Bio for this week's Superwoman JD: Andrea Chavez is an Executive Partner and a co-founder of VLP. Andrea has spent her entire professional career negotiating and closing large technology transactions in the semiconductor, networking, software and digital media areas. For over ten years, she has represented both early stage and established companies in licensing, joint ventures, technology transfers, outsourcing, intellectual property acquisitions and other commercial and strategic pursuits in the United States and abroad.
After completing an AB cum laude in Philosophy at Harvard and a JD and MS in Computer Science at Stanford, Andrea started her legal career at Venture Law Group. She subsequently co-founded and ran all sales, business development and legal initiatives at Mediabolic, the leading provider of embedded software for next generation consumer electronic products. At Mediabolic, Andrea sourced and closed deals with semiconductor, manufacturing, codec, content and consumer electronics partners in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and Taiwan, resulting in the deployment of Mediabolic software in millions of consumer electronics products across the globe, including DVD players, media adapters, computers, personal video recorders, and AV systems. After the sale of Mediabolic to Macrovision, Andrea co-founded Lion Tech Law, a boutique law firm based in San Francisco, prior to co-founding VLP. Andrea is a member of the State Bar of California.
1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
I don’t think it’s affected my education much. I was appalled by some of the killer instincts/nastiness some of my classmates demonstrated in law school, but that behavior emanated from men and women alike. I can’t say the same thing about my career, unfortunately. I worked as a business development/sales executive, and experienced blatant discrimination and misogyny on multiple occasions. I responded how I always do – by working harder and accomplishing more than the next person, and letting my record speak for itself. I recently became a mother of twins, and am sure that will add additional color to my professional career, but I’m only four months into it right now. I did have to ask colleagues to stop scheduling breakfast meetings at 7:00 AM thirty miles away!
2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
I was actually fairly level headed about law because I never anticipated staying in the field for the long term. I thought I would permanently spin out into business development/sales. Imagine my surprise to find myself founding a new law firm three years ago! I would tell new attorneys to work hard and learn as much as possible the first 4-5 years, and leverage that experience as a stepping stone into something else. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you think: “I have to do this for the next 40 years.” We’re not trained to think that way. For example, college is only 4 years, law school is only 3 years. Think of each job as a 3-5 year commitment, and you’ll be much happier.
3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
Allow more telecommuting/flexible arrangements. I’m willing and able to work very hard, but I doubt I would want or be able to return to a traditional office. My first law firm learned that they could trust me to work hard and get the job done, and basically let me set my hours and work from home almost exclusively. I do the same at VLP.
4. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
As I said before, consider your first job a 3-5 year stint (5 years is really ideal) and learn as much as you can and expose yourself to as many interesting projects as possible. Align yourself with a smart and accomplished mentor. Again, if you treat this as something you’re doing for a few years, versus the rest of your life, your outlook will change and you’ll be able to learn more and accept the less savory experiences with a grain of salt. Some of my first mentors were tough, but I appreciate them (now, more than ever) because they cared about me, wanted me to improve, and weren’t afraid to be honest with me. Don’t align yourself with people who tell you how great you are all the time, and don’t be afraid to accept criticism and toughen up. You’ll be much happier if you develop a thicker skin. I learned the most from people who criticized me, not people who told me how fantastic I am. Even when people judge you unfairly, you learn about the world and how to maneuver and overcome obstacles.
5. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
My perception is probably skewed because I work in a law firm (VLP) that has an equal number of women/men, with women who are comfortable being women. Someone also advised me early on to act and look as much like a man as possible in order to succeed. This advice (horribly distorted and inappropriate) was an important learning experience for me (see above re learning from criticism, unfair and constructive alike). Contrarian that I am, I decided to adopt the OPPOSITE approach and exploit my femininity wherever possible. During tough negotiations, I often dressed in very flattering, feminine clothes. Men would perceive me as being soft or an easy target – giving me the element of surprise! I can actually be quite prickly/tough. Men are not afraid of exploiting their advantages; women need to learn to do the same. I have hair down to my waist and an impressive tattoo collection. I have started and sold multiple businesses, and am very proud of my accomplishments. Life is too short to stay in a job that requires you to be someone you are not.
6. There is a perception that senior female attorneys think that they had it tough and so should you. Do you think that this sentiment is true? If so, do you think there is value in figuring things out on your own like women before you had to?
I don’t know about this. I try to mentor and protect the women who work with me whenever possible. On the other hand, I do think that most people benefit from experiencing some hardship and developing a tougher shell. Although I am honest (perhaps to a fault) with people who work for me regarding their strengths/weaknesses, I think everyone knows that I care deeply and want them to succeed.
7. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
I never really cared about gender when aligning myself with mentors. Indeed, most of my mentors were men. Find someone you like and admire, and someone who’s interested in mentoring you: man or woman.
8. We all have to make sacrifices for our careers, what sacrifices have you made and which would you make again?
I worked extremely hard for the first ten years after I graduated from law school. I would not change a thing, because my hard work enabled the enviable lifestyle I enjoy now, with a wonderful family, work/life balance, an enjoyable job, and financial resources to enjoy all of it.
9. What is your favorite thing about being a lawyer? I am sure you have a moment of achievement that made the sacrifices seem worth it. Can you tell us about a highlight in your career?
I cannot think of a pivotal moment. I do not think that you have to be particularly passionate about law to succeed and enjoy the work. I am paid very well for interesting work that helps my clients succeed – that’s enough for me – and I have time for my other passions: family, exercise, travel and music.
10. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
I personally never worried about accelerating. I tried to learn as much as possible, and do the best I could, at each step. I do not encourage anyone to be single minded about advancing – you’ll make yourself miserable! When one door closed, another opened, or if it didn’t, I went to the garage, pulled out my tools, and created my very own door.
11. What are your interests/hobbies outside of the legal practice? How important do you think those interests/hobbies have been in maintaining some work life balance?
Where to start? I have 4 month old twin girls. I’m an exercise fanatic, play the violin and piano, and love great food, wine and travel. Because I have created a somewhat unconventional law platform for myself (Virtual Law Partners), I work from home on my desk treadmill (http://ergonomenon.com/?p=485).
