Attorneys Across America
simple representative numbers and develop tools that women can use to transcend barriers imposed by law firms, gender stereotypes, and family life, and we have worked diligently to create new processes and programs to encourage greater gender diversity at the firm. As a new lawyer, the first order of business is to figure out what you love to do and then focus all of your attentions on doing that well and with passion. You can be good at almost anything, but you will only be great at something that you love to do. The second order of business is to find a mentor. I am a big believer of mentors in life, especially for women. And one’s mentor need not be another woman. In fact, as I noted, one of my primary mentors at Goodwin was a senior male partner who was then head of our banking practice. He explained the rules of the game to me—having someone tell me the do’s and don’ts was invaluable—and acted as a sounding board. There will be days when nothing seems to go right. It is important that you have a colleague whose judgment you respect who will act as a sounding board and help you put those moments in perspective.
What’s different about the practice of law for early career women attorneys today versus when you were starting out in your practice? When my partners chose me to lead Goodwin Procter I was 42 years old and, as noted, was the first woman in the United States to chair an AmLaw 100 law firm. My partners, in true pioneer spirit, were surprised that the media made such headlines about that. For them, I was simply the right person for the job. Unlike many other women attorneys who started when I did, I was lucky to be in a place that encouraged women aspiring to leadership. Today, there is more focus on diversity and inclusion, and that is truly a benefit for young women attorneys. Yet, making your way to the head of the table has its own special challenges, especially for women. It always starts with an opportunity, and looking back, I feel very lucky to have been given that opportunity.
“There will be days when nothing seems to go right. It is important that you have a colleague whose judgment you respect who will act as a sounding board and help you put those moments in perspective.”
If you could do it all over again, what might you change? Not a thing!
Regina M. Pisa was the first woman to lead an AmLaw 100 law firm in the United States and, at 42, was one of the youngest executives to take the helm at the time of her appointment. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of Best Lawyers and has been listed in Banking and Finance Law and Corporate Law since 1999.
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