How Identity Has Influenced a Clinical Professor of Law at LMU Loyola Law School's Career
Navigating a career as a woman, the Clinical Professor shared, requires a "village," emphasizing the importance of mentorship and community support in balancing work and family. The Professor's experience highlights the need for open discussions about challenges faced and the value of sharing strategies for success, noting that sometimes "women kind of bear the brunt of balancing everything."
Work-Life Balance, Mentorship, Women in Law, Professional Development, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Amy Levin
Clinical Professor of Law
LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
University of California, Berkeley 1994
University of California, Los Angeles JD/MSW
Psychology
Education, Law
Education
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Building a strong support network is crucial for balancing career and family responsibilities.
2. Mentorship from senior colleagues (both men and women) has been vital for navigating career challenges.
3. Openly discussing work-life balance with students and offering frank advice is important for supporting the next generation of professionals.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as a woman, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
I think it's really true that it takes a village to get things done, especially when you're balancing a career, family, and friends. I believe it's really important to lift each other up and help each other out.
I've found various women in my career who've been instrumental in mentoring me, men and women frankly. It's important to find those people and talk to them, asking how they balance their career and family. Inquire about the adjustments they make to do their best in both.
Having the perspective of women who were more senior to me has been really important. At the law school, we have a women's student group. Every year, I make sure to go to their lunch and mentor the students.
I get a lot of questions about how I managed with young kids, childcare, and finding time to study. It's so important to me to have those discussions and be frank about what I think you can and cannot do, because it can be a little difficult.
I encourage you to seek those connections and lift each other up. Help each other when things are rough, because it really does take that village. For better or worse, I sometimes feel women bear the brunt of having to balance everything, perhaps more than men.
It's important to prioritize and figure out what's important to you. Having a community to help you navigate that is also key.