Closing out Women’s History Month, Catholic Law held its inaugural Women in Law Luncheon on March 31, 2023, at Sfoglina Downtown in Washington, D.C., inviting a panel of four distinguished alumni to discuss their career trajectories in the legal profession. Moderated by Mary Graw Leary, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the panel discussion presented the perspectives of Nina Alice Antony ’11, Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Charlottesville, Va.; Diane Kiesel ’85, Acting Supreme Court Justice of Bronx County, N.Y.; Kimberly Ulan ’16, former Assistant State Attorney of Montgomery County, Md.; and Christine Goo ’07, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Prior to the discussion, the law school’s supportive community was on display during a networking luncheon composed of students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The afternoon’s discussion began with a few comments by Graw Leary. “I think we’re here because—truth be told—it’s hard to be an attorney,” she said, addressing the group. Gesturing toward the panel, she continued: “One of the ways to navigate that is to have people openly talk about these challenges.”

The day’s guest speakers proceeded to discuss the rationales that pushed them toward legal careers, as well as the challenges unique to being female lawyers. “The law enforcement field is still primarily male,” Goo remarked, answering first after Graw Leary had opened the floor to the panelists. “You find ways of conflict resolution that you as a female have to deal with.” When asked how they would advise young female lawyers just entering the profession, the entire panel concluded that a double standard indeed exists in terms of how female lawyers are treated relative to their male counterparts. “The best advice I can give is that you just have to be better,” added Antony. “You’re better prepared; you’re better researched than anyone else in the room.”

To conclude the luncheon, Graw Leary asked the panelists to described any high profile cases in which they had been involved and the lessons that they learned from them. Kiesel, referencing her position as the judge who presided over the criminal trial made famous in Netflix’s Inventing Anna, reflected on how keeping the trial transparent to the media shaped the way she administrates her courtroom. “The challenges were not weighty or important challenges,” she said. “In the end, it taught me a lot about how to run a courtroom.” Ulan, following Kiesel with her own experience, summarized further: “You have to focus on your case and what you’re doing.”

This event was sponsored by the Catholic Law Alumni Association, which hosts events throughout the year and offers excellent ways to network with fellow alumni, guest speakers, and faculty. They also give alumni a chance to discover in person the goings-on at Catholic Law and provide an opportunity for connecting with current Catholic Law students.