Lately, we have been interviewing women in law who did not go into practice but chose alternative career options. There are many opportunities and options available for law graduates who do not want to got into practice and it is important that law students are made are aware of this before they choose their respective paths.
We chat with Gloria Paidamoyo Chikaonda, who took the academic route. Gloria holds a BA.LLB and LLM in Comparative Law in Africa from the University of Cape Town. She is a recipient of the Stanford University Knight-Hennessy Scholarship (2019 cohort).
Gloria recently graduated from Stanford Law School, obtaining her fourth degree, and she was accepted as one of only four doctoral studies students at Stanford Law starting later this year. She is also a legal researcher, writer and her expertise lies in customary law, legal pluralism and African legal theory.
Below is our interview with this phenomenal woman in law.
FWIL:
What inspired you to study law?
GC:
I kind of found myself in law school unintentionally. I wanted to study Fine Art. But a combination of family pressure, financial considerations, and my love for reading and writing led me into the law school.
FWIL:
You are currently an PhD candidate, why a specific interest in taking the academic route as opposed to going into practice?
GC:
Again, a combination of reasons. When I completed my LLB, I did not feel ready to go straight into practice. I am originally from Zimbabwe and felt I would have limited opportunities to practice the law in a way that I would enjoy there. At the same time due to strict immigration laws in South Africa, where I attained my LLB, I wouldn’t be able to easily get a work permit that would allow me to do articles and so I decided to add another year to my studies to do a Masters in Comparative Law in Africa. While doing that, I was working as a Teaching and Research Assistant in the Private Law Department and a researcher for the Centre for Comparative Law at the University of Cape Town, and I really enjoyed engaging with students and doing research. I enjoyed the critical nature of academic work and the endless supply of possible solutions to practical legal problems, and that is what made me decide to continue in academia to pursue doctoral studies.
FWIL:
What tips and advice would you give to someone who is also interested in taking the academic route. How do they go about this?
GC:
I would say do your research about your research interests, the best degrees that would allow you to pursue them and the best institutions where you can pursue this research. This might not be at an Ivy League. Find funding, academic careers are expensive and ideally you want someone else to foot that bill. Shoot your shot: apply apply apply! to everything, all the time. Do not count yourself out. Find mentors and seek advice from others who have walked that path.
FWIL:
What do you think is the biggest challenge that Academics will face during this Covid-19 pandemic?
GC:
The biggest challenge will definitely be the completion of research projects. Contrary to popular belief, academia is very much a social enterprise, and many researchers have to physically go out into the public to carry out their projects. With travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders in place, this will be impossible to do. Additionally, women researchers in particular will experience the brunt of Covid-19 acutely because of the work from home policies that most academics are now subject to. As we know women often bear the burden of child-care and domestic work and so if you are a researcher who is a wife and/or mother, your productivity will be significantly impacted.
FWIL:
You wrote an article about decolonising our LLB degrees.
Why do you think we need to decolonize our LLB degrees?
GC:
Well, why not? I mean do we want a colonial education that cements oppressive systems in place? The curriculum as it stood when I did my LLB and I suspect even now, does not adequately respond to the needs of most people who encounter the law on the continent currently. A decolonized curriculum involves an honest engagement with what are the public’s needs as it relates to the law and how best we can meet them. For some reason, that concept seems to scare people, and I cannot imagine why.
FWIL:
Why do you think it is important for African law students/graduates to learn about African legal history and identity? In your opinion, does the LLB adequately provide these answers?
GC:
I’ll answer the second question first and plainly with a “No.” Most African customary law courses are an after thought or elective and foundational courses only briefly (if at all) mention African concepts of delict, contract or criminal law. Jurisprudence courses centre European legal theorists, when there are many African legal philosophers. I think it’s important for us to learn about African legal history because without it, a significant part of our story as a civilization is missing. The story of law in Africa did not start with colonialism, failing to teach that or inadequately teaching that is simply dishonest. It is also necessary to highlight the link between the fabric of African cultural philosophies and African law, the two are intertwined. Being able to understand our identity in that light is healing in a way, but it also can serve as the basis for law reform in ways that best give expression to who we are as a people.
FWIL:
What does being an alpha female mean to you and would you describe yourself as one?
