Celebrating the promotions of attorneys of color in the TCDIP Community – 2023

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I have been a finance lawyer from the start of my legal career. I focus on corporate finance, including loans and OTC derivatives. I am looking forward to continuing my work in those fields and helping lenders and borrowers in their growth and development.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion?
I was dreading doing marketing until one of my mentors told me that it was just establishing human connections, instead of begging for work. It changed my perspective.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion?
Timely and proactive communications with clients and colleagues to manage their expectations definitely help in terms of managing work-life balance. Clients and colleagues tend to be more supportive if they know a bit more about what to expect.

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I have primarily focused on medical malpractice defense in my time at Mayo. I am excited to learn more specialties in my new role.

What’s something you didn’t expect in your career journey?
There are a number of things I did not expect about my career journey. I definitely did not think I would be anywhere near the field of medicine because the mere thought of blood used to make my knees weak!

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
A significant portion of my practice is medical malpractice, although I also practice in the areas of legal malpractice, personal injury, fire/explosions, and general liability. In my new role as a shareholder, I’m looking forward to getting involved in firm operations and mentoring.

What’s something you didn’t expect in your career journey?
When I started law school in 2007, I didn’t expect to be in the midst of a market crash upon graduation. It altered my initial career path, but I’m thankful for the experiences I gained along the way.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for a promotion?
This has been one of the most challenging things about being in litigation and it has been even more difficult since we expanded our family. Litigation is demanding, so to excel at work while still making time for family, I tend to work a lot of late hours once my little one goes to bed, but generally I keep Saturdays work-free.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion?
Do excellent work, and others will come. When too many projects are in the pipeline, train and supervise junior practitioners to deliver the same quality work. Maintain regular communications regarding expectations, timelines, and budgets with clients.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey? 
I did not expect to become an attorney when I started my first full-time job as an engineer.  I loved my job as an engineer and have done embedded system design, software architecting, and database architecting.  I was learning C# and .Net in my spare time when my twins were less than two years old, but I was intrigued by the thought of exploring the possibility of becoming an attorney.  Now, I love my job as an attorney. 

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion? 
I prioritize and manage work and home matters efficiently. With three kids and more than five clients, I try to build both work teams and home teams as highly efficient and high trust teams, with clear responsibilities. I am also very appreciative of the flexibility that allows me to leave the desk as needed and start to work again in the evening.  I view work-life balance as enjoyments of both work and life. As such, enjoy the little moments, such as a great conversation, a high-quality brief, or a walk in the sun.

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed? 
Identify and provide project opportunities with constructive supervision in the areas of skill-building.  Give time and/or give clear instructions to promote learning on the job.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?
The diverse Twin Cities legal community has many role models, which allow me to see the possibilities and opportunities and learn from them.  Additionally, this diverse community has provided me many opportunities for client developments and learning.

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I focus on patent prosecution mainly. I draft, file, and negotiate with the patent office for the grant of a patent.  I look forward to growing my knowledge in patent law, not only in the United States but also in foreign spaces as well. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I lead our employee, labor relations and investigations function. I am excited to lead the strategy and direct such an important function for our team, leaders, clients and partners. 

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion? 
I have received so much helpful advice throughout my career. Among the best: own your own career, be curious, take the assignments no one else wants, be open to feedback.  

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey? 
I wish I had spent more time with mentors and joining legal organizations early in my career. They are a wonderful way to build your network and create strong relationships in the legal community.  

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion? 
My recommendation is to determine what is important to you, what are your non-negotiables and what you want to prioritize as you strive for your next role and/or promotion. Being clear on your priorities provides direction and the ability to determine where to focus. Then create boundaries that meet your needs. 

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?   
I am a strong believer in feedback – it is important for professional and personal growth.  I find attorneys are resistant to receiving feedback and so I would recommend a leader seeking to support their reports start with soliciting and sharing 360 feedback. Thereafter, identify a few areas of focus and create a plan to support and address these goals and objectives.  Once these have been met – think about what is next and tackle those.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth? 
There are so many opportunities in the Twin Cities to join organizations that provide support, mentorship and career growth. Being a member of a number of these organizations (including TCDIP) and serving in leadership positions provided me with broader connections and a strong professional community to rely on. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I focus my practice on estate planning, estate and trust administrations, business succession planning, and charitable giving. I look forward to continuing to serve clients, grow my network throughout the Twin Cities, and mentor law students and associates on their path to success.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion? 
I think that flexibility is key. I am lucky to work at a firm that values both personal and professional responsibilities and gave me the autonomy to pave my own path.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?   
I have met so many wonderful attorneys and other professionals willing to generously give their advice, time, and support. I would not be where I am today without those that were willing to take a chance on me and invest in my growth. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I’m a trial lawyer who focuses mainly on product liability defense and transportation litigation. I am excited to bring a new perspective to the equity group and help shape the future of Haws-KM. I strive to develop creative solutions to resolve issues for our clients and look forward to applying those skills internally as well as we continue to progress and adapt.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion? 
I’m a huge advocate of trying to find balance but I also understand that it ebbs and flows. As a trial attorney, I have periods where I am traveling and working around the clock and have to accept that in those moments, work comes first. It is important to strive for balance, but every day is different.

