On Friday, March 4, 2016, over 50 law students and 40 practitioners from across the legal profession joined the Center for Women in Law (CWIL) for its sixth annual Women in Law Institute (Institute). Originally developed in 2009 through the efforts of Linda Bray Chanow and the Women’s Bar Association of D.C., the Institute provides training for future lawyers on three skills essential for success in their legal careers: communicating with impact, demonstrating value, and building strategic relationships.
“Today’s Institute was like going to a sauna where I just got to sweat out all my toxins such as degrading myself without even knowing it,” said one Texas Law 1L. “I feel exhausted but also refreshed and like, ‘Bring it on, world.’”
Participants in the Institute attended three lectures from expert speakers. Marsha Hunter from Johnson & Hunter, Inc., identified strategies to improve overall communication skills to counteract the verbal and nonverbal communication mannerisms that may undermine a woman’s appearance of confidence. CWIL Executive Director Linda Chanow led a discussion on skills necessary for successful self-promotion. Diane Darling focused on the value of connections made during networking, as well as re-establishing and deepening those initial relationships.
Following each lecture, students worked in small groups led by practitioners to improve these skills through practice and individualized critiques.
“We were critiqued not only on the content of what we chose to say and present ourselves, but also our delivery and how all the different aspects of body language, inflection, tone, pace [affect the perception of confidence],” said another Texas Law 1L. “All those things affect the confidence we’re portraying and the value we place on the words we choose to say about ourselves.”
Another law student said, “This event exceeded my expectations and I was really glad to have attended. I especially enjoyed the workshops and thought the size of the groups allowed for a lot of personalized feedback and ability to discuss and ask questions comfortably.”
CWIL will be hosting the Institute in two more locations this year; in Los Angeles, California with the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles on October 14, 2016, and in New York, New York with the NYC Bar on October 21, 2016.
If you are interested in becoming a faculty member for the 2017 Women in Law Institute or bringing the Institute to your city, please contact CWIL Deputy Director Courtney Chavez for more information.
