What’s the first piece of advice would you give someone when dealing with a crisis?

Crises are temporary but how you address a problem will show your character. Remain calm, rally talented people who can help with the response and develop solutions.

What is the most valued piece of advice you ever received?

Be a servant leader—your credibility comes from working with the team and building consensus.

If you did not become a lawyer, what career path would you have pursued?

I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was 6 years old, so it is difficult to imagine a different career path. If I had to pick, I would write books.

Who is a mentor you admire and why?

Having strong women trial lawyers as mentors and colleagues helped me stay grounded throughout my career. Beatty O’Donnell was a fantastic role model as a working mother and trial lawyer—she showed me you can do it all.

The legal field is constantly facing new challenges every year.

What does the legal profession need to do to prepare the next generation of lawyers? The law is still an apprentice business. Young lawyers need to learn from those who have more experience, dig into all assignments with a goal learning what your clients want and delivering. The learning curve in the early years is steep and if you do not dig in, you will fall behind your peers. We need to teach resilience—judges do not always rule in our favor, adversaries can be difficult, and every day is not perfect.

Reprinted with permission from The Legal Intelligencer, © ALM Media Properties LLC. All rights reserved.