A year ago, Fatima Al Qubaisi stole the spotlight after becoming the first Emirati to join Harvard Law School.
A year later, the 26-year-old is still making us proud, becoming the first Emirati woman to graduate from one of the most prestigious legal schools in the world.
"It has been a tremendous experiences to be part of the School's graduating class during its 200th year, and I will be returning to the UAE with a vision and a set of ideas for a brighter UAE," Al Qubaisi told Gulf News.
Al Qubaisi spent one year in the United States, earning a Master's Degree at the Ivy League school.
Prior to joining Harvard, Al Qubaisi received her undergraduate degree in law and political science at the Paris-Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi.
Working as a senior legal associate at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), Al Qubaisi aims to promote the concept of pro bono legal work for the underprivileged back home.
"Just like our founding father, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, brought home a vision for a brighter, more modern UAE after his travels abroad, I want to bring home positive aspects from other cultures and countries. One of the things I would like to establish, for example, is the concept of pro bono legal work for the poor," Al Qubaisi said.
Al Qubaisi's family is full of success stories
"I belong to a family that likes to break records. My aunt, Amal Al Qubaisi, is one of my role models, as she is the first female president of the Federal National Council," Al Qubaisi once told The National.
In 2015, Emirati politician Dr. Amal Al-Qubaisi made history when she was elected the President and Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), the UAE's federal authority.
Her appointment in the council's 16th legislative chapter made her the first woman in the Arab World to become the president or speaker of a national council or assembly.
Thus, she was considered to be the first woman in the Arab World to hold such a parliamentary position.
"My uncle, Khaled Al Qubaisi, is a car racer, and his daughter is one of the first Emirati women to be a car racer, so the standards are pretty high and we should live up to them," the 26-year-old added, in reference to her 17-year-old cousin Amna Al Qubaisi.
Amna Al Qubaisi began making headlines earlier this year after setting to become the first Arab woman to ever compete in Formula 4, with plans to take to the track in Europe next season.
So, it's no surprise to see Fatima paving her own path to success! Mabrouk
"It was such a blessing to be able to study abroad and I could not have done it without this type of support and encouragement from our government," Al Qubaisi told Gulf News.