Gillian Lester , dean of Columbia Law School, advised and inspired on Tuesday evening as guest speaker for the Inaugural Women in Law Leadership Lecture at Roger Williams University School of Law, urging women lawyers and law students to claim "a place at the table." Conversing in a relaxed “fireside chat” format before a sizeable audience in the Honorable Bruce M. Selya Appellate Courtroom,…, I’m, the interim dean!’ I started thinking about the gender dynamics at work there, and that was part of what spurred me to throw my hat in.” Still, it wasn't an easy decision. “I felt a lot of trepidation,” Lester said. “In my own mind, I didn’t fit the profile of a dean. I had a lot of fears about both my skills and abilities as well as the stakes of taking on a role like that. I worried about my…, this, room! – I slow down, shoulders back, and I take a deep breath. So I really think mentors are critically important, particularly for women, who sometimes need that tap on the shoulder and that piece of encouragement.” From her powerful position today, Lester said, she still tries to encourage young women lawyers and law students in the same way. “You receive it and you pay it forward,” she said. “…, Family Issues, Returning to the question of work-family balance, Sack asked about Lester’s approach during her deanship. “I was pretty clear from the beginning that I had children,” Lester said. “And I committed – though I know that not everybody can do this – to trying, not, to go out for evening events more than two nights a week, wanting to be home at the dinner table for the rest of the week.” She also lists parental and other familial obligations on her calendar. “Once you become a dean, everybody sees your calendar,” she said. “So when I had a parent-teacher meeting or some kind of school-related thing, I asked that we call it what it is – rather than just…, Lessons in Leadership, Lester is particularly interested in leadership education, particularly for women and underrepresented groups. Sack asked about her activities in that area. “So many lawyers go into positions of leadership,” Lester replied. “Yet for a long time, law schools didn’t specifically teach leadership. So now we have [at Columbia Law] a marquee course as well as a number of experiential laboratory…, all, its forms." Lester continued, "A vision can be articulated quietly as well as loudly. Inspiration, encouragement and mentorship can be delivered in ways that don’t necessarily involve an iconic person standing alone at the front of the room. I think some of the most powerful kinds of leadership involve a quiet assist – through listening, deep collaboration, give and take. Qualities that are…, Addressing a New Reality, Asked about ways in which women can improve their position in the legal profession, Lester made a few impromptu suggestions:, Adapt the partnership track., “People go to law school a little bit later in life now. So often the time when women are talking with their partners about whether or not to have a child is now exactly the time when [law firm] partnership decisions are being made. So extending the partnership track – the duration of the period of being an associate – a little bit longer has been found to be a way of helping women get through…, Act collectively., A pressing question for women lawyers, Lester said, is: “How do I fulfill my obligations in the workplace as well as my obligations at home?” The best way to answer that question is by “working collectively, talking through and sharing your stories, and then finding mentors and sponsors – people you can cultivate to be advisors and coaches to you.” When Lester was a young, untenured…, Guard against implicit bias., “There are a lot of ways that implicit bias can creep into the process of assessing men’s performance versus women’s performance. The kinds of descriptions that are used for men are often things like ‘fire in the belly.’ The descriptions that more frequently come up for women who’ve been performing well include things like ‘well-organized.’” The problem is, “while people might say about the woman…, everybody, is responsible for, all, of those things. And if you don’t perform on any of those qualities, then it’s weighted equally. Or if you, do, perform well on any of those qualities, that’s also weighted equally.”, Be confident., “It’s really about confidence," Lester said. "What I wish for the next generation is that they have a deep belief that when they walk into a room, they have a place at the table. That they have the confidence to know they don’t need to sit in the back row.” The Inaugural Women in Law Leadership Lecture was made possible by RWU Law’s Presenting Sponsor, Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC , along with…
Type: Article
Law students and lawyers spend countless hours drafting, writing, editing, and rewriting papers. But this does not necessarily mean that their work-product is the highest quality. In many cases, having a second set of eyes to review and make suggestions can help attune writers to style and grammar habits that they wouldn’t otherwise notice. Professor Kishbaugh , for example, spends countless…
Type: Article
