Welcome to the Pathfinder Newsletter
“Pathways” is distributed to current and alumni Pathfinders each quarter and features program news and information, alerts of upcoming events, updates on your fellow Pathfinders, and other resources to help you get the most out of your involvement in the LCLD Pathfinder Program. Past Pathways newsletters are archived on the LCLD website.
We want to hear from you! If you received a promotion, changed jobs, are engaged in community service, or have a practice-related publication, we want to share it. If you plan to host a Pathfinder Meet-Up, or are attending an event and want to connect with other Pathfinders while traveling, let us know. We also want to hear personal updates—so let us know if you got married, had a baby, or had other big life changes, and we'll help you celebrate. Email newsletter submissions to Program Manager Sarah Wintle Alexander.
In this Issue:
- Meet Your New Program Manager
- Personal Announcements
- Pathfinders: Need to Know
- Pathfinder Events & Opportunities
- In the Spotlight
- In-House Corner
- You Asked, Fellows Answered
- Worth a Read, Worth a Listen
- Events & Opportunities of Interest
Pathfinders Charlie Bingham, TaCara Harris, Rebeca Ojeda, and Justice Barber (left to right) spoke at LCLD's 1L Scholar Summit in Atlanta last month.
Did You Know?
LCLD Fellows are podcasting! Check out three dynamic podcasts from Alums.
Meet Your New Pathfinder Program Manager
LCLD is proud to introduce Sarah Wintle Alexander as the new Pathfinder Program Manager. A long-time friend of LCLD, Sarah developed and ran LCLD's Success in Law School Mentoring Program from 2012 to 2014 and has assisted on other projects as needed. She has also held a variety of roles in the public and private sectors, including with Teach for America and the Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation (CEPARE). Most recently, Sarah managed operations for a multimillion-dollar agriculture energy company based in Maine.
From Sarah: "When I first joined LCLD, the opportunity to work with students was the most attractive part of the role, but the more I learned about the lack of diversity in the law, the more compelling the organization's overall mission became to me. I'm excited to continue this work with the Pathfinder Program."
Sarah can be reached at swintle@lcldnet.com and 207.347.0483.
Announcements
2019 Pathfinder Camille Bryant was named the 2019 Outstanding Young Woman Lawyer by the National Bar Association, Women Lawyers Division.
2019 Pathfinder Nadia Haghighatian was elected to the Board of the Dallas LGBT Bar Association as Vice President of Programming.
2019 Pathfinder Kyle Mathews was awarded the Future Leader LGBTQ+ Equality Award at the Chambers Diversity and Inclusion awards ceremony on June 6, 2019. Read more here.
2019 Pathfinder Emilio Grandio-Urrea has moved to White and Case.
2018 Pathfinder Charlie Bingham was named among the 2019 National Bar Association's Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40. Read more here.
2018 Pathfinder Ricardo Bonilla will be presenting a CLE panel at the Hispanic National Bar Association Convention in September.
2018 Pathfinder Dan Cheriyan has moved to Wells Fargo in Washington, DC, where he is Senior Counsel.
2018 Pathfinder Tiye Foley has moved to Exxon Mobil.
2018 Pathfinder Brittany McCants, along with other associates, partners, and in-house counsel, created a non-profit called Black Biglaw Pipeline “BBP.” This organization was created to address some of the harsh realities faced by black attorneys in Big Law. On June 29, 2019, the BBP Managing Committee will host its inaugural one day junior associate bootcamp at Cooley LLP in New York, NY.
2018 Pathfinder Javier Torres received a favorable ruling in his first arbitration where he was first chair.
2017 Pathfinder Anushree Bagrodia has been promoted to Senior Managing Counsel at Mastercard.
2017 Pathfinder Vernon Marsh has been named in the inaugural class of Civil Justice Fellows by Lawyers for Civil Justice.
2016 Pathfinder Cody Gillians has moved to Uber, where he is Counsel, Consumer Products.
2016 Pathfinder Maria Martinez has moved to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, where she is Associate General Counsel.
2016 Pathfinder Jaclyn Martinez Resly has moved to U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where she is Associate Chief Counsel.
2016 Pathfinder Aneesh Mehta was sworn in as President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America.
2015 Pathfinder Julius Redd is one of the Founders of the Men of Color Project. The National Summit was May 4, 2019, in Washington, DC.
2015 Pathfinder Carlos Rodriguez was named Partner at Rivero Mestre.
Congratulations to 2019 Pathfinder Luci Buda who recently got engaged, and 2019 Pathfinder Elia Herrera who got married on June 8!
