Susan Kohlmann, NY Managing Partner, Jenner & Block

What are some of your proudest recent achievements? I'm a member of the firm team representing, together with the Rule of Law Clinic at Yale Law School, the NAACP and Prince George's County, Maryland in its lawsuit against the federal government over unconstitutional census preparations. In the 2010 Census, the county, which has a majority African American population, suffered a 2.3 percent net undercount—the largest net undercount of any county in Maryland and one of the largest of any county in the nation. This is significant because census results determine the number of congressional seats and federal funding each state receives, the redrawing of legislative district lines and the enforcement of voting rights laws. The lawsuit seeks to compel the Census Bureau to prepare for and conduct a full and fair 2020 Census, as the Constitution requires. In January 2019, the bureau's motion to dismiss the lawsuit was denied. I'm also about to argue in the Ninth Circuit to defend the jury verdict we won on behalf the Estate of Elaine Steinbeck. I am hopeful this will be the final step in many years of litigation over the rights to John Steinbeck's iconic works.

What does it mean to be a leader? I believe the best leaders are team players focused on the achievement of the team as a whole. They have to be good listeners, open to new ideas, and willing to put in the time and energy to help each member of the team have their opportunity to shine.

Name a lawyer or mentor whose leadership inspired you. My mother, who came to this country in her teens, speaking no English and having to start life over, has always been a huge inspiration. She became a leader in her profession, a working mother and a role model. She has always said to never sell yourself short. It's a resolve that I would not have kept had I at any point believed that I was bound by the constraints of an old boys' club.

As a young litigator handling complex commercial cases, I was also fortunate to work with a woman who suggested that I try trademark work, which I did. I also worked on a matter involving Andy Warhol's estate in copyright ownership disputes. From there, my focus on trademark and copyright matters took off.

How are the business and profession of law changing, and how should lawyers adapt for the future? Sometimes, it seems change happens too slowly. The business and profession have long recognized the need for increased diversity and inclusion, but the numbers have not moved significantly. As technology changes the way we communicate, the pace of our interactions, and the very business of law, concretely changing the diversity of our profession has become ever more important. A multifaceted strategy of diversity initiatives to hire, retain, and promote ethnic and gender diversity and inclusion is critical to the future of the profession.

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? There has never been a more important time to be a lawyer. I think, in the beginning of your career, it's easy to have an idea set in your mind of what your career will look like and to feel chained to that idea once you've committed to it. What I've learned is that you cannot plan for everything, and being open to change and having the courage to take on risk can lead you down a new path that may even be more fruitful and fulfilling.