Name: Kay Chandler

Category: Law Firm: Collaborative Leadership

Firm/Company: Cooley

Title: Partner

Time in Position: Since 1988

What was your route to the top? 

I started out of law school as an associate at Cooley, became a partner in 1996, and throughout my career I have worked hard on all aspects of my professional career, including client relationships, interactions with partners, associate and staff, mentoring, training and building the firm as an institution.

What keeps you up at night? 

Protecting our firm's core culture while evolving it appropriately for a larger global law firm.

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

Listen. As you grow as a leader, you become more likely to be looked to as knowing the answers and people wait for you to talk. A good leader asks questions, keeps an open mind and listens to others so he or she can better understand issues from all angles before working on resolution.

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

That I would be good at it. I have spent a lot of time questioning my skills and second guessing myself. It would have helped reduce stress and anxiety if I had trusted my abilities. But then, maybe that's why I am good at it.

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

Listen. In any professional context, if you listen carefully and ask questions to understand where others are coming from, you can find solutions to even the most difficult problems. And people will turn to you because they know you will listen to them.