I am fortunate to have family and friends close by who are always willing to help. I am also mindful of spending quality time with my family when work isn’t as busy. It is also important to model healthy boundaries. Taking vacations can show other, newer attorneys, that it is possible. I am still learning to stay balanced, but being honest with myself about my goals and priorities helps. 

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?  
In my opinion, the only way to build the skills necessary for anyone to succeed is to have open communication. I strive to provide timely, direct and constructive feedback to those that I work with as that is my obligation to help mentor and develop attorneys. However, I think the most successful development can only be achieved when those you work with are also comfortable communicating ideas, opinions, and concerns back to you. It is only in this sort of working relationship that you can effectively collaborate and improve not only skills but also the overall performance of your team. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I am an employment attorney, and I am very much looking forward to joining Allina to use my legal skills and knowledge to help the organization serve the community.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?  
I honestly did not expect to work with so many wonderful colleagues who have since become my personal friends.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion?  
I try to be flexible with my time with what is immediately important, and to be wholly present for what is immediately important.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth? 
The legal community and TCDIP are made up of wonderful attorneys who are very willing to mentor and provide guidance. There is no reason to feel that you have to figure out career choices alone. There is someone out there who is more than willing to help!

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?   
Always identify when your reports are doing well and let them know. This takes an extra step beyond providing constructive critiques, but identifying the positives will show what the report needs to continue to do as they look to work on improving other areas.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion?  
My new role is Vice President & General Counsel of the Transportation and Electronics Business Group (TEBG), a $9B business group at 3M.   This role requires managing a global team of legal professionals and providing legal advice in substantive areas of law including product liability, contract law, antitrust compliance, distribution, advertising and regulatory compliance.   TEBG is one of the fastest-paced business groups at 3M because of the customers and industries we serve.  This fast pace is what I am looking forward to the most in my new role.   Specifically, learning at the speed of business – understanding the business groups needs and goals, identifying the legal risks associated with them, and providing solutions and alternatives to help them mitigate those risks.   I think it’s the most rewarding part of being in-house counsel.  You are there every step of way from inception to execution and you have an opportunity to help develop the strategy and be a trusted business partner for your clients.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion?  
One of the first pieces of advice I received was from now-retired 3M Senior Vice President Kim Price, who recruited me to 3M. Kim sent me a list of “Things You Need to Do (My first 25)” and one of the key pieces of advice was to “Make your boss look GREAT.”   No matter what obstacle or challenge I experience at work, I always keep that front of mind.  I never want my boss to hear from a client about what I did wrong or how poorly I handled a situation.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?
A pleasant surprise in my legal career journey was the support from the entire legal community. I have received so much support and advice from lawyers across the globe.  No one in the legal profession is ever alone.  There is always someone around the corner who is willing to lend a helping hand whenever they can.   I’m not sure if there is any other profession that is this collaborative and supportive.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion?
I am not sure there is such a thing in a post-Covid world when we are working from home, and you can’t really get away from the virtual office.  My goal has been to make sure work doesn’t overtake every aspect of my life.  There are times when it’s impossible to have any type of balance because work is all encompassing due to the demands of a deal or a special project. I try to make sure that I maintain some semblance of balance by hosting brunches with friends or different gatherings with colleagues. Hosting events and spending time with colleagues and friends outside of “work hours” makes me feel like I am not working 24/7.  That’s how I manage balance.  I’m not certain it’s working!

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth? 
The Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP has contributed to my career growth by providing the support system I needed to thrive as a female attorney of color in the community.  The reason I’m at 3M is because I met Kim Price at a TCDIP event, and we stayed connected following that event.  This is a perfect example of why it is so important to have an organization that allows attorneys of color to connect, meet new people and build a support network.

