CHIEF ETHICS & COMPLIANCE OFFICER NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL GRADUATION YEAR 2006 YEAR JOINED WEIL 2006 YEAR PROMOTED TO CHIEF ETHICS & COMPLIANCE OFFICER 2022 HOMETOWN BROOKLYN, NY What did you want to be as a child? An artist! I still draw in my spare time and doodle at many a meeting. Last year I finally lived one of my longtime fears, and had to produce in discovery some of my handwritten notes – festooned by a cartoon octopus in a jaunty hat. What was your first job? Other than working at Pottery Barn in college, this job. I wish I had learned earlier more basic office functions, like how to use a fax or Excel, because that took some time getting up to speed at the beginning. Looking back, what did you stress over that was unnecessary? Being available 24/7. It’s important to be responsive, especially in the heat of trial or a filing, but everyone will survive your sleeping without the phone under the pillow – or your taking a vacation! What were some of your insecurities or fears when you were starting out that you wish you could go back in time and tell your younger self not to worry so much about? Like a lot of women, I was afraid of speaking up when I did not know the answer 100%. Then I noticed the men would pipe up with half-baked thoughts all the time! I still try not to go half-baked, but I would tell my younger self to speak up even if just for the sake of practicing doing so, because it gets much easier with time and practice. In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself up? I always remind myself that this moment will pass. It’s easy to get caught up in a stressful case or juncture, but they always come and go, and the next experience will make up for a down time. What do you turn to when you need perspective or to unwind during a challenging time? I turn to the friends I made during my first years at Weil. They have mostly moved on to other things, but we were all in the trenches together and have all talked each other down from the proverbial ledge at some point, and so their perspective (and sense of humor) is invaluable. What’s the best piece of professional advice you received? From Mindy Spector (former General Counsel): “Don’t be a monkey” – meaning, don’t just do the bare minimum you are told to do, think of ways to add your own value to the case, and always question things. A fresh perspective can often make up for inexperience. Has learning from a mistake ever led you to success? In one of my very first filings as a new lawyer I miscited the jurisdiction of a case. The magistrate judge called it out at a conference, and the shame of it still burns! But since then, I have always been extremely careful about reading and citing my case law, and it has made my legal arguments stronger and tighter in every case since. What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made and was it worth it? I put off dating seriously for a couple of years for some really busy cases. It totally worked out because when I was ready, I was able to meet my future husband, and I might never have been available to meet him and have our now-toddler if I was at a slower job! Of course, I would never recommend that anyone put their “real” life on hold, but what looks like a sacrifice now might just be leading you to the right opportunity at the right time. I would tell my younger self to speak up even if just for the sake of practicing doing so, because it gets much easier with time and practice. “ ” 32 · WEIL WOMEN’S WISDOM
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5NDgyMg==