Courtesy photo

Nancy Mitchell, Shareholder, O'Melveny & Myers

Q: What are some of your proudest recent achievements?

A: For the last 18 months, I have been working with Puerto Rico on its restructuring. I am proud, and very humbled, to be a small part of a team of people that is working to resolve the financial crisis on the island to set the stage for a bright future. I was in San Juan in the days immediately after Hurricane Maria and saw first-hand the toll that disaster, and the pre-existing financial crisis, took on Puerto Rico. The courage and commitment of the people of Puerto Rico in response to that devastation was inspiring. Being able to provide even a small contribution to helping them achieve the prosperous future they deserve is an opportunity for which I am deeply grateful.

Q: What does it mean to be a leader?

A: I grew up around sports and tend to think about leadership in terms of what it takes to build a successful team. I think leadership starts with a work ethic that pushes you to bring your best to your game every day. Leadership also means being able to put ego aside to let others bring their unique qualities to the team. Most importantly, leadership is about being honest with yourself and others about the difficult issues that sometimes get in the way of success.

Q: Name a lawyer or mentor whose leadership inspired you.

A: I am inspired every day by my colleague John Rapisardi. I had the opportunity to work with him on the Puerto Rico case before I joined O'Melveny and I recognized quickly that his passion for his clients was unique. His dedication, commitment and sheer brilliance pushed me to be a better and more thoughtful lawyer.

Q: How are the business and profession of law changing, and how should lawyers adapt for the future?

A: Technology has resulted in clients expecting legal advice more quickly than ever before. That can sometimes result in clients or colleagues demanding virtually immediate answers to complicated questions. In order to adapt, I believe that lawyers need to do several things. First, we need to spend even more time staying up to date on recent developments so that we have a base level of knowledge that can inform our advice. Second, we need to recognize that being part of a team and relying on specialists to provide the necessary inputs is critical. Finally, we need to remember that, despite the pressures of today, things have not changed that much. What clients really want is good advice that helps them meet their business objectives and doing that is more important than meeting artificial deadlines or responding to unreasonable timelines.

Q: What is the best advice for someone considering a career in law, or someone already in the profession who is seeking to make a greater impact?

A: My son is 24 and is at the stage where he is trying to determine what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He is considering law school and my advice to him is what I would say to anyone looking into a career in law: do it if you love it. The law can be an amazing career that will challenge you intellectually, force you to develop emotionally and allow you to address problems big and small. But, it takes a passion and commitment that can only come from loving what you do.