Preparation with Conviction: FIU’s Empowering Women in Law

Natalie Gutierrez | Staff Writer

The legal profession may be male-dominated, but Empowering Women in Law (EWIL) aims to help young women find their footing and bridge the gap.

EWIL, an organization that creates a learning space for students interested in pursuing a career in law, started at FIU’s Modesto Maidique Campus in 2020. Its mission is to promote women’s education by introducing members to field experts and offering networking opportunities.

Nabila Kabir is a senior double majoring in English and women’s studies and president of EWIL.

“This is a great opportunity, and I have met wonderful people through this organization. It gives the women in the club confidence. I am glad to lead it, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without the e-board members” said Kabir.

“It can be intimidating to go into this area. Organizations like this help women learn how to balance their personal life and work life. Many of our female speakers have talked about this, and it gives girls a comfort boost to know that they can juggle it all.”

Vice President Samantha Morales, a senior and political science major, feels equally passionate about the organization.

“We want to establish a safe space where women are the focus, specifically women who want to pursue law in the future but are not sure about how to navigate that,” said Morales.

Female-led and driven organizations are important to morales because young women need to see success. “Being women who have not ventured out, it is important to see people who came out on the other side and succeeded. It is reassuring to hear from those who went through the process and can assure us that it is possible and doable.”

“I feel that the field is dominated by men—and not because men are more prone to do the job or because they are smarter,” said Morales. “In the past, we had a disadvantage and we still suffer from the aftermath. Sometimes, women are discouraged so it is important to encourage them to not be intimidated and learn how to prove people wrong, instead of shying away from opportunities.”

Earlier this month, EWIL hosted an online TestMasters LSAT workshop. EWIL partners with Blueprint and TestMasters to host these workshops that prepare members for the LSAT by giving them helpful tips on reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and logic games.

“Being surrounded by women who are in the same position allows those with less confidence to dive into something as daunting as law school. It helps boost your confidence if you were once lacking it,” said Morales.

In addition, EWIL regularly brings in guest speakers that include but are not limited to current law students, female professors, and female attorneys.

“We have had a variety of speakers come in and offer an array of perspectives,” said Morales. “It can be confusing and difficult to figure this out by yourself, so it is important to establish a community and expose members to people with experience in the legal field.”

EWIL will host a fundraiser for Mother’s Day. This semester, the organization will collect monetary donations for the Junior League of Miami, Inn Transition. These donations will be used to deliver flowers to victims of domestic violence in May.

EWIL meets on a bi-weekly basis typically at the Student Academic Success Center. Meetings alternate between in-person and online formats.

You can learn more about Empowering Women in Law on Instagram (@ewilfiu) and PantherConnect.