12. What has changed the most and the least since you started practicing law? How have these changes affected you?
I realized early on that I probably would not fit in or thrive in an unconventional law firm, so I have helped create a platform that works for me. Others may find the concept very radical – I find it fairly obvious and practical.
13. If you could go back, what would you have done differently in how you approached your legal education and career?
I really would not have changed anything other than perhaps my legal focus. I work on intellectual property transactions. If I had to do it over again, I would have probably trained as a corporate attorney, to broaden my experience base and the range or projects I am able to handle.
14. What is one change you would like to see in the legal profession in the next 20 years?
I think it’s obvious that the big law business model is broken. Almost no one cares about the infrastructure large law firms maintain (staff, fancy offices, etc.), and even fewer want to pay for it.
15. If you could give one piece of advice to new female lawyers, what would it be?
Try not to be too goal oriented. Think of your career in three year blocks, and make the most of each block. Try to keep an open mind so that you are not disappointed when your career deviates from its expected course, and so you can enjoy and take advantage of the curve balls life will surely throw your way.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Superwomen Mentors Series - Featuring Susan Court of Washington DC
Personal Note: This was one of my most controversial interviews. While I may not agree with everything Ms. Court says, I do have a lot of respect for her work ethic and her accomplishment at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Ms. Court recently retired from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and at her last open meeting Commissioner Sudeen Kelly told her it was great to have a woman in that role and even though she didn't believe it mattered that she was a woman, it was still great to have her as a role model in that position (head of enforcement). It was two great minds agreeing to disagree on the role that gender plays in your career.
Bio for this week’s superwoman JD Susan Court: Susan J. Court was appointed by Chairman Joseph Kelliher in November 2005 to serve as Director of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Enforcement. Joining the Commission as an attorney-advisor in 1982, Ms. Court has worked in every area of its jurisdiction (natural gas, electric, oil, and hydropower). She served as a commissioner's assistant and executive assistant to the chairman before becoming a senior agency manager in 1986, when she was appointed Associate General Counsel for Gas and Oil, leading the Commission's legal staff responsible for developing and implementing the agency's natural gas open access program. Ms. Court subsequently served as Deputy Solicitor, Associate General Counsel for General and Administrative Law, Designated Agency Ethics Official, and Chief of Staff. Immediately before her appointment as OE Director, she was on assignment in the European Union.
1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
Being a woman has had no discernable effect on my career or legal education. Put another way, men whom I’ve encountered at school or during my career were seemingly given opportunities that were also available to me. Of course, I worked very hard – not to compete with men – but because I set high standards for myself. It is how I was reared.
2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
None that comes to mind. I was fortunate when I graduated from law school as I was offered two clerkships, one with a U.S. District Judge and one with a State Supreme Court Justice. I chose the latter, which was very fortunate, as it turned out, because I had the privilege of working for one of the finest jurist in my state, the Hon. Robert Lukowsky, a man who was a wonderful mentor to me and others – men and women – who clerked for him in other years. I had a similar experience earlier in law school, when I had the honor of clerking for a former Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Hon. Arthur Goldberg, a visiting professor at my school. He too was an incredible mentor. And my being a woman was irrelevant to these extraordinary men.
3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
I don’t think the legal profession should do anything to increase the number of senior level females. Qualified female lawyers will rise to senior levels if they are capable of doing the job. That is definitely true of being a lawyer for the government, which is blind to gender when the main issue is, who will get the job done. I believe the same is true in most law firms, because the issue is the same, who will get the job done.
4. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young female attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
Young female attorneys should do what young male attorneys should do to hone their skills. There is, and should not be, any difference. What that entails, of course, depends on the type of practice in which the young attorney is engaged.
5. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
I don’t agree that our profession is male dominated, especially if your question is premised on there being more men in the profession. If law school statistics are any indication, there are as many women as men at least studying to be lawyers. In the government, your premise is definitely wrong. Female lawyers are prominent at every agency and department. Just look at FERC – the GC is a woman, the Associate General Counsels for the two major legal divisions are women, and the Enforcement Director is a woman. Assuming your question, however, is informed by the perception that men “socialize” better with male clients than women do in the private sector, I agree that male lawyers might have an advantage with certain male clients, especially on the golf course. Apparently, a lot of business is transacted on the links, and men tend to be golfers more than women. But, so what? Clients still want the job done. Women can figure out how to accomplish that, even in a social setting, without compromising their femininity or their moral standards.
6. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
As indicated in an earlier response, I benefitted greatly from being “mentored” by two phenomenal jurists for whom I had the privilege of working. At the time, none of us, men or women, thought in terms of finding a “mentor,” i.e., someone to seek out proactively to help navigate us through the challenges of our new profession. But everyone understood that one can learn from a more experienced person in the profession. The concept of “apprenticeship” goes back to the Middle Ages. Against this backdrop, my advice to a young female attorney is the same as my advice to a young male attorney. Do the best job you can, and listen to your supervisor. Usually, legal organizations – government, law firms, and company legal departments -- pick supervisors who are natural mentors. The quintessential supervisor is at bottom a teacher. To be sure, not every supervisor is a good teacher or mentor, but my advice is to give the supervisor a chance at least. If that fails, it is possible to “adopt” a supervisor, an approach I took early in my career. I recognized that my immediate supervisor did not have either the time or the inclination to teach me what I knew I needed to know, so I sought out someone who had both the time and the inclination. I had to do that very carefully, however, so as not to offend my immediate supervisor. As a separate matter, I have not found mentoring programs, at least in the government, to be worthwhile. My experience is that many of the people who sign up to be mentors in those programs are ill suited for the task, usually because they are not good teachers or do not have the relevant skills or experience. Sometimes, and this is a worst case scenario, they are just looking for an excuse not to do their own jobs.
7. We all have to make sacrifices for our careers, what sacrifices have you made and which would you make again?
The major sacrifice that I made for my career – a sacrifice that women in other professions have made as well – is not spending more time with my children. That I would change if I could do it over again.
