Keyonn L. Pope, 36, Reed Smith

Office: Chicago.

Practice area: Intellectual Property Litigation and Counseling.

Law school:  University of Illinois College of Law, 2009.

How long have you been at the firm? 6 years.

How long were you an associate at the firm? About four years.

Were you an associate at another firm before joining your present firm? I began my legal career in the Washington office of Finnegan Henderson. In 2013, desiring to return home to Chicago, I landed at Reed Smith.

What year did you make partner at your current firm? December 2016, but my partnership became effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Keyonn Pope of Reed Smith.

What's the biggest surprise you experienced in becoming partner? Making partner (and even the pursuit of partnership) has required greater understanding and embracing the business of law, which includes managing financials, people, and personalities. Being a successful partner does not afford one the luxury of solely being a skilled practitioner, but also requires one to develop a command of the business of law.

What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in making you partner? A combination of demonstrating my ability to provide high quality legal services, rendering myself indispensable to various client relationships (including relationships I built on my own), and exhibiting an ability to generate new and expand existing clients.

Describe how you feel now about your career now that you've made partner. For me, becoming partner was a goal, but it is not the ultimate end goal. That said, I was pleased to have made partner; it is a career milestone; however, I view it as the beginning of another phase of my career, as I continue striving toward longevity and success.

What's the key to successful business development in your opinion? Meaningful relationships beget business opportunities. When you have a meaningful relationship with someone, you are more likely to understand their core business, likes, dislikes, preferences, leverage points, and what keeps them up at night, all of which helps you add value as an adviser, counselor and provider of legal services.

What's been the biggest change, day-to-day, in your routine since becoming partner? The immense amount of time and energy spent on matters that are not per se legal in nature. For example, managing client relationships, mentoring more junior colleagues, reviewing bills, etc. To be clear, these items are in addition to providing high quality legal service and are essential to a thriving practice and firm.

Who had the greatest influence in your career that helped propel you to partner? It is difficult to only name one, so I'll mention a few: my family and friends (what I call my “framily”) have been and continue to be my biggest supporters and inspirations; Scott Bolden, Jennifer DePriest, Peter Ellis, and Brian Roche (all Reed Smith partners) have been and continue to be invaluable resources; and Anand Sharma (partner at Finnegan Henderson) was one of my earliest career influences during my time at Finnegan and remains a vital asset to this day.

What's the best piece of advice you could give an associate who wants to make partner? Believe in and trust yourself; be honest with yourself about strengths and opportunities for growth; assemble a team of trusted advisers, mentors, and sponsors (inside and outside of your firm); be open to feedback, positive and constructive‎, especially from the aforementioned trusted advisers, mentors, and sponsors, and be sure to incorporate the feedback you receive; be intentional about pursuing partnership, do not assume people know your desire to be a partner—tell people your desire, and solicit their input and assistance on making it happen.

 

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