Law student hopes to be symbol of change for minority women
What's My Why?
"Being in the legal field for six years now, I have not seen young women look like me dominate in the legal field as much as I would like to. So, my only hope one day is for a girl who looks like me from thousands and thousands of miles away, to look at my story and realize that they too can achieve that goal of being a lawyer in this country."
Sandaly Madawala heard countless times she couldn’t be a lawyer. It was a message she heard from professors, friends, and even some family members. It was a message she chose to ignore.
Madawala is a first-generation college student who came to the United States from Sri Lanka less than a decade ago with a dream to become a lawyer. Her education at The University of Baltimore School of Law has deepened her desire to pursue family law.
“I come from a culture where the center of society is marriage, whether it is good or bad,” she said. “As a result, when I was growing up, I saw a lot of women and children suffering in abusive marriages because they did not have anyone advocating for them. Therefore, my hope is to become a family lawyer with a concentration to advocate for children’s health.”
Knowing her path toward family law, Madawala pursued her bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland. One of her professors introduced her to UBalt Law and hearing stories about the faculty and opportunities made her choose it for her next step.
When she got to her orientation, she saw everything she knew she had wanted for so long fall into place.
“I remember our guest speaker was a female judge, who was also a part-time evening student at the time and was also a mother,” Madawala said. “I just remember thinking, wow. You know, I don't have any children right now, but if someone with a husband and children and a job and everything was still able to get through this, there's no way that I can't. … And I decided at that moment that no matter how hard the next three to four years was going to be staying in law school, that this is just a sign that I should not give up.”
Power in Representation
Madawala is in her second year of law school at University of Baltimore. She is an evening student, coming to classes after ending her day at a city law firm where she works full time. Her colleagues have always spoken highly of the University and it’s made her proud to be a student, too.
“I was able to get a lot of insight about how much the professors care about their students, and I’m happy to say that it has truly been my experience,” she said. “Coming into this law school when I did has truly changed my life for the better. I have met some amazing lifelong friends, women who empower each other, an incredible professional network and an opportunity to embrace and share my diversity through being on the executive board of the South Asian Law Students Association.”
She’s also a student representative for UBalt’s Family Law Association.
The community she’s found at UBalt Law has been key to motivating Madawala to push through the difficult coursework and any nerves about her success.
“When I first started, I remember I struggled a lot having to manage a full-time job and going to school at night,” she said. “I used to work while going to college, too, but I quickly realized law school is nothing like college. And I was very fortunate to have such an amazing support network at law school.”
“I'm extremely grateful for my seat here at University of Baltimore School of Law,” she continued. “Being in the legal field for six years now, I have not seen young women look like me dominate in the legal field as much as I would like to. So, my only hope one day is for a girl who looks like me from thousands and thousands of miles away, to look at my story and realize that they too can achieve that goal of being a lawyer in this country. Because despite how many people say you can't do it, with great courage and determination, you too can achieve your goal regardless of the color of your skin.”