Getting into law school can be an intimidating process, whether you’re writing the LSAT, trying to craft the perfect personal statement, or figuring out where to apply.
The McMaster Women in Pre-Law Society (WIPS) aims to make that process less intimidating and more inclusive.
“It is a very daunting thing to go through alone,” said Bavneet Gakhal, club vice-president. “Especially if you don’t have anyone in your family that’s ever pursued anything related to law.”
The steps involved in becoming a lawyer can dissuade students, and so can the rhetoric that “you have to be a certain type of person to do well [in law],” said Safiya Sivjee, co-president. The McMaster Women in Pre-Law Society, which started six years ago, focuses on a simple question: “How do we make something intimidating a lot more approachable?”
The club runs events throughout the school year, offering opportunities to learn and grow together as law school hopefuls. Membership is free, and they try to remove any barriers to attending their events. Their members include students in Labour Studies, Arts & Science, Political Science, History, English and Cultural Studies, Economics and more.
What distinguishes WIPS from other pre-law clubs is that in addition to helping you get into law school, it’s also very focused on building community, Gakhal said. “We’re all here to support one another.”
That includes learning about what law schools look for in applicants, and what differentiates the law schools themselves. “Certain schools have a certain focus. Schools within Toronto usually lean towards business, corporate [law], and Ottawa is more criminal justice,” said Lia Ysabel Icasiano, co-president. “You apply and you think, oh, U of T is a really good school. But knowing that there’s a focus there is also important to understand.”
Discovering support
The club also provides resources and support for students writing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), an exam that assesses reading comprehension and logical reasoning.
The club partners with the Princeton Review, and offers discount codes for people to use on prep materials for the LSAT. It also provides a supportive environment to talk about the test.
The exam can be nerve-wracking, said Icasiano. “It feels like your whole future is riding on it… and every cycle is getting more and more competitive.”
At a social event WIPS ran this winter, a couple of first-years with questions about the LSAT were able to connect with several upper-year students who had already written it.
For the WIPS executives, it’s rewarding to help facilitate those relationships. “To be able to see those conversations happening and people able to find mentors among their peers, and feel like they have someone to talk to,” Sivjee said. “They can see themselves in that person’s shoes in a couple years.”
Learning from precedent – and a counsel of peers
In addition to law school application support, WIPS also aims to help prepare and equip students for careers in law.
Women, compared to men, can face additional barriers in the legal field: though women make up over 40 per cent of practising lawyers in Canada, they can also face a glass ceiling, a wage gap and a lower rate of making partner or holding senior leadership positions.
WIPS’ annual Galentine’s Day panel gave students an opportunity to learn directly from practising lawyers, and ask questions they might be scared to ask in other environments.
The panelists, from left-right: Nandini Nair, Natalia Pawlowski, Hortense Fraser, Caroline Elliot, and Adrianna Inneo.
This year, the panelists included five Hamilton lawyers who work in different fields of law – including commercial law, criminal defense, civil litigation, family law and real estate. Several of them were McMaster alumni.
The panel discussion covered a wide range of topics: from taking a non-linear path to law, to different networking methods, to a frank discussion on searching for work-life balance as a lawyer.
They also talked openly about the challenges that women still face in a field that can be built on personal connections and pre-existing relationships.
You might not realize that until you get to law school, look around, and realize your cohort is filled with people who don’t look like you, Icasiano said. “It’s important to tell people the realities of it, like the workload, who you’re surrounded with.”
One panelist talked about feeling like she was a part of the team at her firm, but being mistaken for an assistant by clients. Another panelist shared stories of being treated poorly by opposing counsel.
The goal of the panel was to give people more understanding of the realities of a career in law, so that they’re making an informed decision, said Icasiano. But they also want to empower people with the resources “to go forward and make an impact and actually be able to follow your dreams.”
Attendees said it was the first time they’ve ever heard a lawyer speak in real life, and the event strengthened their understanding of what a career in law entails.
WIPS has more events planned for the remainder of the winter term, including taking part in the March 5 Women’s Day Coffeehouse run by the McMaster Health Equity and Advocacy in Science organization, and a social event with the DeGroote Law Association that will give attendees tips on things to do to prepare for the LSAT and law school applications over the summer.
“Once you come to the events and you’re able to interact with us and be in that collaborative space, what I would want people to feel is, you are capable,” said Sivjee.
“We’re just a stepping stone. But at the end of the day, you have that power in you and you can get to where you want to be.”