BL A C K
2021
Director, PRA Services & E-Discovery Counsel
LEADERS Worth Watching
TM
AWARD
Christine N. Wood
Education: JD, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles; MPA with distinction, California State University, Northridge; BS, California State University, Dominguez Hills Company Name: Best Best & Krieger LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Eric Garner Company Headquarters Location: Riverside, California Number of Employees: 420 Your Location (if different from above): Los Angeles, California Words you live by: “You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.” – Brené Brown Who is your personal hero? Ida Bell Wells-Barnett, an investigative journalist and purveyor of truth What book are you reading? While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams What was your first job: I worked for myself in college, but my first job after graduation was in marketing. Favorite charity: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. youth and scholarship programs Interests: Reading, movies, playing tournament poker, games, and traveling Family: My family includes my 14-year-old daughter, my life partner, my parents, and my sibling.
How a Mentor Helped Launch My Law Career Mentors are pivotal to my professional success. In fact, I might not be an attorney right now if not for one particular mentor watching out for me and helping me navigate the very unfamiliar process. Law is a second career for me. To ease the transition from my first career to a legal career, I entered the field as a paralegal to be sure I enjoyed the work and the law firm environment. In my four years as a paralegal, I developed a true passion for legal research and writing, and my project management skills were a distinct asset to my practice. During that time, a mentor recognized my passions and skill set, and encouraged me to take the next step in my legal career: earning my JD. She helped me identify the law school program that fit my
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2021 Fourth Quarter
lifestyle, which was no small feat as a 40-year-old single mother of a toddler. In June of that year, I enrolled in Southwestern Law School’s two-year program as a full-time student. At that point, I did not personally know any lawyers, other than our family lawyer and those I supported as a paralegal. I had no idea what it would take to get into law school and succeed, but my mentor recognized something in me and helped me cultivate it. (At the opposite end of the spectrum were the many lawyers with whom I worked discouraging me from going to law school because of the student loans that would accumulate.) Despite the significant financial investment, I was confident that I had a wonderful
career ahead of me because I began to see my future through my mentor’s eyes. I trusted her experience and wisdom, and believed I could accomplish great things as a lawyer if I applied myself. Today, as the leader of BB&K’s ARC: Advanced Records Center, I can say that it has truly been an amazing journey. I have had many other mentors along the way who provided guidance and advice when the path seemed uncertain. Their support is absolutely critical, as there will always be those who underestimate you and doubt your brilliance. So, in those rare moments when your confidence is shaken, a mentor’s viewpoint may be just what you need to help you get through the nonsense and see the success that lies ahead.
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