8. Every female lawyer has a story, a moment when she felt that things in this profession had to change. Can you tell me about your moment? How has it shaped your actions since?
I have no idea to whom you have been talking. “Every” female lawyer has a story? We all have stories but we all do not have stories like the ones on which your question is based.
9. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
I think by now you could figure out what my answer will be. Work hard, do your job, pay attention to your supervisor, meet your deadlines. I would also add, avoid gossiping and undercutting your colleagues. President Reagan had a slogan that has inspired me throughout my career. I can’t remember the exact wording, so I’ll paraphrase. There is no limit to how far a man or woman can go if he or she does not care who gets the credit.
10. What are your interests/hobbies outside of the legal practice? How important do you think those interests/hobbies have been in maintaining some work life balance?
As a younger attorney, my interests/hobbies were my family. I had little time for anything else. (My husband and I have five children in a combined family, and we have been married for 29 years so the children grew up together.) That, of course, was fine, because I loved both my family and my job. Who could ask for anything more? All five children are now out of the house. Two are lawyers. Three are married. One has a baby boy (first grandchild). All are gainfully employed and own their own homes so they’re not coming back to live with us. Accordingly, for the past ten years, my husband and I have been able to do what we both love, traveling, and we have been fortunate to have taken some wonderful trips. I also love genealogy, and have combined research into my family history with the overseas trips. We also travel to visit our children, four of whom live outside the D.C. area, in nice warm climates.
Bio for this week’s superwoman JD Susan Court: Susan J. Court was appointed by Chairman Joseph Kelliher in November 2005 to serve as Director of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Enforcement. Joining the Commission as an attorney-advisor in 1982, Ms. Court has worked in every area of its jurisdiction (natural gas, electric, oil, and hydropower). She served as a commissioner's assistant and executive assistant to the chairman before becoming a senior agency manager in 1986, when she was appointed Associate General Counsel for Gas and Oil, leading the Commission's legal staff responsible for developing and implementing the agency's natural gas open access program. Ms. Court subsequently served as Deputy Solicitor, Associate General Counsel for General and Administrative Law, Designated Agency Ethics Official, and Chief of Staff. Immediately before her appointment as OE Director, she was on assignment in the European Union.
1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
Being a woman has had no discernable effect on my career or legal education. Put another way, men whom I’ve encountered at school or during my career were seemingly given opportunities that were also available to me. Of course, I worked very hard – not to compete with men – but because I set high standards for myself. It is how I was reared.
2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
None that comes to mind. I was fortunate when I graduated from law school as I was offered two clerkships, one with a U.S. District Judge and one with a State Supreme Court Justice. I chose the latter, which was very fortunate, as it turned out, because I had the privilege of working for one of the finest jurist in my state, the Hon. Robert Lukowsky, a man who was a wonderful mentor to me and others – men and women – who clerked for him in other years. I had a similar experience earlier in law school, when I had the honor of clerking for a former Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Hon. Arthur Goldberg, a visiting professor at my school. He too was an incredible mentor. And my being a woman was irrelevant to these extraordinary men.
3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
I don’t think the legal profession should do anything to increase the number of senior level females. Qualified female lawyers will rise to senior levels if they are capable of doing the job. That is definitely true of being a lawyer for the government, which is blind to gender when the main issue is, who will get the job done. I believe the same is true in most law firms, because the issue is the same, who will get the job done.
4. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young female attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
Young female attorneys should do what young male attorneys should do to hone their skills. There is, and should not be, any difference. What that entails, of course, depends on the type of practice in which the young attorney is engaged.
5. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
I don’t agree that our profession is male dominated, especially if your question is premised on there being more men in the profession. If law school statistics are any indication, there are as many women as men at least studying to be lawyers. In the government, your premise is definitely wrong. Female lawyers are prominent at every agency and department. Just look at FERC – the GC is a woman, the Associate General Counsels for the two major legal divisions are women, and the Enforcement Director is a woman. Assuming your question, however, is informed by the perception that men “socialize” better with male clients than women do in the private sector, I agree that male lawyers might have an advantage with certain male clients, especially on the golf course. Apparently, a lot of business is transacted on the links, and men tend to be golfers more than women. But, so what? Clients still want the job done. Women can figure out how to accomplish that, even in a social setting, without compromising their femininity or their moral standards.
6. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
As indicated in an earlier response, I benefitted greatly from being “mentored” by two phenomenal jurists for whom I had the privilege of working. At the time, none of us, men or women, thought in terms of finding a “mentor,” i.e., someone to seek out proactively to help navigate us through the challenges of our new profession. But everyone understood that one can learn from a more experienced person in the profession. The concept of “apprenticeship” goes back to the Middle Ages. Against this backdrop, my advice to a young female attorney is the same as my advice to a young male attorney. Do the best job you can, and listen to your supervisor. Usually, legal organizations – government, law firms, and company legal departments -- pick supervisors who are natural mentors. The quintessential supervisor is at bottom a teacher. To be sure, not every supervisor is a good teacher or mentor, but my advice is to give the supervisor a chance at least. If that fails, it is possible to “adopt” a supervisor, an approach I took early in my career. I recognized that my immediate supervisor did not have either the time or the inclination to teach me what I knew I needed to know, so I sought out someone who had both the time and the inclination. I had to do that very carefully, however, so as not to offend my immediate supervisor. As a separate matter, I have not found mentoring programs, at least in the government, to be worthwhile. My experience is that many of the people who sign up to be mentors in those programs are ill suited for the task, usually because they are not good teachers or do not have the relevant skills or experience. Sometimes, and this is a worst case scenario, they are just looking for an excuse not to do their own jobs.
7. We all have to make sacrifices for our careers, what sacrifices have you made and which would you make again?
The major sacrifice that I made for my career – a sacrifice that women in other professions have made as well – is not spending more time with my children. That I would change if I could do it over again.
8. Every female lawyer has a story, a moment when she felt that things in this profession had to change. Can you tell me about your moment? How has it shaped your actions since?
I have no idea to whom you have been talking. “Every” female lawyer has a story? We all have stories but we all do not have stories like the ones on which your question is based.
9. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
I think by now you could figure out what my answer will be. Work hard, do your job, pay attention to your supervisor, meet your deadlines. I would also add, avoid gossiping and undercutting your colleagues. President Reagan had a slogan that has inspired me throughout my career. I can’t remember the exact wording, so I’ll paraphrase. There is no limit to how far a man or woman can go if he or she does not care who gets the credit.
10. What are your interests/hobbies outside of the legal practice? How important do you think those interests/hobbies have been in maintaining some work life balance?
As a younger attorney, my interests/hobbies were my family. I had little time for anything else. (My husband and I have five children in a combined family, and we have been married for 29 years so the children grew up together.) That, of course, was fine, because I loved both my family and my job. Who could ask for anything more? All five children are now out of the house. Two are lawyers. Three are married. One has a baby boy (first grandchild). All are gainfully employed and own their own homes so they’re not coming back to live with us. Accordingly, for the past ten years, my husband and I have been able to do what we both love, traveling, and we have been fortunate to have taken some wonderful trips. I also love genealogy, and have combined research into my family history with the overseas trips. We also travel to visit our children, four of whom live outside the D.C. area, in nice warm climates.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Superwomen Mentors Series: Featuring Dana Brody-Brown of Lewis and Roca LLP
This interview was originally featured on Ms. JD on August 9, 2009. In the weeks to come, look for new interviews, as well as repostings of previous mentorship interviews on this site.
Bio for this week's superwoman JD: Ms. Brody-Brown is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. Her work is focused in the areas of trademark counseling and prosecution, including trademark audits, portfolio analysis and strategic counseling, selection and searching of trademarks, domestic and worldwide registration and enforcement, domain name issues, and licensing.
Ms. Brody-Brown handles trademark disputes, including domain name issues and opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent & Trademark Office. She has counseled a wide array of clients ranging from start-ups to well-known and established companies in varied industries including consumer electronics, semiconductors, software, banking, fashion, music and entertainment. She also has experience and a particular interest in the areas of advertising and marketing law and counsels clients regarding trademark and consumer issues raised by advertising and marketing and how those issues can be addressed.
Prior to joining Lewis and Roca, Ms. Brody-Brown practiced at White & Case LLP. Before entering the private sector, she worked for the National Association for Public Interest Law in Washington, DC.
1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
I’m not sure that being a woman has affected my career significantly, but I can say that being a mom has (and I suppose they are related). It has made me put a premium on flexibility. I can’t be in the office late every night at this stage in my life, because I have another job to do at home as a parent. That said, there are times when it is necessary to work late at the office to meet a deadline and many times when I need to log back on from home after the kids are in bed to tie up loose ends from the day or make sure that a client email gets a response. But flexibility is key for me at this stage.
2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
Go after every opportunity you can to get a wide variety of experience, and work with as many different attorneys as possible. I specialized in trademark law early in my career, and it is an area that I love. That said, there are times when I wish I had more wide-ranging experience to draw upon.
3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
Identify, cultivate, and actively promote female stars. In addition, make it possible for women with children to advance. When women are either offered no flexibility, or flexibility under the understanding that working a reduced or flexible schedule will make promotion difficult or impossible, they will not stay.
4. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
Work really hard on every assignment you get. Pro-actively seek out feedback that will allow you to improve your skills. Make yourself the junior attorney that every partner wants to work with by producing excellent work, solving problems, and displaying a stellar attitude. In addition, seek opportunities to meet and work with the clients directly. In some areas of practice, these opportunities will not come until you have a few years of practice under your belt, but there is nothing that will help you learn about your practice area and client service more quickly than hearing the types of questions clients ask and the issues that are important to them.
5. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
My advice is to be yourself. No matter what you do, some clients and senior attorneys will be more comfortable with men, but most will respond positively to someone who is authentic and at-ease with themselves and others, regardless of gender.
6. There is a perception that senior female attorneys think that they had it tough and so should you. Do you think that this sentiment is true? If so, do you think there is value in figuring things out on your own like women before you had to?
I’ve been lucky that none of the senior female attorneys with whom I have worked closely have had this attitude, but my impression from talking to others who are not so lucky is that this sentiment still persists. There are certain things you have to figure out for yourself (male or female), but many things you can learn from talking to others. Look for mentors of either gender who will support your efforts to learn and advance and will cheer your successes.
7. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
Don’t think that there is one person out there destined to be your mentor. If you happen to find a female mentor, I think that is great, and there is often added value in learning from another woman, especially when you have other things in common beyond gender. But I think men can be great mentors as well. In my experience, I have learned different things from many of the people I’ve worked with in different capacities (including staff) and have found that sometimes mentors can be found where you might not expect them.
8. What is your favorite thing about being a lawyer? I am sure you have a moment of achievement that made the sacrifices seem worth it. Can you tell us about a highlight in your career?
My favorite thing about my practice is working with clients to help them strategize and solve problems. While it feels great when you win an opposition for a client, help them reach a favorable settlement, or get a domain name returned to them from a cybersquatter, what I like the best is when clients call me with an issue to say, “What do you think about this trademark issue? What should we do?” and I can give them good advice and explain the reasons why or the pros and cons of a particular strategy. That’s very satisfying.
9. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
For women in law firms, start thinking about and working on business development early in your career. Don’t wait until you are a senior associate, because developing a good network and bringing in business takes a long time.
10. What has changed the most and the least since you started practicing law? How have these changes affected you?
Since I started practicing, technology advances have allowed us to be accessible on a near constant basis (through blackberries and remote access and cell phones). While many of these things were available 10 years ago, they have now become standard. This can be both a blessing and a curse, because the technology allows for more flexibility, which is great for someone like me. I can get home to have dinner with my kids and put them to bed, and then log back on to respond to anything that came in late in the day. The curse, of course, is that it is difficult to leave work at the office and easier for the normal stresses of the workday to follow us home. But on balance, in my view, the change is positive because of the flexibility if affords.
11. What is one change you would like to see in the legal profession in the next 20 years?
I would like to see more law firms looking further beyond the billable hour as a means of charging for services and evaluating associates.
