About the CWLS Alumni Leadership Council

CWLS began in 2025 with a small group of people who gave their time to build something that did not previously exist at Cambridge.

Each year, a new committee takes the society forward with its own ideas, priorities and energy. That turnover is an important part of student societies, but it also creates a risk: valuable experience and institutional knowledge can be lost with each handover. The Alumni Leadership Council is intended to help bridge that gap.

The Council brings together CWLS's founders, former Presidents as well as former committee members who made a significant contribution during their time on the committee. Its purpose is not to run the society or take part in its day-to-day decisions, but to remain connected and available as a source of advice and experience.

Council members can provide context on how previous committees approached particular issues, share lessons from things that have or have not worked, and offer guidance on relationships with sponsors, chambers, speakers or other partners. The aim is simply to give current committee members access to people who have been in their position before. It is a way of recognising the contributions of those who have helped build the society, while maintaining a useful link between its past and future.

Meet the Members

  • President (2025-26) & Founder of the Alumni Leadership Council

    Nicole read for the Master of Corporate Law at Cambridge, graduating with a First and the Johnston Prize for Postgraduate Studies. She holds a Distinction in Intellectual Property Law from her LLM at UCL, and an LLB from King’s College London. She will begin the Bar Course at the ICCA this September as a Lord Denning Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn.

    As CWLS’s inaugural President, Nicole had the honour of building the society’s first committee and helping shape the foundations of the community it has since become. She founded the Alumni Leadership Council to ensure that future committees are never without the guidance, experience and support that come from those who have led before them — and so that the society’s community continues to grow stronger with each year. Looking ahead to the Bar, she remains committed to staying closely involved with CWLS and to mentoring the students who carry the society forward.

  • Founder

    Roxanne Schnyder founded the Cambridge Women in Law Society in 2025 to establish a lasting platform for mentorship, dialogue, and support among women in the legal profession. She was inspired to create the Society after witnessing the challenges many women face in navigating legal academia and practice, where access to mentorship and structured networks is often limited. Her vision was to build a community that not only supports women during their time at Cambridge but also continues to connect students and alumni across professional pathways, ensuring that women in law feel empowered to pursue ambitious careers and contribute to shaping the future of the profession.

    She is currently pursuing her LL.M. at Harvard Law School, focusing on constitutional law, international law, and human rights. Roxanne previously earned her M.Phil. in Criminology at the University of Cambridge and her LLB in Philosophy, Politics & Law (First Class Honours) from King’s College London.

    Her professional experience is international in scope and reflects her commitment to both legal practice and public service. With the United Nations (UNODC) in the Pacific, she led research on corruption, governance, and methamphetamine trafficking. In the United States, she served in the Florida Attorney General’s Office, contributing to appellate litigation, and as an intern in the U.S. Senate. She is also a future trainee associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in London, where she hopes to join the firm’s international litigation and arbitration practice.

    Looking ahead, Roxanne hopes to combine legal practice and public service. She remains committed to mentoring younger students and is always happy to connect with those interested in pursuing careers in academia, private practice, or international law in the UK and beyond. Her hope is that the Society will continue to grow as a vibrant network, equipping women at Cambridge with the confidence, resources, and community they need to thrive throughout their legal journeys.

  • Founder

    Lauren Pegler is an MPhil in Criminology student at the University of Cambridge. She previously completed her LLB with a specialism in Criminal Law and is now preparing to apply for an LLM in the United States, with the goal of becoming a Criminal Attorney.

  • Events Officer (2025-26) & Co-Founder of Alumni Leadership Council

    “The time I spent with CamWomen and my role on the committee proved very formative, so I feel privileged and honoured to offer our experience to the next generation in the society. I’ve the utmost trust in the future of CamWomen, the incoming committee, and my fellow chairs in growing and nurturing this community, united in empowering women in the legal sector. The only way is up!”

  • Head of Coordination (2025-26)