This week the Legal Beagle is doing some serious journalism by interviewing Professor Raposa. Below is a transcript of our conversation: 1. What is the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you? To not let anyone else impact your happiness, and similarly, to not care about what anyone says or thinks about you. This is all easier said than done, but it’s advice I constantly remind myself of. 2.…
Type: Article
Type: Photo Gallery
To celebrate the close of Black History Month, 14 members of the Black Law Student Association (BLSA), alumni and supporters dressed in all black and stood together on the marble steps of the Rhode Island State House and posed for a photo. The shoot was organized by BLSA President Bre'Anna Metts-Nixon, a 3L at the RWU School of Law and a 2013 RWU alum. Metts-Nixon planned the shoot as a…
Type: Article
Roger Williams University recognizes that some current members of the campus community may prefer to identify themselves by a first name other than their legal first name. For this reason, the University provides students and employees with an opportunity to use a “Chosen Name” where possible in the course of University business and education. Under Roger Williams University’s Chosen Name Policy…
Type: Basic Page
Recent years have seen much passionate debate over the introduction of gender-preference and gender-neutral (, they, them, theirs, ) pronouns in public life, as alternatives to the “he” and “she” traditionally used in offices, schools and institutions. But is it way too soon to introduce such changes into the nation’s supreme legal document – the Constitution of the United States? Not according to RWU Law 2L Nicole Day, who recently began circulating a Change.org petition to change the exclusive use of the pronoun "he" in…, 'Harder Than I Thought', The seed of Day’s petition was, in fact, her Constitutional Law class, in which Professor Jonathan Gutoff typically used gender-inclusive language in discussing the Constitution. “He is a really nice, wonderful man,” Day recalls. “I noticed that when he referred to parts of the Constitution concerning the presidency, he would always make it a point to say ‘he –, or, she,’ and sometimes he would just use the pronoun ‘she.’ When he did that, I thought, ‘Yeah, it actually, is, kind of weird that it still says ‘he.’” Day knows how to make an impression: the University of Colorado graduate came to RWU Law after a decade spent in Los Angeles working in the entertainment industry – producing, directing and acting in film, television and on stage. However, initial reactions to her petition weren’t the enthusiastic, non-partisan, “Of course! Obviously!” sort of endorsement…
Type: Story
“I'm an Associate Attorney at Audette, Cordeiro and Violette in Providence. I have a passion for Social Security work. It seems to me like my clients have won the world's worst lottery. I find it is a privilege and joy to help them. I also handle civil litigation, divorces and some criminal matters. “My time spent in the Student Bar Association and the LGBT Alliance were invaluable to me in a…
Type: Story
“, I am an Associate Judge, on the Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court. I preside over cases between employees and employers regarding all aspects of injuries allegedly sustained while working and any medical treatment which stems from said injuries. These cases are often complex and deal with a myriad of medical issues as well as credibility and causation., “While attending RWU Law, I worked as an intern at CVS Corporate in the Marketing and Research Department analyzing Pro Formas for new CVS stores in competitive markets. This internship helped me build strong professional relationships, which provided me with the tools to create a successful law practice before being appointed to the bench.”
Type: Story
Out of concern for the safety of our visitors and all members of our community, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend all in-person visits to campus. Current best-practice advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Rhode Island Department of Health is to minimize exposure, . We want to ensure you are still able to keep learning about RWU Law, so we have implemented remote opportunities to engage with us:, Information Sessions., We are offering our monthly Information Sessions via Zoom. Please check our website for more details., Our Instagram Tour., We have put together an IG tour of the Law School. It’s only 5 minutes long, and will provide you with a great introduction to our community. To get a sense of place, follow @rwulaw on IG., Rely on your RWU Law Admissions Team. , We know that these changes will lead to questions, and we are here to answer them – we encourage you to reach out to our Admissions Team with questions about these changes and RWU Law. Please email us at lawadmissions@rwu.edu to set up a phone or Zoom appointment., Please note that, given the fluidity of the situation, we will be continually reviewing our ability to hold in-person events and will be in touch if there is any change, . , If you have any questions, please contact us at lawadmissions@rwu.edu or 401-254-4555. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we continue to act in the best interest of health and safety.
Type: Basic Page