GC:
I suppose an alpha female would be a woman (or anyone who so identifies) that is considered “dominant”, confident, perhaps even aggressive, and is a leader. I don’t know that I agree with the legitimacy of a label structured along a binary of gender stereotypes and I don’t know that I would describe myself as one, but I think society would definitely describe me as one.
FWIL:
Do you identify as a feminist? (Why/why not)
GC:
Absolutely and unreservedly! My reason lies in the definition of feminism. I think at the core of feminism is empathy: recognizing the humanity in all human beings no matter the gender or sexual orientation they identify with, recognizing the unique ways in which different people have been disadvantaged due to their identity by oppressive systems and actively working to undo them. On that backdrop, advancing women’s rights (and the rights of gay and trans people) is merely a logical step towards practicing radical empathy.
FWIL:
What does women empowerment mean to you?
GC:
I think women are already empowered. We possess all that we need to succeed within us. It is society that actively puts up barriers to that advancement at every turn through systems of patriarchy and so I suppose the real project is to tear those barriers down to allow us as empowered beings to flourish.
FWIL:
What is the best advice you would give to a woman in law (in Academics)?
GC:
I would say to her that you are just as capable as anyone else to be in that room, despite how you feel or are made to feel. I would also say, find your people: mentors, advisors and friends. Academia is a unique path, but it does not have to be lonely process and there are people there rooting for you. Find them.
FWIL:
What recent change/amendment in the law has caught your attention? (Do you agree with the change? Why/why not)
GC:
I’m watching very closely what is happening with the Marriages Bill in Zimbabwe, particularly the provisions around the recognition of cohabitation relationships which has caused some controversy in the public, as well as the recognition of unregistered customary unions. Besides it being my research area of focus, marriage laws are where a lot of the discrimination and oppression women in Zimbabwe face, from child marriages to domestic violence, to issues of inheritance and land ownership, there is so much going on in that single area of law especially for women and children, and so much that needs to be improved.
FWIL:
How do you meet other professionals in your field and what are some of your effective networking skills?
GC:
Attending conferences is a great way to network as an academic. As an early-career scholar it can be very daunting to mingle with veteran academics, some who have published leading work in the field, meanwhile all you have is a measly op-ed that only your mom is proud of (lol). But I have been incredibly lucky to have mentors who not only consider me a mentee, but also a colleague and a scholar in my own right, and they have ushered me into rooms to meet people I would have never otherwise met. Using my social media to tweet about my research and my experiences as a Masters and PhD student has also helped connect me with other early-career scholars as well, which I think is just as important as networking with more experienced and well-renowned academics.
FWIL:
What does the term “role model” mean to you? Is there a particular woman in your life that you consider a role model?
GC:
A role model to me, is someone whose journey and experiences are ones that you use to inform some of the choices you make in your own life. Their life should not be a blue print for yours, that’s impossible. But their values and how they carry themselves throughout the ups and downs of their career and life are ones you recognize as useful to help you, and so you adopt them too. I have so many role models, but there is this fierce and highly successful business woman and community leader I know, her name is Alice Chikaonda. She happens to be my mother but she comes to mind at the top of that list.
FWIL:
What books have you read that have greatly influenced your life?
GC:
Recently, I read “The 7 necessary sins for women and girls” by Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian-American activist and author. It’s about “smashing the patriarchy” and doing so by harnessing the qualities women are typically taught not to exhibit. It gave me permission to be angry and I really appreciated that.
FWIL:
What would you tell your younger self?
GC:
Trust yourself. Trust the process. It’s going to be okay.
FWIL:
What is your take on mentorship and are you open to mentoring young lawyers or law students?
GC:
Mentorship is everything. I have only been able to get as far as I have because there were people who recognized my potential and advocated for me in tangible ways by providing resources (funding, information, emotional support, advice) and opening doors. While I am in a limited position to mentor young law students how I would really like to, I am most certainly open to it. In fact, I consider it, a responsibility. Currently, I use my social media platforms to provide as much information and advice as I can on how to navigate academia and postgraduate study abroad.
FWIL:
How can people reach out to you? (social media handles)
GC:
@gloriachikaonda on Instagram, @pidilidi on Twitter and (if you want tips on navigating postgraduate life abroad and natural hair-care tips) my You Tube channel name is ‘Gloria. C’.