UCLA Law this week announced the creation of UCLA Law Women LEAD, a professional support network for its female students and alumnae. But LEAD is no old-school, newsletter-once-a-month, events-here-and-there project: It's a social media platform.

The program, spearheaded by UCLA Law Dean Rachel Moran, along with Michelle Banks, executive vice president and general counsel of Gap, Inc. and Nancy Abell, a partner at Paul Hastings, LLP, was created to give alumnae the connections and professional knowledge that they need to succeed in law (hence the name, which stands for Leadership, Empowerment, Advancement and Distinction). Their effort has already garnered high-profile support: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a graduate of the law school, headlined LEAD's first event in January.

“It's women with distinction, supporting women who are obviously very high potential,” says Banks.