Congratulations to new parents Leigh Nathanson, Melanie Garcia, Freddy Fonseca, Corey Gray, Chris Dang, and parent-to-be Amy Chapple!
Congratulations to the Class of 2018, who had the highest participation in the Pathfinder Alumni Survey as well as the highest completion rate for their Pathfinder Directory profile updates!
2019 Pathfinders: Need to Know!
SPONSORSHIP E-MODULE NOW AVAILABLE: Due August 6, 2019
As a reminder, 2019 Pathfindes must complete the e-module "The Power of Sponsorship in Career Advancement," action assignments, suggested readings, and conduct Peer Circle meetings by August 6, 2019. If you have not yet completed the first e-module, "The Career-Boosting Power of Effective Time Management," please do so as soon as possible. For instructions on completing the e-module, actions assignments, and readings, please click here.
NOTE: The original invitation to access e-modules was sent to all Pathfinders on May 21, 2019 from webmaster@lcldnet.com. If you are not already able to access the e-modules directly from your LCLD account, it's likely that you missed the original invitation. Please check your May 21 emails and spam email folder for the original invitation. If you are not able to locate the original invitation or have other technical questions about the website or e-modules, please contact Jessica Sabesan, Communications & Marketing Manager. If you have any questions about the Pathfinder Program or e-module content, contact Sarah Wintle Alexander, Program Manager.
COMPASS CONVERSATION MAKE-UPS
For those of you who attended Compass Conversations on/around June 5, 2019, we hope you enjoyed meeting other LCLD Alumni who live in your area. If you were unable to attend a Compass Conversation earlier this month, there will be an opportunity to attend a make-up session in Columbus during the Second In-Person meeting. If you have questions, reach out to Sarah Wintle Alexander, Program Manager.
2019 PATHFINDER FIRST MEETING RESOURCES
Resources from the First Pathfinder Meeting in Indianapolis can be found here. This includes slide decks, handouts, peer circle assignments, faculty contact information, and a photo gallery.
Pathfinder Events & Opportunities
STAY CONNECTED: Join your class GroupMe!
See below for links to the GroupMe for your class of Pathfinders. This is a great way to stay connected with other Pathfinders, arrange meet-ups when traveling, and more!
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | All Pathfinders
SAVE THE DATE: EMBRACING GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY: A COMPLIMENTARY CLE PROGRAM AND RECEPTION: Columbus, OH - August 27, 2019
Mark your calendars for an upcoming program from the LCLD Fellows Alumni. More details forthcoming.
SAVE THE DATE: HOW TO BETTER DRAFT YOUR SELF-EVALUATION & ASK FOR WHAT YOU DESERVE: New York, NY - October 2, 2019
Mark your calendars for an upcoming program from the LCLD Fellows Alumni. More details forthcoming.
In the Spotlight: Honore Hishamunda
2019 Pathfinder Honore Hishamunda is Managing Associate at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, where he represents companies of all sizes in employment related matters in both state and federal courts. An immigrant from Rwanda, he has a strong interest in providing pro bono services to immigrants looking to establish a life in the United States and recently represented a non-profit organization dedicated to providing transition services from tutoring to after school activities for recently arrived immigrant children.
Honore also enjoys cheering on the Auburn Tigers, playing and watching soccer, and writing short stories and poetry. If you’re ever in Atlanta, you’ll find Honore taking in live music at the Tabernacle or stand-up comedy at the Laughing Skull.
For a chance to be chosen for the Pathfinder Spotlight, make sure your Pathfinder Directory Profile stands out and tells your story.
In-House Corner: Non-Legal In-House Opportunities
LCLD recently caught up with Mai Robertson, a 2017 LCLD Fellow and Associate General Counsel for Litigation at Fannie Mae. For the past few months, Mai has been doing a rotation on Fannie Mae’s Fixed-Income Marketing team.
Q: First off, what is Fixed-Income Marketing?
A: Three months ago I wouldn’t have been able to tell you either! Fixed-Income Marketing is essentially our investors relations function. We support various products in the capital markets space, including mortgage-backed securities and credit risk transfers. A critical part of Fannie Mae’s mission is to provide liquidity to the mortgage market, and Fixed-Income Marketing is responsible for communications to the investors that provide that liquidity.
Q: So it’s not a legal position?
A: No, it’s not a legal role, but in many ways the skills I’m using here are not that different from the ones needed to manage litigation as an in-house attorney. I’m still taking facts and figuring out the most compelling way to convey that information, just to different audiences.
Q: How did this opportunity arise?
A: Very informally and very quickly! The team had someone going out on maternity leave, and my name came up in a conversation between the head of the team and someone I had worked with a few times at Fannie Mae. A few days later I was sitting in the market room.
