Lisa Mayhew:

What was your route to the top? I am a labor and employment lawyer by background, representing employers on all L&E matters for over 25 years. My practice has been particularly focused on the financial services, retail and professional services sectors, including spending two lengthy periods on secondment to Merrill Lynch in London (as it was then) and to the John Lewis Partnership. I have written a textbook on damages in UK discrimination law and have enjoyed speaking at numerous industry events and conducting training for clients. My first management role was Practice Group Head of BCLP's European L&E Group. That said, common with many L&E Partners, I would often advise the Firm on its own people issues, something which drew me close to the centre of the Firm from fairly early on. It also enabled me to build relationships across the Partnership and with our senior Business Services leaders. In 2012, I was elected to our Board and then ultimately to role of Firmwide Managing Partner effective May 1, 2015. Following completion of BLP's merger with Bryan Cave, I became Co-Chair if the combined firm effecting April 3, 2018.

What keeps you up at night? (i.e. What are your biggest business-related concerns?) Thinking ahead about new ways to find solutions to our clients' issues. To state the obvious, our clients operate under their own pressures. Therefore earning their trust to let us into their worlds to partner with them is something you must work hard to earn. On a more inward looking level, creating an environment that enables talented people to flourish and develop their skills to their best is an ongoing mission. On a personal note, I do worry about why it is that we start out as a more diverse profession than we end up being at our leadership and ownership levels. That is an area that merits the conversation that is being had about it and it will require persistent and collective effort to start changing things on that front.

What is the best leadership advice you provided, or received, and why do you think it was effective? A lot of the best leaders I have met didn't start out aspiring to become leaders in their businesses. However, “reluctant” leaders often make the best ones as they apply a firm-first attitude to everything they do. This does mean that future leaders can be reluctant to accept leadership opportunities when they come around and when they do, I encourage them to go for them and focus on what they can bring to the roles and not just dwell on what they might worry that they can't. It does mean that you need to approach such opportunities with a certain lightness of heart and be prepared to fail and learn from the process.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession? If I could go back in time and talk to my younger self, I would have advised me to proactively learn more about the technology revolution that was about the happen given how much that is now part of the job.

Therese Pritchard:

What was your route to the top? My practice has concentrated on securities and financial institutions enforcement and litigation representing major public companies, banks, accounting firms, broker-dealers, investment advisers, mutual funds, hedge funds and individuals under investigation by the SEC, DOJ, FINRA and the federal banking agencies. I've been an active leader at the firm for many years, having served on Bryan Cave's Executive Committee and Compensation Committee. Prior to assuming my chair duties, I also led the firm's White Collar, Securities Enforcement & Litigation Client Service Group and served as Asia coordinator overseeing legacy Bryan Cave's offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong. Earlier in my career, I served as assistant director of the Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission and as deputy chief counsel of the Office of Thrift Supervision overseeing dozens of matters, including some of the most notable Wall Street cases during that period. In addition, I served as chair of the Securities Enforcement Subcommittee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association.

What keeps you up at night? (i.e. What are your biggest business-related concerns?) Legal services and client needs continues to change. I worry about making sure our firm is a leader in developing and implementing changes that clients want, such as increasing use of innovation in legal services, increased adoption of alternative fee arrangements, increasing ability to address client needs globally, and a growing need for value and certainty from our clients. I can't say I have all the answers yet but we continue to look at new ways to exceed client expectations for high-quality, cost-effective, seamless services in an increasingly complex regulatory environment around the world. We are continually working to create better alignment of our clients' interests and ours.

What is the best leadership advice you provided, or received, and why do you think it was effective? Focus first on having a great practice because a great practice gives you credibility within the firm. Become an expert in your field, work really hard and get to know your clients' industries. This allows you to develop a relationship as a trusted adviser with your clients. Once you establish a personal brand and have a robust practice, let current leadership know that you are interested in leadership opportunities. They should be excited to add you to their team.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession? It is easy to excel at what you are genuinely interested in, and easy to fail at things that you are not passionate about. Pursue what you enjoy because careers are long and you will be far more successful if you are happy.