Best Mentors: Gemma Descoteaux, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton
Descoteaux, a founding partner of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton's Dallas office and a member of the firm's compensation committee, has devoted…
September 03, 2019 at 01:00 AM
3 minute read
Descoteaux, a founding partner of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton's Dallas office and a member of the firm's compensation committee, has devoted her career to helping other women in the legal profession succeed in theirs. She is serving her fifth year as a board member and as the 2019 vice president of development of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association. In that role, she is spearheading the creation of new programming aimed at helping to stem the tide of young women and women of color departing law firms, to educate lawyers at all levels on buying and selling legal services and to create a business development training program for interested members.
Descoteaux previously served as the vice president of mentoring for the DWLA and during that time the organization, along with the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, initiated a Mentoring Circle program in 2016, bringing together groups of women to support, develop and counsel each other throughout their career development. In addition, she remains an active member of the Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas and is also a member of the CWIL Advisory Board, which organized the 2019 Power Summit held this past April in Austin, an invitation-only summit that convenes the influential women in the legal profession to generate ideas and lead change.
Who was one of your most important mentors, and what the relationship like?
Dan Micciche (Tax Partner and former Hiring Partner, Akin Gump). Dan cares deeply and it shows in his interactions with everyone that Dan encounters. And, of critical importance, I always knew that Dan had my best interests at heart. I could ask Dan for advice, and he would tell the cold hard truth, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. He was always open and honest and was willing to invest his time to listen and offer suggestions. Those same traits are what made Dan a phenomenal member and chair of the DISD School Board (the ultimate example of mentorship)
What is the biggest challenge to maintaining a mentor-mentee relationship?
All relationships, including a mentor-mentee relationship, require the thoughtful investment of time. As any busy practicing attorney can attest, time is constantly at a premium; finding the time to invest in these relationships is a challenge that is worth conquering.
An awards ceremony will be held on Sept. 18 at the Belo Mansion in Dallas. The Attorney of the Year award winner will be announced at the ceremony.
Click here for booking information. For information about sponsoring the event, contact Andre Sutton at 757-721-9020 or email [email protected].
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllVinson & Elkins' Veteran Pro Bono Counsel on How Needs Could Change After the Election
7 minute readCampaign for Judge: 2 San Antonio Justices Compete for Same Seat in Election
7 minute readHarris County Vote 2024: Mediator Bruce Bain Challenges Judge Ursula Hall
4 minute readHarris County Justice Meg Poissant Is in Election Race With GOP's Brad Hart
4 minute readTrending Stories
- 1Infant Formula Judge Sanctions Kirkland's Jim Hurst: 'Overtly Crossed the Lines'
- 2Abbott, Mead Johnson Win Defense Verdict Over Preemie Infant Formula
- 3Preparing Your Law Firm for 2025: Smart Ways to Embrace AI & Other Technologies
- 4Greenberg Traurig Initiates String of Suits Following JPMorgan Chase's 'Infinite Money Glitch'
- 5Data-Driven Legal Strategies
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250