Georgia State Law Introduces New ‘WomenLead in Law’ Course

Georgia State University’s College of Law and the J. Mack Robinson College of Business’s WomenLead initiative has added a new leadership course to its curriculum this fall, marking the first time the university’s WomenLead program has been offered within the law school.

The course, WomenLead in Law, was designed by associate professor Erica Byrd, to give students structured guidance on leadership, professional skills and the expectations they will face in legal workplaces.

Byrd joined Georgia State Law in 2019 after working in family law and civil litigation. In the news release, Byrd said the idea for the course formed gradually as she met with students who were uncertain about how to handle early career situations or how to establish themselves confidently in legal settings.

“A course like this would have been useful when I started practicing,” said Byrd to GSU New Hub. “My hope is that students leave with practical tools they can apply right away.”

WomenLead began in 2015 with less than 30 students and one business-school section. It now operates across several Georgia State colleges and serves hundreds of students each year. The law-school version follows the larger program’s structure but focuses specifically on the legal profession. The course covers topics like workplace culture, the history of women in law, common barriers in the field and strategies for communication and decision-making.

Students have access to guest speakers, group work and individual assignments; examining gender equity issues, professional trends and opportunities for additional development. Many sessions involve practical exercises intended to help students understand how leadership shows up in real legal environments.

“We are delighted to partner with the College of Law to offer this class,” said Sarah Gershon, director of WomenLead. “Our courses center on helping students develop critical skills needed to lead in their careers and communities.”

Georgia State Law’s location in downtown Atlanta allows Byrd to incorporate nearby courts, government offices and legal organizations into the course when possible. She said the proximity helps students connect classroom material to the professional settings they will enter after graduation.

Byrd said early feedback from students has been positive, and she expects the course to expand or shift as future classes identify new needs.

She told the news hub, “We want students to feel prepared when they enter the profession. If this course helps them feel more grounded and confident, then it’s doing what it was designed to do.”