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An Introduction to the Mentoring Circles Speakers Bureau By Mary Curry What do the Director of the Federal Defender Program, a partner at Sidley Austin, a United States Magistrate Judge, and an EEOC attorney all have in common? Most recently, each has become a volunteer mentor for the Alliance for Women’s Mentoring Circles program. And each has an amazing story to share. In December we launched the newlycreated Mentoring Circles “Speakers Bureau.” It is a group of over 25 extraordinary, highly accomplished women who have been practicing law for 20 or more years. Each member has agreed to be a “visiting mentor” when called upon by one of our existing Mentoring Circles. This new resource was designed to provide a perspective not always present in the existing Circles. As women become more senior in their legal careers, they often do not have the time to commit to a particular Circle on an on-going basis. The launch of the event allowed our Alliance members to meet several of these distinguished women. One by one, each Bureau member stood up and introduced herself. What followed were individual stories that, in some way, inspired each attorney in that room. For example, Diana White spoke of her years working through the big law firm world, having children and a family to balance, and her decision to leave partnership to work in public interest. She is now the Executive Director of the Legal Assistance Foundation. Joy Cunningham shared her experiences in private practice and the corporate world, which led her to more than one judicial position. She also acknowledged navigating the legal profession as one of the few minority lawyers in her generation. Then Susan Cox - the force behind getting these women into one room - touched on her many career changes, from big firm to small firm, to government practice, all of which culminated in her selection as a United States Magistrate In this Issue Board Room to Bench 1 Speakers Bureau 2 Interview with Mary Smith 4 Committee Deep Dive 5 Member Profiles 6 Gift Cards 6 Page 2 Judge. And the list goes on. Along with the incredible, yet distinct, career path each woman has taken, nearly each woman recognized the role her mentor has played in her career. In several cases, that mentor was another woman in the room. Paying it forward, these women, who have been mentored themselves, have joined our Mentoring Circles on a short-term, individual basis. Through them and other mentors, our Mentoring Circles participants will have access to a breadth of experience that spans private practice, big firm to small firm work, public interest and government, and the challenges that come with those careers, balancing family, and being a woman in the legal profession. Currently, there are over 100 women in the Alliance who are members of individual mentoring circles. The launch of the Speakers Bureau last month inspired over 20 new women to join Circles. For over two years now these Circles, each consisting of 6 to 8 women of varying levels of experience and practice areas, have allowed women to discuss many of the same issues at the heart of the Alliance’s mission: professional development, networking, and work-life balance. The addition of the Speakers Bureau will undoubtedly enhance the mentoring circle experience and provide a new avenue of conversation and exploration for our members. Attorneys at any level can join a mentoring circle. If you are interested, please contact either Mary Curry at marykcurry@gmail. com or Rachael Pontikes at RGPontikes@ duanemorris.com. Include in your correspondence the number of years you have been in practice and in what field. For more information on our Speakers Bureau and how to invite a member to your Circle, please visit the Alliance for Women committee page on the CBA website. Who is Training New Lawyers 7 Building Relationships 10 Chance Favors the Prepared 11 Holiday Highlights 13 WBAI All Law School Event 14 Speakers Bureau 15 Alliance News Newsletter of the CBA Alliance for Women 2011-2012 Committee Susan Pipal spipal@sbcglobal.net Jill Russell Jrussell97@gmail.com Cynthia Van Ort Cynthia.van-ort@ harrisbank.com Contributors Mary Curry Pamela DiCarlantonio Elizabeth S. Epstein Rachel Fleishmann Nancy MacKevich Glazer Michele Jochner Danielle M. Kays Jill Russell Design and Layout Karen Highley Chicago Bar Association Please contact one of the Newsletter Committee members with any questions, comments or concerns about this newsletter.
From the Office to the Boardroom and Bench Page 1 Tracy O’Flaherty years in that profession. After some time, however, she realized that she wanted to do more, and chose to pursue law, attending The John Marshall Law School during the day while working nights as a nurse. After graduation, she eventually combined her background in nursing with law when she served as Loyola University’s Chief Counsel for health care, and later as General Counsel for the Northwestern Memorial Health System. Similarly, Ms. Barker’s journey to prominence in the legal community differed from that of most of her colleagues. She initially entered the legal profession at age 18 as a legal secretary, and, while working at Lord, Bissell and Brook, learned a great deal about the operation of a law firm by performing many different tasks and sitting in on meetings. Working full-time as a secretary, she attended college and thereafter graduated from Loyola University School of Law. Ms. Barker then returned to Lord, Bissell & Brook. She was the first legal secretary ever hired by that firm as an attorney, and was eventually named a partner. In 2006, she founded her own firm. In ascending to the bench, Judge Finnegan noted that her career path followed a more traditional route. During her early years in the profession, she was a federal prosecutor and thereafter became an equity partner at Mayer Brown, where she co-chaired the Chicago Litigation Department and the firm’s White Collar Criminal Practice. Judge Finnegan’s background and experience prepared her well for the bench, and she advised the attendees to stay con- Page 3 nected with colleagues throughout their careers and always be aware that opportunities grow out of these relationships. Judge Pallmeyer echoed Judge Finnegan’s comments, and urged those in attendance to become involved in bar association activities, charitable organizations, and pro bono work not only as a means to network, but also as a way to be of service to others. Ms. Holderman followed-up on the panelists’ comments regarding the importance of bar association involvement and giving back to the profession and community. She noted that her position as Chief Attorney Development Officer for Winston & Strawn, as well as her various bar association leadership roles at the state and national levels, all have a common thread: she is committed and passionate about any project or role she undertakes, and works to tie them all together through her prior experience in teaching, coaching and training. She encouraged the attendees to become involved in professional and community activities, and to always work at building relationships through those endeavors. When asked what helped her best prepare for her in-house position with Navigant Consulting, Ms. Weed pointed to her interest in business and finance, her penchant for details and her curiosity about how all the different aspects of a business enterprise work together. She observed that in her prior role as outside counsel, she often felt hampered in only seeing a small portion of the larger business picture. Ms. O’Flaherty, who also serves as in-house counsel for Baxter Healthcare, agreed, and noted that to be effective in such a position, one must have business acumen, sound judgment, and good communication skills. In closing, the panelists were asked to offer their thoughts on what Patricial Barker it means to be “successful” in the legal profession. Judge Finnegan opined that each person needs to define “success” for themselves, based upon what they wish to attain in their life and career. The other panel members agreed, and shared tips on achieving these goals. Both Ms. Weed and Ms. Barker advised the attendees to focus on developing their unique skills and strengths as a way to set themselves apart from the crowd. Justice Cunningham further noted the importance of having the courage to seize opportunities which may be somewhat outside of our comfort zones. Noting that taking risks is part of succeeding in what you want to accomplish, she drew a parallel to her recent decision to run for a position on the Illinois Supreme Court, and observed that each opportunity prepares you for the next one. Ms. Holderman summed up the discussion by advising the attendees to always have “grit,” explaining that in order to succeed, we must persevere through hard times and rise above them. This article was originally published in the CBA Record. Michele M. Jochner is a judicial law clerk to Justice Charles E. Freeman of the Illinois Supreme Court and a former co-chair of the Alliance Newsletter Committee.
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