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How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Collaboration Actually Makes the Job Fun,' Says Zachary Lerner of Troutman Pepper Locke

"Collaboration is essential. Every successful practitioner is guilty at some point in their career of becoming a “silo” on a project; this makes sense, as you don’t get to be a partner at a law firm unless you are pretty darn good at something and, at one point or another, you will feel like you can handle it all alone. Yet whenever I collaborate with one of my peers, they always add something of value that I have not. Perhaps most importantly is that collaboration actually makes the job fun."
13 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Be Open With Partners About Your Strengths,' Says Ha Jin Lee of Sullivan & Cromwell

"Working hard and producing strong work is obviously a given, but a less obvious factor is the ability to be open with partners about your strengths, what skills you would like to improve on, and the types of matters you want to work on. I think my honesty helped me a great deal, as I was open with the people around me about my short-term and long-term personal and professional goals."
6 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Avoid Getting Stuck in a Moment,' Says Federico Cuadra Del Carmen of Baker McKenzie

"The job is hard and the learning curve is steep. You won’t get things 100% right the first time you do them. But, as long as you take the time to understand why, you will get better. Avoid getting stuck in a moment. Run the post-mortem, take the lesson, and move on to the next one."
8 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Find Your Niche and Become the Go-To Person,' Says Shawn Hendricks of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young

"I would give the same advice to my younger self as I would give to another younger associate: find your niche and become the go-to person at the firm for this specific area."
5 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Office Managing Partner: 'Stay True to Yourself, and Things Will Work Out to Your Benefit,' Says Stuart Sostmann of Marshall Dennehey

"When I was a younger attorney, I displayed arrogance at times to cover up various insecurities. My advice would be to stay true to yourself, and things will work out to your benefit."
6 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Law Firm Leadership: 'It’s Imperative That You Never Stop Learning,' Says Ian Ribald of Ballard Spahr

"Try to do every job in the businesses so you can understand different roles and perspectives, gain empathy, and understand what is needed to drive results. Listen to your peers and managers to learn the full scope of the business. Spend time with clients and mentors. It’s imperative that you never stop learning. The worst and most uncomfortable moments in my career have been the most professionally beneficial, because they put new experiences and skills in my toolbox. If you’re afraid to stick your neck out and take advantage of a new opportunity, you’ll stop growing and advancing as a professional, and that can be fatal."
8 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'It's Essential to Have a Clear Vision,' Says Matthew Carey of Marshall Gerstein

"To be an effective practice group leader, it's essential to have a clear vision, make sound decisions, and demonstrate expertise in addressing client needs, which enables us to effectively set group objectives and align our efforts with the firm’s broader strategy. Equally important are strong communication and collaboration skills to ensure team members are engaged in meaningful projects."
6 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Office Managing Partner: 'Be a Lawyer First, Foremost and Always,' Says Matthew McLaughlin of Venable

"Be a lawyer first, foremost, and always. Even if you are something of a general practitioner, find some area of expertise. You will not be able to lead as a manager if your colleagues do not respect your legal abilities. Keep your focus on practice development and skills development."
8 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Be a Good Partner and Colleague,' Says Logan Drew of Robins Kaplan

"Be a good partner and colleague. Cultivate relationships with your colleagues, learn what they value and what makes them tick, and do what you can to help them get where they’re trying to go. It will help their practice, build trust, and ensure your practice group operates at its best. Knowing the business really well and having a successful practice are also important, of course, but I firmly believe the more human elements are the most important."
8 minute read

Law.com

How the Deal Got Done: Sidley Austin and NWSL Angel City Football Club/Iger

Sidley Austin represented Angel City FC (ACFC), the Los Angeles-based National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club, in its $250M controlling stake sale to Willow Bay, dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company. Sidley’s deal team was led by partner Eric Geffner, a member of the firm’s Entertainment, Sports and Media, M&A and Private Equity groups. He offers this perspective on “How the Deal Got Done.”
4 minute read

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