As I was growing up in journalism, I had a lot of help. I launched my career in the late 1990s, working as an unpaid intern at Seattle magazine. Impressed with my dedication, my editors eventually promoted me to contributing writer and I began pulling in my first income in the field.

I moved back to Chicago in 2001, and landed my first full-time editorial position at a local horticulture magazine. For a year-and-a half, I honed my skills as a reporter and writer, and in 2003, I secured the associate editor position at Corporate Legal Times, now InsideCounsel. It was in that position, and subsequent positions with this magazine, that my career really flourished. I was challenged in my role, given increasing responsibilities and a strong sense of autonomy, and most importantly, I was nurtured by my editors.

In this month's cover story (“Top Tier,” p. 28), InsideCounsel delves into the careers of several rising legal minds in corporate America today. The story introduces the R-3 100 program, a list of 100 women who will likely be ready in three years to become general counsel. (R-3 stands for “ready” in “three” years.) InsideCounsel reporters chatted with several women from that list of 100—taking a look at where they got their start, where they are today and where they're ready to be in the near future. That is, sitting in the general counsel's seat.