Celebrating the promotions of attorneys of color in the TCDIP Community – 2024

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
My practice primarily consists of complex mass tort litigation, commercial litigation, and sports litigation. I look forward to continuing my work in these fields, continuing to grow as a litigator, and eventually becoming the go to advisor and counselor for my clients.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share with attorneys of color who are looking to rise in their careers?
Be coachable. Many of us are the first (if not the only) lawyers in our families, and at every step of the way, we’ve often had to navigate uncharted territory on our own without the benefit of a guide. It’s easy to get used to this and wind-up ignoring guidance from those who are already where you are trying to go. The simple truth is you don’t know what you don’t know, and mistakes become costlier as you continue to climb higher. If someone is willing to guide you around landmines, you should listen to them instead of trying to go it alone.

Who are the mentors, sponsor, and supporters who helped you get to where you are? How did they help your career growth?
I have greatly benefited from the unwavering support and mentorship of numerous individuals throughout my career, particularly during challenging and uncertain times. Recognizing that our personal and professional journeys are often nonlinear, I have found it indispensable to have the guidance of wise and supportive mentors. Among them, Marla Butler, the managing partner of the Atlanta Office of Thompson Hine, has been an invaluable mentor, offering invaluable advice and encouragement at pivotal moments in my career. Similarly, Larina Alton, a partner at Maslon LLP, has consistently provided me with guidance and a listening ear, often opening doors for me to make connections with others in her network. James Smith, from Ecolab, serves as a role model and is someone who commands my utmost respect. He has been generous in offering advice and mentorship over the years.

Additionally, I’ve been fortunate to have many “unofficial” mentors throughout my career—individuals with whom I’ve collaborated, often on complex cases, and who have significantly influenced my approach and development. These mentors, whether from my previous firm or whether in-house, have played a pivotal role in shaping my professional identity. While their names are too numerous to list, their impact on my journey is undeniable, motivating me to pay it forward by supporting others to the best of my ability.

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I defend my clients in complex product liability, general liability, premises liability, toxic tort, and drug and medical device matters. In my new role, I am most looking forward to mentoring younger attorneys. As part of my new role, I have been named my firm’s Associate Development Partner, so I am responsible for the training, mentoring, and growth of the non-partner attorneys in my office. This includes assigning mentors, conducting regular training/CLE sessions in the office, acting as a liaison between non-partner attorneys and firm-wide management, and answering questions non-partner attorneys may have relative to their career or firm matters.

What’s something that contributed to your promotion that you would like to share?
I would like to think there are many reasons I was elected to be a partner, but I am sure that one of the things that contributed to my promotion was my building of strong relationships within the firm. A key element to effective leadership is building strong relationships with other employees. Establishing trust and creating lasting relationships with people you work is something I believe the partnership appreciated about me. I work hard to inspire, encourage, and motivate those I work with, and I try to establish myself as someone who others can come to for advice or support. This creates a strong level of trust and respect with those within my firm.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share with attorneys of color who are looking to rise in their careers?
Mentors, mentors, and more mentors. It would be extremely difficult to rise to a position such as partner in a law firm without mentoring along the way. Attorneys of color should participate in their firm’s mentorship program. Mentorship programs are standard at law firms and are mostly geared toward high-performing associates. Also, you should have more than one mentor. You learn different things from different people and benefit from building relationships across your firm and the larger legal community. It is important to note that mentors do not necessarily have to be from your firm. Whether it be a firm-sponsored event or an industry event, find people you feel a connection with and ask if they would be willing to mentor you. The answer will almost certainly be yes. Also, join legal associations and participate in events; those are great opportunities to meet and develop relationships with mentors.

What advice do you have for managers of attorneys who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?
Communication and collaboration. Clear and effective communication is crucial to a law firm’s success, especially so when it comes to leadership skills for lawyers. Leaders must maintain relationships and open communication with their reports. Leaders must also listen well and take the thoughts and feedback of others into consideration. Leadership isn’t about ruling over others – it is about taking the contributions of the team and directing them toward a common goal. Leaders need to listen and consider the other members of the firm to make sure everyone’s strengths are utilized appropriately and everyone is on the same page. Additionally, collaboration allows for different views and ideas to be highlighted which naturally creates a space for diversity and inclusion.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?
TCDIP has allowed me to build a network of individuals that have not only become friends but has surrounded me with people who are committed to establishing a legal community that works toward the success of diverse attorneys.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?
That honesty and truthfulness are two different things. When I took professional responsibility in law school, the responsibilities of being an attorney seemed clear. However, I have learned that being honest means speaking the truth to the extent one speaks. Being truthful means actively disclosing the entire truth of a matter. Lawyers must be honest, but they are not required to be truthful.

