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Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, 1984
Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?
As an undergraduate political science major, I became very interested in American political studies and constitutional law issues. That led to my interest in law.
Who is someone who has inspired you in your career?
I would say there are three people who have inspired me the most as a lawyer. Two general counsels I worked for—one of whom loved the law and it showed in everything she did, and another who worked tirelessly for our client, and it showed in the results she achieved. Last but not least, my husband—also a lawyer—has always modeled responsibility, diligence, client loyalty, professionalism, and intelligence in the practice of law.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
The best practical advice I have received is that as a lawyer, spouse, and parent, you really can’t do it all, at least not all at the same time. You will need to make choices. And you may need to accept imperfection in some areas of your life—such as a messy house or no homemade school lunches.
What makes a good lawyer/judge?
To be a good lawyer, preparation is key. Nothing replaces being fully or even overly prepared. Also, it is important to be a team player. A lawyer’s team may consist of other lawyers, client representatives, expert witnesses, etc., and all must work together to be successful. Finally, I think good lawyers are also good project managers. A complex legal case is a project that needs to be skillfully managed.
What is something you wish people knew about lawyers?
Just because someone is a lawyer doesn’t mean they know much of anything about wills, family law, and other topics that come up at cocktail parties! Law is very specialized these days. As a result, I possess no useful legal knowledge about anything outside my specialized area of practice.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment you’ve had in your career.
When I was a young lawyer, I was assigned to work with a witness in a big case, and his testimony was supposed to cover several topics. However, he was not particularly knowledgeable about these topics, and no matter how many subject matter experts I brought in to help prepare him, he still was not able to answer some questions. I should have gone to my boss and said: “We need another witness to cover topics x, y, and z.” But I didn’t, and he was not an impressive witness. The lesson is: Speak up when you see a problem.
Tell us something surprising about you.
I was a member of my high school gymnastics team and we won the state championship two years in a row. (Go Panthers!)
If you hadn’t pursued a legal career, what would you be doing?
My fantasy career is to be a veterinarian, because I love animals, but I don’t necessarily think I’m suited for that. If I weren’t a lawyer, I would probably have pursued some sort of governmental service position.
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