Though female law students now have an almost-equal playing field and many entry-level job opportunities, she says, some obstacles remain.
“The conflict of the demanding profession of the law, and the need and desire to have a family life, will never change,” Hope says. “And that I heard loud and clear when I was at Harvard.”
But to some extent, Hope says, today’s HLS students—both female and male— have an easier time.
“The classes are not as tough as they were, and I, for one, think that’s bad,” Hope says. “We were not coddled at all, and I think that was good for us. I think it is less challenging in the classroom for students today, and that is not always a kindness, because the real world of law is very tough.”
—Staff writer Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at shoichet@fas.harvard.edu.