How did you prepare for your promotion?
I did not have a chance to prepare. My promotion was a surprise. It was a pleasant surprise, no doubt, but I only learned I would be partner nine days before it happened. I don’t usually like surprises, but this was an exception.

Who are the mentors, sponsor, and supporters who helped you get to where you are? How did they help your career growth?
In the legal field, there are too many to single out anyone by name. As I advised above, I have had many mentors who have provided me with the wisdom, support, and perspective that allowed me to grow and thrive in my career. Beyond the law, however, my parents are the biggest reason I am where I am today. Without their unwavering wisdom, guidance, and support, there’s no telling where I would be today. Because of them, I am a partner in a great law firm

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
As an employment attorney at Life Time, I counsel human resources professionals and corporate leaders on matters affecting Life Time’s workforce; manage litigation, arbitration, and administrative matters involving harassment, discrimination, and wage-and-hour claims; and develop policies, processes, and operating procedures to comply with employment laws. In my new role, I look forward to taking on more complex matters and opportunities to lead, especially with respect to training and mentoring junior attorneys.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share with attorneys of color who are looking to rise in their careers?
Find opportunities to show off your skills and expertise, and don’t be afraid to be vocal about your accomplishments. Particularly in the AAPI community, so many of us come from cultures where humility is emphasized, and advocating for yourself and the value you bring to an organization is viewed as arrogant and inappropriate. It took me some time to learn how to strike the right balance between staying humble and openly sharing my achievements in the right settings.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?
The Twin Cities legal community has provided me with growth opportunities, at every stage in my career, that I doubt I would have had in a larger legal market. Our community here is large enough to provide a place for everyone, but it’s also small enough to allow us to maintain valuable, real human connections that make us better people and better attorneys. TCDIP and the affinity bar associations have helped me cultivate leadership skills and creativity, introduced me to mentors and sponsors who have invested in me, and given me a network of supportive friends and colleagues. Those skills and connections have been invaluable to my career.

How did you first get involved in TCDIP?
I got involved in TCDIP as part of the first iteration of the Professional Development Committee in 2008 or 2009, and had the opportunity to work with Roshan Rajkumar on that committee. As a partner at Fredrikson, I noticed that fellow attorneys of color who had achieved partnership were leaving their positions. I wanted to investigate why – and figure out what we could collectively do in the Twin Cities to help partners of color succeed. Since serving on the professional development committee at TCDIP, I’ve also had the opportunity to chair Fredrikson’s DEI committee.

How have you seen things change between 2008 and today?
It is still hard to build a practice, but things have changed for the better for attorneys of color. As a community, we’ve learned the importance of building strong relationships and lifting each other up, through TCDIP and other avenues. I started the Women of Color in the Law Forum with Cynthia Lee and other colleagues to provide a supportive space where we can have candid conversations. Authentic conversations build trust – and that trust builds the networks and relationships we need to succeed. I encourage attorneys to show up consistently with an open mind and without an agenda. Without an agenda or expectation that you will “bag the big client”, you can be open to meeting people where they are and listen to what they need. It always fills me with pride to hear that an attendee made a new connection through the Women of Color in the Law forums. And I want to re-iterate: the most important thing is to show up. The relationships that become part of your network won’t materialize from one meeting – it takes repeated interactions to build that trust. 

What inspired you to campaign for a position on Fredrikson’s Board of Directors, and what contributed to a successful campaign?
I always had the idea of running for the board of directors in the back of my mind, but I didn’t feel that I needed the role or title to be successful in the firm. But during a lunch with diverse summer associates, one of them asked, “Why isn’t there an attorney of color on Fredrikson’s Board?” – and I realized that I couldn’t answer the “why” behind that question. I felt it was an important barrier to break to show incoming attorneys at the firm that attorneys of color are represented in the top decisions at the firm. My personal relationships at Fredrikson helped me feel empowered to succeed in a campaign to join the board of directors. And I leveraged those personal relationships – I called all 200 of my fellow partners at Fredrikson and listened to their ideas about what they hope to see from Fredrikson’s Board of Directors. I’m glad that I can inspire the attorneys of color at Fredrikson who will come after me and lead by example to show that DEI work is integral to leadership, not an afterthought. 

