“The pandemic has done what I never thought possible, validating what I have known for some time: When one works from home, one is actually working. Despite the industry’s negative projections during the early stages of COVID-19, our firm had a profitable year with all of us working from home,” writes Tracey Mihelic, senior counsel at Husch Blackwell.
Both partners’ support and active engagement is vital to a satisfying work-home balance. Since her passing, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been celebrated not only as a trailblazing legal giant but also as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. The Ginsburgs demonstrated that a strong partnership at home leads to success as professionals, life partners and parents.
Erin Johnston is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis. Johnston is chair of the D.C. office’s Women’s Leadership Initiative. She has received Kirkland’s Pro Bono Service Award multiple times.
Rashida La Lande, global general counsel at Kraft Heinz, is mindful of the example she sets for her sons and daughters. Childhood models guided her own career choices.
Aug 1, 2018 2:45 AM CDT
Rashida La Lande: “I work for a company that’s founded on meritocracy and ownership – two values I wholeheartedly believe in.” Photo courtesy of Kraft Heinz Company.
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The hard challenges always seem to throw me off balance and make the task of going to the office feel like an impossibility. In moments of calm, I can look ahead to challenges. The kindness of others makes difficult times bearable.
Law Day is observed annually on May 1 and celebrates the role of law in our society. Events are held across the country on and around that date with the goal of cultivating a deeper understanding of the legal profession and its importance to our nation.
Apr 1, 2018 12:40 AM CDT
Photo of Hilarie Bass courtesy of the Office of the President
As the only child of immigrant parents from Guyana, Wanji Walcott knew from a young age that she wanted to be a lawyer. By following several principles she achieved her goals of serving as a general counsel and wife and a mother.
When people ask me how I make it work, I point to my mother—who did so much with so little—as my role model. As lawyers, we have it so much easier than my mom or many other women in the workplace today.
As a child in a financially disadvantaged household, our mother encouraged us to succeed in school and modeled that for us by taking college courses at night and eventually obtaining a college degree herself.
Tracy Richelle High: “You make time for the things that matter. Period. What matters most on any particular day changes, and you must be flexible. Some days I devote more time to being a lawyer, and other days I devote more to my personal life.”
Do I really think I am giving less than 100 percent? When I really level with myself, the answer is a resounding no. Despite my attempts to convince myself that I am a girl who does not do everything to the “nth” degree (and I am fine with it), nothing could be further from the truth.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe’s Christina Guerola Sarchio: “While you can never fully escape from people’s biases and misconceptions, I found the secret to success is to identify people—and, importantly, clients—who appreciate what I bring to the table, value diversity and treat others with respect.”
Aug 1, 2017 1:45 AM CDT
Photo of Christina Guerola Sarchio courtesy of Giggingslegal
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Vinson & Elkins partner Hilary Preston: “If your choice looks a bit different from whatever the ‘norm’ is at your firm or company, don’t shy away from that. Be confident in your own choices. To be successful in the long term—because it truly is a marathon and not a sprint—we have to design our careers in a way that works for our lives, not the other way around.”
The ABA Journal wants to host and facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. We are now accepting thoughtful, non-promotional articles and commentary by unpaid contributors.
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Rashida La Lande: “I work for a company that’s founded on meritocracy and ownership – two values I wholeheartedly believe in.” Photo courtesy of Kraft Heinz Company.
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Photo of Christina Guerola Sarchio courtesy of Giggingslegal
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Hilary Preston
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