12. What opportunities do you feel that your legal education has afforded you? In other words, doors that have opened, fulfilling activities you are involved in, etc.
When I graduated from law school, I was not yet sure if I wanted to practice, but the law degree was an entrée into several interesting areas I worked in before I started practicing. For example, the JD allowed me to work in non-traditional areas like non-profit legal program management and arts fundraising in addition to the work I do now in private practice as a trademark attorney. Rather than narrowing my options, it expanded them tremendously.
Bio for this week's superwoman JD: Ms. Brody-Brown is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. Her work is focused in the areas of trademark counseling and prosecution, including trademark audits, portfolio analysis and strategic counseling, selection and searching of trademarks, domestic and worldwide registration and enforcement, domain name issues, and licensing.
Ms. Brody-Brown handles trademark disputes, including domain name issues and opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent & Trademark Office. She has counseled a wide array of clients ranging from start-ups to well-known and established companies in varied industries including consumer electronics, semiconductors, software, banking, fashion, music and entertainment. She also has experience and a particular interest in the areas of advertising and marketing law and counsels clients regarding trademark and consumer issues raised by advertising and marketing and how those issues can be addressed.
Prior to joining Lewis and Roca, Ms. Brody-Brown practiced at White & Case LLP. Before entering the private sector, she worked for the National Association for Public Interest Law in Washington, DC.
1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
I’m not sure that being a woman has affected my career significantly, but I can say that being a mom has (and I suppose they are related). It has made me put a premium on flexibility. I can’t be in the office late every night at this stage in my life, because I have another job to do at home as a parent. That said, there are times when it is necessary to work late at the office to meet a deadline and many times when I need to log back on from home after the kids are in bed to tie up loose ends from the day or make sure that a client email gets a response. But flexibility is key for me at this stage.
2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
Go after every opportunity you can to get a wide variety of experience, and work with as many different attorneys as possible. I specialized in trademark law early in my career, and it is an area that I love. That said, there are times when I wish I had more wide-ranging experience to draw upon.
3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
Identify, cultivate, and actively promote female stars. In addition, make it possible for women with children to advance. When women are either offered no flexibility, or flexibility under the understanding that working a reduced or flexible schedule will make promotion difficult or impossible, they will not stay.
4. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
Work really hard on every assignment you get. Pro-actively seek out feedback that will allow you to improve your skills. Make yourself the junior attorney that every partner wants to work with by producing excellent work, solving problems, and displaying a stellar attitude. In addition, seek opportunities to meet and work with the clients directly. In some areas of practice, these opportunities will not come until you have a few years of practice under your belt, but there is nothing that will help you learn about your practice area and client service more quickly than hearing the types of questions clients ask and the issues that are important to them.
5. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
My advice is to be yourself. No matter what you do, some clients and senior attorneys will be more comfortable with men, but most will respond positively to someone who is authentic and at-ease with themselves and others, regardless of gender.
6. There is a perception that senior female attorneys think that they had it tough and so should you. Do you think that this sentiment is true? If so, do you think there is value in figuring things out on your own like women before you had to?
I’ve been lucky that none of the senior female attorneys with whom I have worked closely have had this attitude, but my impression from talking to others who are not so lucky is that this sentiment still persists. There are certain things you have to figure out for yourself (male or female), but many things you can learn from talking to others. Look for mentors of either gender who will support your efforts to learn and advance and will cheer your successes.
7. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
Don’t think that there is one person out there destined to be your mentor. If you happen to find a female mentor, I think that is great, and there is often added value in learning from another woman, especially when you have other things in common beyond gender. But I think men can be great mentors as well. In my experience, I have learned different things from many of the people I’ve worked with in different capacities (including staff) and have found that sometimes mentors can be found where you might not expect them.
8. What is your favorite thing about being a lawyer? I am sure you have a moment of achievement that made the sacrifices seem worth it. Can you tell us about a highlight in your career?
My favorite thing about my practice is working with clients to help them strategize and solve problems. While it feels great when you win an opposition for a client, help them reach a favorable settlement, or get a domain name returned to them from a cybersquatter, what I like the best is when clients call me with an issue to say, “What do you think about this trademark issue? What should we do?” and I can give them good advice and explain the reasons why or the pros and cons of a particular strategy. That’s very satisfying.
9. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
For women in law firms, start thinking about and working on business development early in your career. Don’t wait until you are a senior associate, because developing a good network and bringing in business takes a long time.
10. What has changed the most and the least since you started practicing law? How have these changes affected you?
Since I started practicing, technology advances have allowed us to be accessible on a near constant basis (through blackberries and remote access and cell phones). While many of these things were available 10 years ago, they have now become standard. This can be both a blessing and a curse, because the technology allows for more flexibility, which is great for someone like me. I can get home to have dinner with my kids and put them to bed, and then log back on to respond to anything that came in late in the day. The curse, of course, is that it is difficult to leave work at the office and easier for the normal stresses of the workday to follow us home. But on balance, in my view, the change is positive because of the flexibility if affords.
11. What is one change you would like to see in the legal profession in the next 20 years?
I would like to see more law firms looking further beyond the billable hour as a means of charging for services and evaluating associates.
12. What opportunities do you feel that your legal education has afforded you? In other words, doors that have opened, fulfilling activities you are involved in, etc.
When I graduated from law school, I was not yet sure if I wanted to practice, but the law degree was an entrée into several interesting areas I worked in before I started practicing. For example, the JD allowed me to work in non-traditional areas like non-profit legal program management and arts fundraising in addition to the work I do now in private practice as a trademark attorney. Rather than narrowing my options, it expanded them tremendously.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Superwomen Mentors Series: Featuring Michelle Campbell of AlixPartners
This interview was originally featured on Ms. JD on August 1, 2009. In the weeks to come, look for new interviews, as well as repostings of previous mentorship interviews on this site.
Bio for this week's superwoman JD: Michelle Campbell leads the strategic communications practice at AlixPartners, LLP, a global firm of senior business and consulting professionals that specializes in improving corporate financial and operational performance, executing corporate turnarounds and providing litigation consulting and forensic accounting services when it really matters – in urgent, high-impact situations.
She consults with clients to strategically plan communications campaigns in investigations, restructurings, chapter 11’s, mergers and acquisitions and crisis situations. Michelle works closely with management, corporate communications and media groups, lawyers, and financial advisors to develop and launch tailored public relations and communications programs for employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders and the media. Michelle is effective with her PR initiatives based upon her ability to relate to diverse audiences, including the most sophisticated CEO’s down to rank and file employees who need to understand basic information about how corporate actions will affect their jobs and lives.
Before joining AlixPartners and starting her practice, Michelle practiced restructuring law at a global law firm. Before leaving the practice of law, Michelle was selected by Turnarounds and Workouts Magazine as one of the nation’s 14 Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers. Michelle is a member of the Texas and California State Bars, and serves on the Board of Women in E-Discovery as the National Women’s Initiative Coordinator.
1. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
I’m so fortunate to have had some great mentors over time who gave me a lot of advice. I’ve built my code of conduct around the advice I’ve gotten from the very successful and effective people who gave it to me. Some of the most important things that people taught me early on that I have passed on to others include:
• Make decisions – this is the fastest way to becoming a decision-maker• Propose solutions; not problems
• There’s never a good time to work on building your network, so just do it and treat it like it’s part of your job
• Stand out in the hallway and stay off of your blackberry during conferences or meetings; it’s the best way to meet people
• When you’re young, try to align yourself with people who have their name in lights
• Don’t get sideways with your colleagues; everyone will be miserable
• Sink or swim
• Most people aren’t visionaries, so don’t expect a lot of company and support if you are one
• There is no replacement for elbow grease – get into the weeds and do the work
• Be the top contender, not just the top female contender
2. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
That’s a big question, and all I can do is explain my own perspective on this based upon my own goals and personal experience. People tend to be confused about the role a firm can and should play in professional development. Firms provide a platform that all lawyers can leverage to help them meet their goals. By platform I mean a strong brand, access to high profile clients, big deals and cases that involve successful people who can become part of a lawyer’s network.
There’s no doubt that women face different obstacles and choices than men. But as an individual, you have to figure out your end game and then leverage the platform to meet those goals. I’ve always wanted to be a senior executive with a sustainable practice and business case, so I’ve leveraged these platforms and brands to build my network and meet the kind of people who could collaborate with me to help me build something valuable. I was able to get great experience and meet people – both men and women – who pushed and pulled me in the direction in which I wanted to go. I would never have met these people if I wasn’t associated with some strong brands, including the AlixPartners brand right now.
Women should think about this and get on some sort of a track early on in their careers. There is no “right” answer, but if you are a 6-7 year attorney who is expecting to make partner in the next few years, I believe you need to be able to show that you have created serious value around yourself, and you need to be indispensible based upon your internal network, and totally portable based upon your external network. You can’t just wake up one day and expect that a firm will make something happen for you just because you’re smart and hard working. Building a business case takes a serious commitment and requires big sacrifices over many years. At the end of the day, all people have to be honest with themselves about whether they’ve really done what it takes to warrant being a stakeholder in a firm. Do women have to work harder and be more creative to get there? Yes. But if you want this, focus on doing what you need to do to get there and learn how to play the game.
3. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
Your first few years are about becoming a good lawyer, developing good habits, and positioning yourself for the freedom and options that come with having a powerful network. Learn what it takes to be a good lawyer, and start developing those habits now. Don’t just emulate what the senior associates and partners are doing – develop your own authentic approach to becoming a great lawyer who clients will ultimately want to call directly. Easier said than done! Here is my advice.
a. Care about your clients as people and try to understand their businesses, industries and the results they are trying to achieve. Have some skin in the game. It’s very hard to understand the big picture when you are trying to figure out how to be a lawyer, but this is the single biggest problem clients have with young lawyers. A few years ago, I conducted an informal survey of some of my in house friends and clients. They said overwhelmingly that many young lawyers just don’t understand the client’s businesses, industries, and they don’t seem to take into account the client’s ultimate goal. The next time you receive an assignment, take a moment to conduct some research about the client’s industry and business, and ask the person who is assigning the project to explain the client’s end game. You may not be able to bill the client for this or be a decision maker on the matter, but it will make you a better lawyer and help you deliver better results.
b. It’s hard to be a junior lawyer, and sometimes you feel like you’re getting dumped on. But turn those situations inside out and make them work for you. For example, if you are put on a case in which you are merely directing traffic and having to deal with tons of people inside and outside of the firm, build relationships with those people and make them part of your network.
4. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
The two big issues here are appearance and behavior.
Wardrobe and appearance are sticky issues for a lot of people, but I’m in the camp of women who take care of themselves – it sets me up to attack any situation or challenge with confidence. But I know the difference between being polished and pulled together and being dressed for a club. Think about the kind of attention you’re going to attract when you get dressed every day. If people are going to say “wow” as a result of your involvement, you want that to come after something brilliant you’ve said or done.
When it comes to activities that involve clients, colleagues or other business contacts, I do not act like one of the boys, and I’m not someone who can “drink them under the table.” I’ve learned to steer clear of situations that have the potential to get sticky. I always tell people who are trying to navigate business-related social situations that there are a lot of people in the world. Some of those people want to party or go to sporting events, and some of them like spas. I like spas and so do many of my contacts.
5. There is a perception that senior female attorneys think that they had it tough and so should you. Do you think that this sentiment is true? If so, do you think there is value in figuring things out on your own like women before you had to?
I think this is about generation as opposed to gender. In my generation, if you wanted to get ahead, you got there before your boss and left after him or her. You did extra work in hopes that you might be asked to attend a meeting, court or a client call. I expect junior people to have the same mentality, but I don’t expect anything more than what I am contributing on a daily basis. With women in particular, I might be harder on them because I see the mistakes that are made and I want them to be positioned to be the best they can or want to be, not merely the best woman they can be.
6. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
I think all professionals need a number of role models, mentors and sponsors to help navigate the choppy waters of career development. If you want to be the best you can be, you need a good playbook, and mentors can help you develop that. I don’t see how you can develop a good playbook without forming relationships with men and women, lawyers and non-lawyers, and people inside and outside of your firm. To exclusively rely on other women or people within your firm as mentors and role models shuts you off to critical information about the players who may influence the ultimate outcome.
I try to get into the heads of everyone around me – clients, colleagues, adversaries, competitors, judges and anyone else who might be sitting across the table from me. You can’t do that unless you learn from people who think like they do. I get information and guidance from people who look and act like the people I’m trying to understand. Now, when I’m in a room full of men over 60, I refer to that page of the playbook, a room full of non-lawyer business people, I refer to that page, and so on. You pick up content for your playbook over many years by listening to people and watching them do what they do best in the way they feel comfortable doing it. For example, I don’t try to control or get upset about what others may consider offensive behavior – I simply consider that valuable information for my playbook.
My advice for any women looking for mentors is to observe those around you and look for natural connections both in and outside of your firm without regard to gender. These relationships are often very informal. Just start listening to people who are senior to you, and try to get into their heads. To the question of what might make someone an attractive mentee, I’d say no venting. It’s not about what’s in your head – it’s about what’s in theirs. When you’re getting air time with someone senior to you, use that time wisely, and find out what they do, why they do it, and where they’re headed. Listen to them speak about their experiences; watch how they act in meetings. Borrow pages from their playbook. If you want something that you think they can help you get, tell them what that is and be bold enough to ask for it.
faster.
7. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
These statistics don’t show why men would be paid more or promoted faster. There are always exceptions, but I am convinced that promotion and higher compensation is in direct proportion to business development success or potential. Not all people are cut out for business development, but the people who can develop business will always be the ones who make the most money. If you want to be on the fast track, focus on building your network and positioning yourself to generate business. Begin by building strong relationships with your colleagues who will eventually become your clients. Here are some strategies that will set you up for a strong business case when it really matters:
a. Women who are leaving firms are going in house. These might be your colleagues today, but they are also the people who are going on making decisions about which firms to hire tomorrow. Build relationships with these people and show them over time that you understand their business, industry and goals, and the rest will take care of itself.
b. Understand that some of the most successful law partners are the ones who network with their fellow partners in other departments within the firm. Those people win new business when their colleagues call them with client referrals – it’s called the “cross-serve.” Research shows that men are doing a better job of networking with their colleagues, thereby leading to more successful cross-serve opportunities. Learn as much as you can about your firm, what your colleagues do and how you might fit into that picture.
c. In addition to hanging out with fellow lawyers or law students, hang out with young MBAs or MBA students, and keep track of them when they change firms.
8. If you could go back, what would you have done differently in how you approached your legal education and career?
I certainly wouldn’t change much given where I am today. There have been days particularly in years 1-5 when I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life by going to law school, but I’ve realized over time that it’s a marathon and it can all lead to a great place. Young lawyers need to keep in mind that all sorts of good and bad things happen before you reach a point where you think you’ve really got a career. It takes years of hard work and falling on your face (which I like to call “character-building experiences”) to get to a balanced and successful place. As Winston Churchill said: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
9. What opportunities do you feel that your legal education has afforded you? In other words, doors that have opened, fulfilling activities you are involved in, etc.
I would never have been able to forge a new career and launch a strategic communications practice at AlixPartners without the many years of legal and overall professional development training I received while practicing law. In my current practice, I help clients communicate with their employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders during crisis periods. I learned how to manage the client’s risk and help companies communicate with their most important audiences over many years of watching these audiences respond to crisis. I made mental notes of the questions they would ask, and I thought about how I could make it easy for them to understand what is happening and how it is going to be resolved. I’ve always been committed to providing clear information and access to people who might not understand complicated legal concepts, but I needed to understand those concepts before I could learn how to break it down for people who aren’t lawyers. Most importantly, I wouldn’t have been able to envision and build this practice without my years of legal training and the involvement of the well-connected and talented people I’ve met along the way.
Superwomen Mentors Series - Featuring Kelly Hoey, New York City
This interview was originally featured on Ms. JD on July 10, 2009. In the weeks to come, look for new interviews, as well as repostings of previous mentorship interviews on this site.
Bio for this week's Superwoman JD: Kelly Hoey is currently the manager of alumni programs at White & Case. In that position, Ms. Hoey works closely with the Firm's leadership (as well as alumni) in the development of alumni relations strategy, social networking initiatives and programming for the benefit of alumni. Her primary areas of focus include enhancing the firm's web-based alumni community, increasing alumni community activities, developing and implementing internal and external alumni network communications, and enhancing the alumni transition process. Prior to taking on this role, Ms. Hoey was the Firm's Manager of Professional Development, Americas where, in addition to her responsibilities for associate career development and advancement, she managed the Firm's Women's Initiative. Ms. Hoey is a corporate attorney, having practiced with Sidley Austin in New York and Osler Hoskin in Toronto. She holds a B.A. from the University of Victoria, and a L.L.B. from the University of British of Columbia.
1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
It’s an advantage – when you’re in a room with equally smart, motivated people, you’re the one who stands out because you look different.
2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
I received great advice and guidance from a mentor (senior male partner) when I was a junior attorney, so I feel very fortunate in how my legal career started. What I do wish I had earlier in my career was awareness of my internal motivators and personal strengths (what responsibilities, professional challenges and relationships matter to me) as I would have made an earlier start on building my career around those traits.
3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
The profession needs to understand the ebb and flow of professional lives (let’s be honest, the linear career path to partnership is the exception) and to support attorneys during all transition points in their careers. The obvious transition points in one’s career are from law student to junior attorney, from junior to managing mid-level and then from senior associate to new partner. For women, there is also the challenging transition to/from maternity leave.
Women also need to stay in the profession. It is tough but it is a rewarding and deeply satisfying career. I have had many opportunities in my professional life – challenging work, introductions to interesting people, invitations to sit on two extraordinary not-for-profit boards – which came about because of being a lawyer.
4. Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough. How do you think young attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years?
