PARTNER, BANKING & FINANCE DALLAS LAW SCHOOL GRADUATION YEAR 2009 YEAR JOINED WEIL 2014 YEAR PROMOTED TO PARTNER 2020 HOMETOWN DALLAS, TX What did you want to be as a child? I wanted to be a veterinarian as a very young child, but as long as I can remember really understanding what it meant to have a career, I wanted to be a lawyer. My mom is a police officer, so I was introduced early on to the practice of law, and it always sounded like a lot of fun! If your younger self could see you now, what do you think her reaction would be? I think she would be impressed at my ability to manage having a successful career as a lawyer, including being promoted to partner while having an amazing family with two lovely daughters. When I was younger, I thought what many women think: You cannot do both. What was your first job? My first job was working in libraries at law firms in Austin during college updating their books for current case law. I did not have any lawyers in my family so to visit law firms and work in a professional atmosphere was a helpful way to get a window into what working in a law firm would look like. Knowing what you know now, what might you have done differently when you were starting out? I would have tried to think bigger picture and longer term. I was very focused on the immediate next step and less focused on how that next step fit into what I wanted for my career. It can be scary to think long term when you are a young attorney and you are focused on finding a job quickly. You are not thinking, “How is this going to fulfill me five years, ten years down the road?” Knowing now how some of those initial steps were less important than they felt at the time, I would be more thoughtful in my overall approach. Looking back, what did you stress over that was unnecessary? I stressed more than I should have over people’s perception of who I was and if I deserved to be working at the Firm. I was new to the BigLaw lifestyle and did not see very many attorneys who looked like me and were from a similar background. It was so unnecessary! My experience has been that I am valued based on my willingness to work hard, be a team player and fun to work with. The rest of it just makes me who I am. What were some of the insecurities and fears that you wish you could go back and tell your younger self not to worry about? I wish I could go back and tell myself: “You are an intelligent, interesting, worthwhile woman who has so many amazing achievements ahead of you. Enjoy the opportunities to learn and challenge yourself as opposed to stressing about them. The first few years of your career go by so quickly. Try and live in the moment and really enjoy it!” In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how to you build yourself up? Lately I listen to a lot of Lizzo (including attending her concert in Dallas with a few women colleagues)! Taking myself out of the moment to listen to a favorite song or to go for a drive or a walk, gives me an opportunity to just breathe. By the time I re-engage I am feeling ready to take anything on. Otherwise, finding a confidant has helped me work through difficult situations. Whether it is in your personal or professional life, finding a few people you can confide in and trust is invaluable. That is why it is so important to have other women and moms in my life I can talk to. They have been my most valuable resource and my biggest cheerleaders. What is the best piece of professional advice you have received? No matter what, being successful in a BigLaw firm comes down to being an expert in your craft. Honing your skills through taking new opportunities and working on a number of transactions – there is no replacement for that. The only way you can be of value to your colleagues and clients is if you have the experience and the expertise to show up when they need you. Also, learn to be comfortable asking questions. Earlier on in my career, I was reticent to ask questions for fear of someone thinking that I was not smart enough to be working on the deal, but “smart” does not mean you have all the answers. Knowing what you know and what you do not know is incredibly important to practicing law. Whether it is in your personal or professional life, finding a few people you can confide in and trust is invaluable. “ ” What does success mean to you, and how has your definition of success evolved over time? Success at the beginning of my career was typically accomplishing a specific task, closing a deal or working on a new kind of transaction successfully. Since having children, my definition of success changed to a focus on balance. The ability to have a rewarding career that I am proud of, while coming home to a happy and healthy family that takes care of one another, means everything to me. Please describe a mistake or failure and how it ultimately helped you learn and grow. A mistake I made early on was not asking for help when I needed to. Most mistakes are fixable, but nothing can be done if you do not ask for help! 38 · WEIL WOMEN’S WISDOM
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