Fulbright Scholar And HLS Alum Lauren Weinstein On Bright Women Lawyers

It is particularly hard to be a young, woman lawyer. How can they make their voices heard?

Lauren Weinstein

“So shine bright tonight / You and I / We’re beautiful, like diamonds in the sky.”Rihanna

Last month, the New York Law Journal published an article titled, “Lessons I’ve Learned as a Young Woman Lawyer,” written by Lauren Weinstein, an associate with MoloLamken LLP. In her piece, Weinstein provides three specific tips for young, bright women lawyers to make their voices heard.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to catch up with Lauren Weinstein. During our conversation, it became quite apparent that she is a rising star in our profession. From her childhood to her studies as a Fulbright Scholar, and from Harvard Law School to her two federal clerkships, she is definitely one of the most impressive young talents I’ve had the opportunity to interview.

Without further ado, here is a (lightly edited and condensed) write-up of our conversation:

Renwei Chung (RC): Your mom emigrated here from Cuba and your father is from New York. So how did they meet?

Lauren Weinstein (LW): They met on a blind date while my father was in residency and my mother was teaching chemistry. They married relatively quickly after meeting, and it wasn’t long before I was born. My sister, Michelle, joined us two and a half years later. She is also in the sciences (currently at Brigham & Women’s Hospital).

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Although having parents from such different backgrounds was sometimes challenging, I feel very fortunate to have grown up in two distinct cultural traditions. I celebrate Chanukah with my Dad; on Christmas Eve, I get Noche Buena and lechon asado. I spoke Spanish before I spoke in English, but I can still curse in Yiddish. And my parents let me choose what religion, if any, I would adopt as my own.

RC: What attracted you to a career in the law and how did you choose Harvard Law School?

LW: For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a lawyer. In high school, my primary activity was policy debate. I loved the long nights researching on LexisNexis, the rush of weekends at tournaments, and the intense conversations with my teammates. I even spent all of my summers at debate camp — that’s how I met my husband.

I wanted a career that would give me that same feeling; law was the natural choice. I still love the long nights researching and writing, I get the same rush when I am in court, and my colleagues are some of the most brilliant people I have ever met. Harvard was always my top choice. As soon as I was accepted, I knew that’s where I would go.

RC: As a Fulbright Scholar, what did your research focus on?

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LW: I researched Black Madonnas: dark-colored sculptures of the Madonna and child dating from as early as the 12th century. I visited Churches all over France, spent hours at the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, and interviewed devotees, studying how, if at all, racial identity was written on to these statues, most of which pre-date modern racial thought.

While France and the United States both have very serious problems with race, they take different approaches to addressing them: The U.S. has more or less embraced multiculturalism, but France has attempted to unite its citizens as French first. Studying these statues allowed me to better understand how French Republican ideology has shaped racial and religious thought in France.

RC: You recently penned an article titled, “Lessons I’ve Learned as a Young Woman Lawyer.” Can you summarize this piece for our audience?

LW: The New York State Bar Association’s recent study revealing that only about 25 percent of attorneys with speaking roles in New York courts are women shocked me, in part because I am among that 25% of women who have argued in New York courts. Drawing on my own experiences, the article explains a few lessons I’ve learned: (1) find allies; (2) be an ally; and (3) advocate for yourself.

It is hard to be a young lawyer. It is hard to be a woman lawyer. It is particularly hard to be a young, woman lawyer. I wrote the piece to share my experiences, in the hope that it will encourage other young women lawyers to share their own experiences and make their voices heard.

RC: What can law firms do to be more inclusive and empower young associates?

LW: I can only speak from my own experience, which, admittedly, is at a relatively unique law firm. Based on that, here is what I think law firms can do:

  1. Expect young lawyers to take on responsibility. At my firm, the expectation is that you will take on as much responsibility as you are capable of handling, e.g., it is the norm to have relatively young associates first-chairing depositions, managing teams, and examining witnesses. Most young attorneys will rise to meet that expectation.
  2. Include young lawyers. Although this hasn’t been my experience, often young attorneys aren’t given the opportunity to learn by observing because they’re not included in client meetings, pitches, or court appearances. Those are all great learning opportunities; even if the young attorney isn’t taking a leading role.

RC: After two federal clerkships and three years of associate experience, what career advice do you have for law students and young attorneys?

LW: This piece of advice is recycled, but it’s served me very well: Find the best attorneys you can and work with them as closely as you can.

Nearly everything I’ve learned over the last few years has been from watching my brilliant colleagues (and, before that, my brilliant judges) in action. Trying to keep up with experienced, scary-smart attorneys can be daunting. It can make even the most talented young lawyers feel intimidated. I certainly felt that way when I first started out, and I sometimes still do. But there really is no better way to learn and to develop quickly as an attorney.

RC: It was great chatting with you. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience?

LW: Young attorneys, don’t let those doubts in the back of your head get the better of you. Be confident. Trust your instincts. Advocate for yourself.

On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, I would like to thank Lauren Weinstein for taking the time to share her story with our audience. We wish her continued success in her career.


Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at projectrenwei@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn