Harvard Law School students Melissa Mikail and Lulu Wang were among 12 female law students awarded 2017 Ms. JD Fellowships.
Ms. JD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the success of women in law school and the legal profession. The purpose of the Ms. JD Fellowship is “to promote mentoring and professional development for future female attorneys.” Ms. JD selected this year’s fellows “based on their academic performance, leadership, and dedication to advancing the status of women in the profession.”
Mikail and Wang, both members of the HLS Class of 2018, spoke about their reasons for applying for the Fellowship and what they hope to gain from the experience.
“When I first arrived at Harvard Law School, I didn’t feel like I knew the language being spoken around me. It struck me, not so much as a language, but as a reminder of the world I come from. It seemed as though others were born into this language; it was spoken at the dinner table and on the way to school. Their language was alien to me and my reality was alien to them. As a first generation student, law school has become a constant reminder of the world I come from – a world filled with adversity as a result of being raised by an immigrant single mother from Egypt. Since starting law school, I have been unable, yet unyielding in my pursuit of finding a program that understands my language and connects me with those who speak it. I applied to the Ms. JD fellowship because it is an opportunity to be led by accomplished women who can identify both with me and with my challenges. It serves as a forum to join other women who have each struggled in their own ways, yet come together to pull each other up. It’s an opportunity to meet and surround myself by women who face similar challenges in the legal profession and immerse myself in a diverse group with a common goal.”
“I am so fortunate to have had amazing mentors throughout my life. My family is an inspiration. My scientific mentors have provided unwavering support. The law firm where I work is steeped in strong female leaders who have been terrific role models. And professors at HLS lifted me up when I had a sleepless newborn at home – I could not have gotten through law school without them. As a Ms. JD Fellow, I most look forward to becoming part of a remarkable community and mentoring other women throughout my career.”