Counting what counts: Empowering Young Women in the Legal workforce

On March 9, 2015, the Kosovo Legal Profession (KLP) Program celebrated International Women's Day with a focus group panel of female students of the University of Pristina Law Faculty (UPLF) and Iliria College to discuss "What can be done to increase the number of young female law graduates to join the Kosovo Bar Association?" KLP presented "Counting What Counts", a review of the KBA in numbers that highlights a growing gender and age gap within the legal workforce, and shared flyers with the encouraging words for students to be part of the legal profession in the near future. UPLF Acting Dean Professor Gjyljeta Mushkolaj, KBA Gender Committee Member lawyer Nexharije Hoti, and Iliria College Vice Dean and Office of Clinical Studies Coordinator, Shpresa Ibrahimi participated as panelists. Acting Dean Mushkolaj stressed the importance of the profession of lawyer and highlighted ethics. She noted that female lawyers are fulfilling their ethical standards, and that female students are among the most successful students in the faculty. KBA Gender Committee Member Hoti encouraged students to join the KBA, noting that although the lawyer's profession is demanding, female lawyers are working equally with their male colleges. Students participated actively by giving their opinion and address questions to panel. Students concluded the meeting with a short declaration addressed to the KBA: We, students of UPLF and Iliria College, recommend that the KBA continue to increase its cooperation with UPLF and Iliria College; that KBA Lawyers participate in teaching legal clinics, that KBA, in coordination with law schools, organize more professional meetings for law students and students visit to the KBA; and that the KBA to support young female graduates to join KBA.