Women’s History Month: Celebrating International Women’s Day

Tiffany Dunn

Co-Office Administrative Partner
Nashville

“To the next generation of women leaders, I encourage you to create and maintain authentic relationships. Be reliable and trustworthy and help other women accomplish their goals. Applaud the accomplishments of others, even your competitors, and be thoughtful in everything you do.”

Nicole Webb

Partner, Trusts & Estates
San Francisco

“First and foremost, don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself. Women face unique challenges in the workplace and the legal profession, in particular, so it is crucial that we allow ourselves to take up space and communicate what we need with confidence. Speak up in meetings, make sure your contributions are recognized, take credit for your work, and seek out leadership opportunities within your firm and the larger professional community. Secondly, build a network and use it. I encourage you to find mentors, watch what they do and reach out to them regularly. It’s also important to identify individuals you can interact with inside and outside your firm as potential referral sources and cultivate these relationships—you never know when or from where business will come. Lastly, bring other women up with you. Share what you know, put women up for advancement opportunities, and give the women you work with the ability and space to create their own success. And, to the extent you can, leave your firm a better place for women than you found it.”

Chrystal Dyer LaRoche

Partner, Real Estate
New York

“I encourage women in the legal industry who aspire to leadership roles within their firm to seek out both a professional mentor and a sponsor. Most people understand the value of a mentor, but many believe that sponsors and mentors are interchangeable. While a mentor will help guide your career and provide advice on navigating the profession, a sponsor will advocate for you when you aren’t in the room, educate you on relevant opportunities and offer you opportunities, when possible. Occasionally, one person will serve in both roles, but more often these will be two different people. I would also suggest not falling into the trap of believing that only someone who looks like you can be your mentor or sponsor. Sometimes, your best advocates come in unexpected packages!”

Alison Pollock Schwartz

Partner, Advanced Media & Technology
Chicago

“An important piece of advice for women aspiring to leadership roles in the legal industry is to be your true, authentic self. Successful leadership is not one-size-fits-all; you don’t need to emulate the style of your mentors and colleagues to succeed. An effective leader should be able to instill confidence in others, trust her own decisions, embrace diverse views and opinions, and motivate and empower others on her team. By playing to your strengths, you can focus on fostering critical leadership qualities in a way that feels natural to you.”

Gabrielle A. Vidal

Chair, Guardianships; Co-Chair, Trust & Estate Litigation
Los Angeles

“I believe that each person has a superpower and that the more diverse the talent, the stronger the product. My team of brilliant women combines the strength of effective trial lawyers with the emotional IQ to mine nuance and opportunity from complicated family dynamics in order to reach a resolution. Being inclusive, for me, means supporting my team’s collective intuition and making sure I am not surrounded by people who necessarily agree with me.”

Ritu Narula

Senior Counsel, Advanced Media & Technology
Washington, DC

“For women aspiring to leadership roles in the legal industry, I encourage you to be undeniable. Being a strong leader starts with understanding your craft and industry, and having the confidence to know that you bring valuable skills to your team and organization. Your voice and perspective matter, so I encourage you to share them. Additionally, while you should trust your decisions, effective leaders recognize that they cannot know everything. Instead, surround yourself with colleagues who have diverse skills and expertise, and actively seek input and feedback to make informed decisions. Continue to learn and be curious throughout your career. Finally, I encourage you to build and foster a community. This involves not only seeking mentorship and sponsorship from experienced leaders who can provide guidance and support but also doing the same for others as you develop in your profession.”

Lynia Lau

Partner, Capital Markets & Corporate
Hong Kong

“I believe that strategic planning, taking initiative and effective people management are crucial skills for aspiring women leaders. In addition to these, actively seek mentorship and advocate for yourself. Champion diversity and cultivate resilience, recognizing setbacks as opportunities for growth within leadership.”