1908, New England Law was founded as Portia Law School—the first and only law school for women. During those early years, the majority of the women who passed the Massachusetts Bar exam were Portia graduates. Today, New England Law is an independent, co-ed law school; as of 2020, 64% percent of our students are women, and our faculty and staff consist of accomplished professors and legal professionals.
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we asked some of these women to share advice they’d offer future female law students—and what they might tell themselves if they could turn back time to their first day of law school.
Dina Francesca Haynes, JD
Professor of Law
“Figure out what you love about law, and do it. Figure out what motivates you to persist, and do it. Figure out what keeps you centered, and then do it. Law school requires relentless focus and learning to think analytically. This may well require you to put other things that are important to you on the backburner temporarily in order to succeed. But those other things are also what make you who you are; they are what will carry you forward when the going gets tough. Remember what motivated you to come to law school in the first place, and be willing embrace something else entirely, if you find that it moves you."
Caryn R. Mitchell-Munevar, JD
Clinical Law Professor
“Don’t apologize before asking questions. Male students never apologize before asking a question. Female students should claim their space unapologetically. It’s normal to be intimidated by such an overwhelming endeavor as law school. But you have everything you need to succeed and achieve your goals. It’s not about not being afraid; it’s about learning how to walk through the fear.”
Natasha N. Varyani, JD
Associate Professor of Law
"Be confident and authentic. Whether you have a question or just a comment that you are unsure of, speak up! Have faith in yourself and your experiences, and know that even when it may not feel like it, you have a network of support that is invested in your success."
Lisa Freudenheim, JD
Dean, Professor of Academic Excellence
“For all students, I would recommend maximizing their experiential learning throughout their time in law school through clinics, internships, and summer jobs. Law degrees open many doors, and students can get overwhelmed in trying to find their paths. These experiences will help you to find the type of job that motivates you—which is critical to happiness and success in the profession. A lot of students come to law school with an idea of what they think they want to do, only to find out that it does not live up to their expectations. Stay open and use opportunities to gather information about the kind of work you actually like to do. I would tell myself to keep reaching for the balance between feeling confident in my skills, intelligence, and potential and humility in what is out there for me to learn.”
Monica Teixeira de Sousa, JD
Professor of Law
“Be yourself. You don’t need to be anyone or anything other than who you are right now to succeed in this profession.”
Jocie Coletti, JD
Director, Development, Alumni Relations, and Career Services Office
“Biggest piece of advice I would give myself is to believe in myself. Don’t get intimated by all of the other smart students in the room and let it define you. Your first year is important academically so invest in and believe in yourself. Also, keep yourself open to all of the opportunities law school has to offer, and don’t shy away from activities that you may not think you would be good at. You don’t know what you are good at until you try it!”
Need some inspiration? Dive into our list of 6 Black Women Legal Trailblazers You Need to Know.