Name: Clara Krivoy

Category: Law Firm: Women's Legal Awards

Firm/Company: Brown Rudnick

Title: Partner

Time in Position: Since 2017

What was your route to the top? 

I was born and grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, where I attended law school at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, graduating in 1992. I worked part-time at Torres, Plaz & Araujo, and taught legal considerations for designers at Instituto de Diseño, while attending law school. I moved to New York once I graduated, and pursued a Master of Comparative Jurisprudence and a Master of Laws in Trade Regulation at [New York University] in 1993 and 1994. I began my working experience in New York as an international associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. I then worked as a junior associate at Robinson Silverman Pearce Aronsohn & Berman (today, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner), and subsequently moved to Chadbourne & Parke (today, Norton Rose Fulbright) as a third-year associate, where I worked for 18 years. During that time I became Latin America counsel, and then partner. I also formed the Ibero-America private clients practice group, and was appointed president of the Venezuelan American Association of the U.S. Three years ago, I joined the New York office of Brown ­Rudnick where I lead the digital commerce and the Ibero-America private clients practice groups, both of which I founded, along with a prolific pro bono practice that supports meaningful nonprofit organizations worldwide.

Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to experience the practice of law from multiple perspectives, based on the size of the law firms where I have worked, management styles I experienced within the practice groups I was part of, various trends as to how law firms approach the practice of law, and evolving legal environment, all within the vibrant professional setting New York offers. Given that I entered the legal field through a "side door" as I hadn't followed the traditional J.D. path, my route to the top was not a straight line. It took a significant amount of work and dedication, as well as ongoing reflection about the work culture I was experiencing, so I could make sound decisions both professionally and personally as a working mother. I was very fortunate along the way to count with the support of more senior lawyers who believed in a nontraditional path within a traditional law firm career.

What keeps you up at night? 

My biggest business-related concerns usually arise when clients, or team members, face unfair circumstances. In such cases, I always do my best to find viable solutions and achieve positive outcomes.

What is the best leadership advice you've given, or received, and why do you think it was effective?

The best leadership advice I have received is to start each project with a clear goal in mind, and then break the execution into concrete steps. This allows team members to effectively row in the same direction towards achieving a common goal. Following the above advice has helped me execute all kinds of projects, regardless of their subject matter or size.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession?

I wish I had known that the legal profession doesn't always offer a level playing field, when having to reconcile the civil and common law systems in cross-border transactions, in new and evolving areas of law such as blockchain, finding solutions to challenging cases, and managing professional growth and development.

What is the most valuable career advice anyone has ever given you?

The most valuable career advice I have received came from an administrative law professor at Universidad Católica Andres Bello in Venezuela, who taught me that "good luck" is composed of hard work, utmost dedication and responsible risk-taking.