2023
Partner
INTERNATIONAL
This attorney’s vulnerability and empathy has been her super power – and she’s not going to let it go
Education: SHRM, Professional HR Development Certificate, Rice University; JD, University of Texas; BA, English, Rice University Company Name: Norton Rose Fulbright Industry: Legal Company CEO: Jeff Cody, US Managing Partner Company Headquarters Location: New York; Houston; London Number of Employees: 7,345 Your Location: Houston, TX Words you live by: Know your worth. Who is your personal hero? My parents What book are you reading? 100 Other Girls by Iman Hariri-Kia What was your first job? Babysitting Favorite charity: Houston Food Bank Interests/Hobbies: Sports and binging TV series Family: My husband and two teenage daughters. I would describe my household as, “We run this house by committee.”
72
2023 Fourth Quarter
Vulnerability has always been a paramount quality for me – it’s part of my communication style and it’s part of my leadership style – and I think it’s an essential component to my success and a driving factor in my career. Along with humility and levity, and vulnerability, particularly in terms of sharing stories and lessons, is how I can connect to others authentically and meet them where they are. I’ve always been an empath by nature, it’s just who I am as a person, and it’s a way for me to strengthen those connections and build stronger relationships, which is an important way to both become a leader and a valued team member. Authenticity is at the heart of meaningful interactions, leading to a more solid foundation for relationships with colleagues and clients. I understand that every person I interact with is going through something in their lives and I try to be mindful about those experiences. I think about how what I am going through might affect what I’m asked to do. Then I use that perspective to think through what others are experiencing with their responsibilities and as a leader, help guide them through that process. It’s a viewpoint I try to impart on others as well, including our summer associates and junior attorneys. I’ve had to pivot at times, such as during the pandemic when we were all dealing with an unexpected and unfamiliar situation. While I have always been compassionate and empathetic, it really opened up a way for me to see the enormous scope of how every single person has challenges they are facing at any given time. Sharing my own vulnerabilities during this time was a way to connect to others in this difficult period. While we were working remotely, it made it harder in terms of frequency and organic opportunities to connect and share, but at the same time, it made it easier because we were all so fragile and raw during that time. Any conversation could turn into a conversation about life – any meeting, any hearing, any Zoom happy hour – and everything became an opportunity to connect about something more significant than our actual meeting. It was a silver lining that I have brought out of the pandemic and that I still apply to life now. I didn’t forget those lessons and like most people, I’m not going back to how things were before because it changed me, and my working style, for the better.
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AWARD
Jamila S. Mensah