Q: What have you learned from this experience?
A: I’ve had to learn a lot about the business in a short amount of time. I don’t have a finance background so there are many meetings where I only understand about 50% of what is going on, and that’s an uncomfortable position to be in when you are mid-career. But I think as long as you have a genuinely curious mindset and are willing to ask questions, people are happy to share what they do with you.
Q: What are you hoping to gain from this rotation?
A: This rotation has given me the opportunity to manage a small team of people. As a mid-level attorney, there are not a lot of opportunities to directly manage others, so this has been a very rewarding experience. But it’s also harder than it looks and I have a new appreciation for good managers.
Q: What advice would you give to an attorney who is looking to do a rotation?
A: If you're looking to move into the business, or to move in-house if you’re with a firm, I would advise you to take stock of your interactions with your clients. Are you demonstrating more than just legal skills, such that they could picture you in a business role? Are you providing insights that show you're a strategic partner? Are you adding value beyond what is specifically asked of or assigned to you? And then I think you need to make others aware of your interest in making a move—you need to be on others’ radars. And of course, it helps to have an incredibly supportive manager and flexible colleagues who allow you the room to take on new and different opportunities.
You Asked, Fellows Answered: Building Your Professional Reputation
Building a professional reputation internally and among clients (or potential clients) can be challenging. Fellows Soyong Cho, Leasa Anderon, and Cassandra Soltis shared their thoughts on how to build a professional reputation. Read their advice here.
You can also check out these additional resources on building a reputation at work:
- 8 Things That Enhance Your Professionals Reputation More Than Working Hard, Business Insider
- Relationships and Results, Above the Law
- How to Build Your Confidence - And Spark It in Others, TED Talk
- 15 Simple Ways to Improve Your Reputation in the Workplace, Forbes
- Transform How You Approach Your Job, CNBC
- How to Cultivate Your Professional Brand, Forbes
To suggest a topic, email Program Manager Sarah Wintle Alexander at swintle@lcldnet.com, and we'll solicit answers from the LCLD Fellows.
Worth a Read, Worth a Listen
LISTEN: Dear HBR: Unwanted Roles, Harvard Business Review
Is your job turning into something you don’t want? Here's what to do when your boss gives you duties you dislike, your company is grooming you for roles you can’t see yourself in, or you’ve been offered a different job than the one you applied for.
LISTEN: Delegating and Procrastinating, Advice to My Younger Me, Episode 74
Productivity expert Tonya Dalton discusses how to delegate effectively, why you need to check in regularly when you delegate, and why procrastination is not always a bad thing.
Mastering Law Firm Economics is Key for Young Lawyers, The American Lawyer
From junior associates to new partners to attorneys making the shift in-house, it’s critical to understand the business side of your law firm.
LISTEN: The Business of Beyonce, Corporate Homie, Episode 98
Corporate Homie founders discuss business lessons from Beyonce's Homecoming documentary.
The Working Woman's Handbook, The New York Times
Tips on negotiating salary, avoiding burnout, juggling work and kids, and more.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION RESOURCES:
As a person of color, a woman, a member of a religious minority, and/or an ally of diversity and inclusion, your organization may turn to you for advice and resources on diversity and inclusion efforts. Because inclusion requires everyone, the following articles provide tangible tips for majority groups to take action and become part of the solution.
- Incentives for Outside Counsel Diversity, Business of Law Podcast
- 12 Diversity & Inclusion Terms You Need to Know, Catalyst
- Microaggressions: Good Intent is Not Good Enough, Forbes
- How to Deconstruct Racism, One Headline at a Time, TED Talks
- CodeSwitch Summer Book Club, NPR
- How Diversity Drives Innovation, Workday Blog
Events and Opportunities of Interest
HOW TO SUCCEED AS A TRIAL LAWYER: ARGUING MOTIONS AND APPEALS PERSUASIVELY: Webinar - July 18, 2019 | CLE credits vary
Click here for more information.
PRESENTATION SKILLS FOR ATTORNEYS: THE TOP THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Webinar - July 23, 2019
Click here for more information.
THE LEADER'S JOURNEY: KEY TIPS FOR LEADERSHIP SUCCESS: Webinar - July 30, 2019 | CLE credits vary
Click here for more information.
ETHICS 101: ETHICAL ISSUES FOR THE NEW PRACTITIONER: Webinar - August 5, 2019 | CLE credits vary
Click here for more information.
Questions?
If you have questions about the Pathfinder Program Pathways for Pathfinders, please email Sarah Wintle Alexander, Program Manager, at swintle@lcldnet.com.
