Meet Board Member Leila Jade Levi

What made you want to get involved with Mothers Esquire?

I joined the Facebook group while pregnant with my first child. I freaked out before my son was born and needed a community for moms who are lawyers. I posted about three weeks before son was born in March 2020, and immediately was supported as I started the journey to being a mom. It reassured me to hear from others that being a mom and a lawyer is hard but it gets easier.  It was a lifeline when I was learning to be a mom during the pandemic as well.

What do you do?

I’m a Senior Counsel for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women’s Law Center. I lead the Law Center’s initiatives to develop legal supports for healthcare professionals who face employment barriers and discrimination due to their support for or participation in abortion care. I frequently speak on a range of issues to nurses, doctors, and lawyers on legal and policy questions related to the social determinants of health, reproductive rights and justice, diversity, inclusion, and health equity.

How many kids do you have?

Two: A four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter. 

Where do you live? 

Bethesda, Maryland

Who inspires you?

Moms who have kids with disabilities. My daughter is disabled, so I am always advocating for her need related to her accommodations, therapies, and medical needs. My local group of lawyer moms of kids with disabilities has saved my sanity and made me an advocate for the children.

What advice would you give to women entering the legal field?

You can’t have it all at once. There are some years that ask questions and some that give answers. Even if you don’t have support nearby, you need to create a village because you can’t raise kids and work without help. Also, if you choose to marry, marry wisely.

Fun fact about you?

I was attending culinary school in Italy before law school and I took the LSAT in a convent in Rome, Italy!