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?
I think about my own success, and it boils down to having two great managers who always invested in me, supported me and shared my successes with others.  In practice, that means taking the time to find out where you can add value to help them succeed.  But sometimes, it’s just getting out of the way and letting them fly.  For me, my first manager at 3M, Michael Dai, kicked me out of the nest immediately.  And my second manager, Peter Olson, let me fly.   That level of trust was a benefit for me early in my 3M career because I never could have had the challenging assignments that got me to this position unless I was given the opportunity and the room to learn, fail and grow as a business lawyer.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion? 
-Striving for perfection from people CAN be great, but failing to take the time to celebrate people who are responsible for the wins and good work WILL be disastrous. 
-Remember that nobody is perfect, but always try your best to be a good human, with strong integrity, that does right by people. 
-Life is a series of short stays at high and low points, but most of your time is spent on the journeys between them – no status is permanent, but every part of the journey can be a learning point. 
-Even the longest life is short in the scheme of history, so have fun while working hard.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?
I never expected to find myself working for an insurance company, or living in Minnesota, but I was always willing to take calculated risks in my career; I couldn’t be happier with the path I’ve walked.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion? 
I am unapologetically vocal about the fact that I don’t live to work, but I work to live. Having perspective is important, as well as understanding your goals and your motivations. I grew up as an immigrant from Nigeria to the USA, relatively poor, constantly appreciative of the help given to my family and me along our journey. My constant hunger to grow and advance in my career is so that I can continue to create a life absent of financial struggle for my family, and so I can continue to open doors and provide opportunities for other people, thus paying back and forward the gifts of assistance that I’ve received. I just happen to be lucky that I’m able to do all of this while working with people that I truly value and enjoy, and for a company whose mission and purpose I can fully align with.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?
I had an early introduction to TCDIP and was impressed and pleased with its intentionality around introduction, support and advancement of attorneys of color. The practice of law is a tough path. TCDIP has helped strengthen my support network with lawyers who understand my lived experiences, has provided me strong law school candidates to hire, and has served as a support for all of us who practice here in the state, whether we’re aware of the work of the organization or not.

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed? 
My advice for attorney managers is simple – It really shows when you genuinely care, just like it really shows when you don’t. Trust is earned. Create space for people to be their authentic selves at work. Invest and guide your talent. A great coach learns his team, understanding their individual histories, their strengths and their struggles, and then that coach goes about the business of building those players up, and giving them a fair chance to prove themselves in the work. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I am a new Partner in Dorsey & Whitney LLP’s Commercial Litigation practice. I represent clients in complex business litigation matters in a wide range of areas, including general contract disputes, business disputes, employment disputes, internal investigations, real estate disputes, products liability, and antitrust disputes. In addition, I represent financial institutions in arbitrations and other regulatory matters before FINRA. I also represent property owners in state tax assessment appeals. I am looking forward to bringing new clients to Dorsey so that I may continue to provide practical advice on legal and business issues. I am also interested in learning more about the business side of the firm.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion?  
I have had amazing mentors at every stage of my career. They each provide support and encouragement as well as honest and constructive feedback. Some of the more recent advice that I found invaluable was to be my own advocate. I was told I had people supporting me behind the scenes, but that it was important that I communicate to the Dorsey partners why I wanted to continue to build my practice at Dorsey as a partner. No one could provide that information but me. Knowing that I had people in my corner made it easier to meet with partners I had not previously worked with to discuss my goals and plans.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?  
I never expected to be at Dorsey & Whitney. Prior to law school I worked in the public sector, and I thought my career would be in the public interest. I can still give back through various pro bono opportunities, but I am also able to work on interesting complex litigation matters that I have also found to be rewarding.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion?
Some days I am more successful at work-life balance than others, but I make time to have dinner with my family almost every weeknight and grab lunch or dinner with friends every few weeks. Regardless of the work each attorney does, there are times we all end up putting more hours into work than we expect, but it seems to me that firms and clients are recognizing the importance of a work-life balance, which I believe will help to recruit and retain great lawyers.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?  
The legal community is great. It really is a situation of everyone knowing everyone or knowing someone who knows someone. I have been able to reach out to people at other firms or in the criminal law sector to seek guidance on various matters. But more importantly I have been able to build meaningful connections with people across the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP – most of whom become mentors and/or friends.

What advice do you have for attorney managers who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?    
Timely constructive feedback is critical, as is explaining case strategy decisions. For more junior associates, providing them with an understanding of the overall case strategy helps them to better understand how their work is key to the case and the case team. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
My team provides legal support on a wide variety of regulatory compliance issues spanning from FCPA and anti-bribery to environmental to privacy and data security; we field government inquiries, conduct investigations, and defend enforcement actions and some litigation as well. There is so much to learn and every day my team helps me grow as a lawyer and a leader.

What advice did you receive from mentors that contributed to your promotion?  
Not advice per se, but my last leader certainly has had the largest influence on my success. Observing her approach to problem-solving, I absorbed so much about how to be effective as an in-house litigator. She also gave me many opportunities to shine, which is really what we all need to succeed.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?  
10 years ago, I stepped away from law to focus on my four young children who needed more from me. When my youngest started Kindergarten, I went back to work. I hadn’t expected to take a 3-year break, but it was the right decision for myself and my family. I love sharing my story so other lawyer parents know it’s possible to successfully bounce back into law after a career pause.

How do you manage work-life balance as an attorney striving for promotion?  
Like everyone else, you flex for what each day requires. When you have your priorities right, and you work hard, good things happen.