What was your route to the top? My legal career has had several twists and turns. It began after graduating from the University of Alabama School of Law and clerking for Magistrate Judge David Bagwell in the United States District Court for Southern District of Alabama. I had the great fortune to have been awarded a Rotary Fellowship to study as the first Rotary Fellow post Franco in Spain. After my federal clerkship, I spent one year studying international comparative law as a fellow at the Universidad de Sevilla, Espana. While there I also volunteered and worked for Spain's representative on the European Commission on Human Rights. I returned to the United States in July of 1981 and started working at Vinson Elkins. I left V&E after having my son and became a partner at the Houston Office of Akin Gump in January of 1989 shortly after it opened in Houston. I spent many great years there and officed in Houston and Dallas, before Harry Reasoner of V&E offered me the opportunity to return in 2001. I remained there until 2013 when I began to consider moving to another firm that had a different retirement policy. I wanted a firm dedicated to its trial work and which performed at the highest level. I was fortunate enough to find that new firm in Winston Strawn. When entering Winston I wanted to contribute to the firm and build my team from within and earn each opportunity with my partners and clients. In less than 6 years, the results have been remarkable. As I have said that when doors start closing one must push it open to look for new opportunities. That is how to build a career.

What keeps you up at night? (i.e. What are your biggest business-related concerns?) The changing legal market and business opportunities for myself and younger attorneys to grow.

What is the best leadership advice you provided, or received, and why do you think it was effective? It took me a while to realize that you can't wait for others to guide your career—a woman must know that “she is the boss of her career” and take charge and not be afraid to make changes and search for her best opportunities.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession? That I was the boss of myself and to look for opportunities sooner—in addition, others hear me say “listen more and talk less-you can't learn anything if you are talking.”

What is the most valuable career advice anyone has ever given you? My father, an Alabama lawyer, told me when I first started law school that as a woman I could have the best of both worlds…he was wrong. And realizing that he was wrong turned into the best advice I ever got. I realized early on that being a woman lawyer is tough and that I needed to figure out what was best for me. Don't sit back and let yourself become a victim of circumstances. Don't be angry, don't be bitter, just move forward and take charge of your life and your profession…and do it with graciousness and gratitude.