Acknowledge that you have entered a profession where it takes time to learn, understand and grow your skills. Maybe this is why it is called “practicing law”! Don’t resent the time you spend working – approach the time as an opportunity to learn – take on, don’t turn down assignments, accept that the routine/mundane tasks are part of the learning experience for a new attorney and seek out work from as many different attorneys as you can.
5. Our profession is male dominated. How can young women balance being feminine and professional at the same time? I meet many women that simply act like one of the boys; I do not think that is the solution. Do you have any advice for handling social situations, outings with clients, etc.?
Be yourself. Understand where you “play well” – are you comfortable being with the “boys” or hanging with the “girls” or both. Also understand that there are times you need to be in the “room” and part of the closed conversation – so if invited, go! I’ve been one of 2 women in a courtroom of 100 male attorneys, one of a handful at a closing dinner for 60 – what I realized in those situations was that it was more important to be at the event than to give in to any discomfort of being the only woman. These situations occurred very early in my career, and now I look back and laugh.
6. There is a perception that senior female attorneys think that they had it tough and so should you. Do you think that this sentiment is true? If so, do you think there is value in figuring things out on your own like women before you had to?
My strong view is that the profession – all of it – needs to take greater responsibility for training/guiding/mentoring new attorneys and bringing them into the legal profession. My first bar admission was in Ontario, Canada – a 16 month process from graduation to admission to the bar. The process acknowledges that a new attorney needs to learn and be mentored – AND it places responsibility on the experienced professionals to provide guidance, knowledge and mentoring. I think we may finally be seeing the profession turn towards this way of thinking.
7. What advice do you have for young female attorneys looking for a mentor? Do you feel that there is added value in finding a female mentor? What should they be looking for in a mentor, and what can they do to make themselves someone you would want to mentor?
First, build a board of directors – you’re not likely to find everything you need in one person. Recognize you need different people (skills, experiences, personalities) to provide you with advice at various points in your career. Second, you will always be attracted to and make a connection with people like you (education, hobbies, background) so seek out “other folks” to learn from and match them with particular advice or guidance you are seeking. Third, understand that to get a good mentor, you need to be a good mentee. Be curious about the other person, listen, acknowledge the time they spend with you.
8. We all have to make sacrifices for our careers, what sacrifices have you made and which would you make again?
Any sacrifices I made early on in my career were likely made because I didn’t believe fully in my capabilities as a lawyer. With time, you gain knowledge and professional confidence, and you make wiser choices. And yes, I’ve sacrificed time with family as well as a marriage. Luckily my nephews are forgiving and my second husband understands completely how important my career is to me.
9. What is your favorite thing about being a lawyer? I am sure you have a moment of achievement that made the sacrifices seem worth it. Can you tell us about a highlight in your career?
The relationships I was successful in building with co-workers and clients. Many of my closest friendships are with people I worked with – all-nighters drafting prospectuses are intense bonding moments! I stopped practicing in 2002 (moving into law firm management), however, I’m still close with many of my clients. To still be considered a trusted advisor by a former client after all these years is deeply satisfying.
10. Men still get paid more and get promoted faster. What advice do you have for young women to help them accelerate their careers?
Own your career – the head down, do the work given to me approach will not get you where you want to be. Take on the tough assignments. Seek out and demand feedback. Don’t shy away from the challenges and possible stumbles/failures that come with challenges. As a colleague and friend said to the male partners (when she was being overlooked for the “good” work): “Bring it on. You don’t think I’m up to the challenge, bring it on”.
You also need to build, grow and maintain a network. The earlier you start this in your career, the better. Don’t wait till you need your network to start building it (i.e. when you’re looking to change jobs or careers or when you grab the brass ring and make partner). Online social networking tools like Facebook and Linkedin or designated networking groups like 85 Broads make staying in touch with friends/classmates/former colleagues and expanding your network with new contacts so much easier. You have built in reminders for birthdays and other important life events – and a profile update is a great excuse to contact someone. You need to be out there so people can find you! Networking is a topic I’m rather passionate about!!!
11. What are your interests/hobbies outside of the legal practice? How important do you think those interests/hobbies have been in maintaining some work life balance?
I love my career, I find great meaning and personal satisfaction in work and work related activities and I don’t apologize for it. As for balance, I take a long term view. Do I take all my vacations? Can I escape on a slow day and meet friends? I don’t look at balance on a daily or even on a weekly basis – and this perspective, together with a sense of humor, works for me.
12. What has changed the most and the least since you started practicing law? How have these changes affected you?
Technology – I graduated from law school in 1991…no internet, no Blackberry….. and now, what can I say, I love email, can’t live without my Blackberry and am addicted to social media (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin). However, I regret that because of technology younger professionals miss out on many personal interactions and the learning that comes from those experiences. You need to by-pass the technology sometimes – put down the phone, shut-off the email, get out of your office and speak with someone the “old fashioned way” – face to face.
13. If you could go back, what would you have done differently in how you approached your legal education and career?
Oh, I’m a forward looking person, so I hesitate to reflect back to say what I would change…however, since you’ve asked….I would have approached selecting a firm more thoroughly - I would have taken more time to understand the dynamics, culture, workstyle – so I could have made more informed choices based on matching the firm’s character with my career goals.
14. What is one change you would like to see in the legal profession in the next 20 years?
I believe in the apprentice-model for those entering the legal profession, so I’d like to see the profession truly take responsibility for training, guiding and developing the careers of new attorneys.
15. If you could give one piece of advice to new female lawyers, what would it be?
Stay in the game – being an insider is the only way to change the profession. And I think it’s a great profession.
A Message from the Author: This column is a Q&A with senior level female attorneys offering advice and mentorship to young female lawyers. The questions below were sent to the interviewees and responses have not been edited for content. The advice, experiences, personalities, and approaches of these women are extremely diverse and more importantly very useful to future generations of female attorneys. I hope this column will offer helpful advice, and inspire healthy discussions. I have an exciting lineup of female leaders in the profession, but if you have someone you would like to nominate, or you yourself would like to be interviewed, feel free to email me at superwomenjds@gmail.com.
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