A Roadmap for Surviving and Thriving in Law School
As a Woman of Color
Acknowledge the barriers, you are not alone
Few women of color are fortunate to have well-resourced and connected families, or come from competitive schools that have powerful networks. For many, finding an LSAT-preparatory course, preparing a law school application, and negotiating financial aid packages are mystifying processes. Moreover, several women of color come from under-resourced backgrounds, and thus bring to law school many external burdens. For example, some of us have family members that rely on us for financial support or friends who are struggling with poverty and exposure to violence. We juggle many things that many of our classmates are not forced to balance.
Law school is a challenging place for women of color. From the microaggressions1 that women face in the classroom to the entrenched structural racism that underlies the American legal system, women of color law students grapple with a lot. It is difficult to prepare for the first year experience of not once seeing a woman of color faculty member, or in the judges who write the opinions you read. Further, it is challenging to read case opinions with a real impact on your community and then, listen to classmates dispassionately talk about the legal reasoning as though it were nothing more than an intellectual exercise.2
Despite these obstacles, there are a growing number of women of color entering the legal profession. They are rising to positions of great influence, and making institutional changes to benefit the women of color who follow in their footsteps. The next sections presents a guide with strategies and resources to help women of color prepare for, and make the most of the law school experience.
Before Law School:
For women of color, and especially those coming from low-income or working-class backgrounds, navigating the law school application process can be daunting. If you are thinking about applying to law school, consider applying to a pipeline program like the UCLA Law Fellows Program.3 The Law Fellows Program actively prepares aspiring law students for the application process, as well as the law school experience through Saturday academic sessions taught by law faculty, pairing Fellows with law student mentors, and a free LSAT preparation course. This program is a great way for women of color to build relationships with mentors who will advocate for you, and find a supportive community even before you matriculate.4
Similarly, For People of Color, Inc. (“FPOC”) provides great resources for law school applicants, including free digital guides that can help you strengthen your application.5 This organization strives to diversify the legal profession by providing free, high-quality law school admissions consulting services. In addition, FPOC conducts an annual electronic personal statement proofreading program. Check the FPOC website periodically to see if there is a Law School Admissions Conference scheduled in a location near you. These conferences are incredibly helpful because attendees listen to practitioners, professors, or current law students about the application process, and receive feedback on resumes and personal statements.
Finding Your Community
Like any major challenge, you cannot survive law school on your own. Upon arriving to law school, first find “your people.” These could be other women of color, or whoever you feel most comfortable with. These are the people who will have your back in classroom discussions and will support you in the moments you need it the most. They will meet your outrage with their own outrage, add their tears to yours, and celebrate your successes as victories for the whole community. Join affinity groups such as BALSA, LALSA, SALSA, MELSA, NALSA, or APALSA, or student organizations like your school’s Women of Color Alliance or the Women of Color Collective.6
Once you identify your community, make time to meet, collaborate, or just get to know each other. Consider forming a study group. Many law students express regret that they did not form study groups earlier in their law school careers. Get a head start once you find your community.
Law school may seem all-consuming, but it is not the universe. Consider activities outside of the law school community that enable you to form a community that includes non-law students.
Identifying Mentors and Role Models
For women of color, networking, finding mentors, and advocating for themselves with the dean and other administrators is especially important. This is challenging when you intern where you are one of the only women of color, or if you law school includes only a handful of women of color faculty members. Understandably, many women of color search for mentors who are representative of their backgrounds and experiences. But, be careful not to miss important relationship building opportunities. Seek mentorship outside your race or background too.
Push yourself to go to office hours with a professor, even if you don’t necessarily identify with them. You do not always need a set of questions in hand or an agenda when you visit a professor’s office. At the beginning of the semester, meet one (or more!) of your professors outside of class. Start with introducing yourself and talking about your interests. Talk to faculty about why you came to law school, what you are hoping to accomplish, and ask for advice about how to make the most of your time there. Early advice from professors will give you a leg up when it comes time to finding recommendation letter writers. It may feel uncomfortable to approach professors who you think you share little with, but this will serve you immensely as you move forward in your legal career. Start making this a habit.
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