Tell us briefly about your areas of practice. What are you looking forward to in your new role?
I am a Civil Litigation Defense trial attorney, my practice areas include products liability, commercial litigation, class actions, and mass torts. In my newly re-elected role, I look forward to further growing and expanding the Minneapolis office in both culture and people.

What’s something that contributed to your promotion that you would like to share?
A factor in my re-election of managing partner for a third term was the firm partners’ trust in my leadership. This trust has empowered me to expand my leadership initiatives within our Minneapolis office and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share with attorneys of color who are looking to rise in their careers?
Self advocate and proactively seek guidance from trusted individuals who can provide valuable insights and direction. Be willing to dig in and create your legal pathway with dedication. Remember, achieving your goals can’t be done alone so it’s important get the support you need through sponsors, coaches, mentors, and friends who believe in your potential and are invested in your success.

What advice do you have for managers of attorneys who want to provide their reports with the skills they need to succeed?
Be transparent and offer honest, constructive feedback with examples to help them develop, grow, and achieve their goals in the legal field. Take a collaborative approach, recognizing that mutual support and guidance benefit everyone involved.

How has the Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP contributed to your career growth?
The Twin Cities legal community and TCDIP have been instrumental in my career growth by connecting me with a network of colleagues, coaches, mentors, sponsors, and friends. The support has allowed me to navigate challenging questions, gain wisdom, and feel supported as an attorney of color in the legal landscape.

What’s something that you didn’t expect in your career journey?
I did not expect to stay at one firm for nearly 24 years. My deep understanding of the firm’s inner workings has been instrumental in my leadership and effectiveness in achieving our goals.

How did you prepare for your promotion?
Advocating for myself to leadership was an important step. I sought guidance and mentorship on advancing within the organization and communicated my leadership goals to management

Who are the mentors, sponsor, and supporters who helped you get to where you are? How did they help your career growth?
There are too many to list, but I will share Alana Bassin, Paul Carver, David Lutz, John Sear, George Soule, Tom Olson, Lynne Torgerson, George Warner, Ron Hunter, Steve Euler, and Dick Young. Each one gave me time to ask questions, learn from their experiences, opened doors for me to future work, and advocated for me when I was not in the room.

Tell us about your career journey – what was unexpected in your career?
I began my legal career with a 1L minority clerkship program at Lathrop GPM (then Gray Plant Mooty) here in the Twin Cities. As a first-generation attorney, I had no connections in the legal industry, and the 1L opportunity really opened up other doors for me. The foundational investment that the firm made in me during my 1L summer is something that I have strived to pay forward. My career journey has not be straightforward – I prioritized my family and took a hiatus from the workforce altogether to dedicate time to my son at home. When I was ready to re-enter the workforce, it was a challenging time during the recession. I applied to Zimmerman Reed because they were hiring – and it ended up being a great match. I’ve been with the firm for 12 years, and I’m so glad to have ended up at a place I love to work where I can work to my strengths. Now that I’m in a leadership role and in a position to consider candidates, when I see a hiatus on a resume, I see that as a point of interest. I met so many different kinds of people while outside the legal workforce, and that has been a benefit to my career. With hindsight, it’s easy to say that the pathway to a goal is rarely straightforward. I encourage ambitious attorneys to keep at it, and maintain your relationships. Sometimes it doesn’t seem possible, but it is.

What are your priorities for Zimmerman Reed as Managing Partner?
I want to ensure that all employees at the firm can succeed and grow. Of course I want to see victories in court, but more than that, I take great pride in seeing personal and professional growth from colleagues. The success of others at the firm is my responsibility in this leadership role. There is no better feeling than watching an associate that I have mentored have an awesome hearing. I believe the firm thrives when everyone from attorneys to paralegals and others on the team have mutual understanding and respect for each other.

Why is TCDIP Membership vital to your firm?
We joined TCDIP as part of the firm’s desire to participate in building economic and social structures in the Twin Cities that are equitable and available to everyone who lives here. Being in a community that values diversity has always been instrumental to my career, and I wholeheartedly support Zimmerman Reed’s effort to be part of that work. To this day, I still maintain the relationships I forged at the start of my legal career in a 1L diversity program. Zimmerman Reed sees TCDIP’s mission as an important investment in people and a commitment to inclusion and belonging not just within the legal community, but also within our broader community – our colleagues and neighbors. We enthusiastically support that goal with our membership in and contributions to TCDIP.