Mentor Moments: Successful Lawyering Even With a Full Plate!
By - October 3, 2005 - 7:12pm |
Mentorship. It has long been the buzzword for ways in which to advance or enhance one's career. Although the concept makes perfect sense, busy work schedules and family and social commitments often prevent it from happening in reality.
Before giving up on the hopes of ever establishing a mentoring relationship with someone, read on! Mentorship Moments will give you the experience of mentorship without the stress of having to track down one of those extremely successful but harried mentors. If you have any suggestions for people or careers to feature, don't be shy! Send me an email at christie.garton@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
Determination. If one word could ever sum up the life of one person, this would have to be it for Lynda Zengerle, an immigration lawyer and partner at Steptoe & Johnson, LLC in Washington, DC. When she was thirteen years old, Lynda was appalled by the mistreatment and the brutal beatings of African-Americans struggling for their civil rights that she saw on the television news programs in the 1960s. "Who can stop this?" asked young Lynda. "The only people that can stop this are lawyers," responded her father. She became determined to become the best lawyer she could, and knew that she had to do well in school in order to achieve her goal. As a student at Smith College, she decided that she would not marry because she could not be held back by anything if she was to achieve her career goal of becoming a good lawyer. "I was never going to marry!" laughed Zengerle. "I dated, but didn't want to be slowed down." This was until she met and married Joseph Zengerle, Former Clerk to Chief Justice Warren Burger and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force under President Jimmy Carter. "What can I say? I fell in love." But marriage didn't deter her a bit. Her determination helped her achieve her goal of becoming a lawyer even with a husband and two sons in tow. After graduating cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and beginning her career as a staff attorney at the Administrative Conference under current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Zengerle never looked back. Today, Zengerle is a partner at one of Washington's most respected law firms no easy feat for someone juggling career and family commitments. How did she do it? What were the challenges? What advice does she have for young aspiring lawyers or anyone interested in a professional career? Read on. Lynda Zengerle is your mentor for the moment. Challenges Facing Women Law School Graduates in the 1970s Women practicing law today have many more options and career opportunities than they had in the 1970s. Just how far have women come? A popular option for law graduates today is to apply for clerkships, which is an opportunity to work with a judge for a year or two. Popular with men and women law graduates, clerkships give future litigators a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a court. Zengerle would have jumped at the chance to work as a clerk at the time had it been a viable option: "I think clerkships are a wonderful option. But women were rarely recommended or considered for a clerkship at the time, so I was unable to have this experience." An interesting twist to the story, her husband, who also went to law school at Michigan at the same time, as a result of Lynda's encouragement, obtained the most coveted clerkship of all a Supreme Court clerkship with Chief Justice Warren Burger. With clerkships not being an option, Lynda focused her sights on a simple goal when graduating law school. "I wanted to get a job somewhere that I could do work on important issues." Simple enough. Harder in reality at the time. "It was common for female law grads to become legal secretaries, but I avoided the problem by never learning to type." Even if hired to work at a firm, women often faced the pressure of having to go into certain practice areas like Trust & Estates and Family law. The belief was that since these practice areas involve more client interaction, women were better suited for them because of their innate ability to connect with people. Did you feel disadvantaged? Early in my career, it never occurred to me that there was any difference in the way male and female lawyers were treated. I was saddened to reach the point when I concluded otherwise. I had fought so long to not have that impression." Things are a little different today. Clerkships are popular among both men and women, and women choose to go into certain practice areas because of personal choice. For instance, female lawyers with children often avoid litigation because it is known for its intense hours and hard to predict schedules. Despite these advances, not all is perfect. Even though women make up more than 50 percent of law school classes today, only 17 percent are partners in major law firms. If You Don't Schmooze, You May Loose For major law firms today, it's all about the billables hours billed to clients that is. Generally, most firms expect associates to bill 1900 or more hours a year. In New York, the minimum billable hour requirement is 2000 or more. What does this mean for the average work week? Most associates expect to work about 50 hours a week, and this does not include the after-hour business development activities. The increased pressure on associates and partners to meet these billable hour requirements has affected job satisfaction rates. The increased pressure on associates and partners to meet these billable hour requirements has affected job satisfaction rates. When asked if she loves what she does today, Zengerle's response was mixed. "If you had asked me that question 20 years ago, I would have said absolutely. But the [law] profession has changed. Today, it's more about client development and business, and is too focused on billable hours. I still like the challenges and being able to help people. But I spend a lot of time on client-development and schmoozing. I want to spend my time working on legal issues, but I have to do both." What about being a sole practitioner as a way of avoiding heavy client development requirements? "My friends ask why I don't start my own firm" says Lynda. "There are drawbacks to this as well. At a large firm, there are no administrative headaches. I guess [the requirement of meeting billable hours expectations] is one of the prices I pay for being part of a significant firm. It's worth it for me in the end." Immigration Law as a Practice Area "[Immigration Law] was initially looked down upon in the legal profession," says Lynda. "It's an area of the law not very well understood by the older generation of lawyers. I think the negative perception came from client differences. Early on, my colleagues had this unstated - 'I don't want your poor clients sitting next to my wealthy clients in the lobby' attitude. They thought it would be bad for appearances." With more U.S. corporations recruiting talent from abroad and having to face complicated immigration regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, lawyers with an expertise in immigration law are increasingly in demand. "I think the perception has changed, and it's becoming a hot practice area. More law schools are teaching immigration law today." What Does it Take to Have a Successful Legal Career? "Hard work," Zengerle unequivocally states. "Also, I had to be aggressive on my own behalf. If you think you deserve something, go for it. Yes, you may be disappointed, but you'll possibly be more disappointed later when you realize that you should have at least tried." How to Juggle Obligations to Family and Career Can It Be Done? The media has been asking the question of whether women can have it all whether they can have both a successful career and family. I had to ask Lynda what her take was on the question. You first have to figure out your priorities. "I worked part-time and for me that was not negotiable," says Lynda. "I wanted time with my children, but I couldn't be home all the time. Also, we had family dinner every night. I never went to client development activities. That was my choice." Was Zengerle's husband involved? "My husband was ahead of his time. There was no such thing as a house husband at the time, but he did everything he could to be there for me and our boys. He worked full time, but managed to spend time with the boys before school and went to every one of their soccer, football, and lacrosse games, [sacrificing] golf games with the guys. He was the first non-student at Swarthmore College to receive a plaque for most dedicated fan!" Zengerle's choice to have a nanny also helped she says. What do you think about the concept of juggling work and family or balancing work and family? From your experience in working and raising children, was it something else? "It was more like walking a tight rope. I was pulled between family and home." She admits having to be okay with something less than perfection. What about those moments when things get too busy and you just want to quit? Zengerle admits she had a moment like this. "I was in the car driving my one of my sons somewhere. I told him that I quit my law firm. 'You can't do that!' he said. 'I'm the only one at school whose Mother is working and that makes me special.'" That was enough to stop Zengerle. "I was feeling guilty because I was not at home enough. But my child recognized the importance of what I was doing. He didn't feel short-changed by me working." She forged ahead, making partner even on a part-time schedule. Retirement: A Time For One's Passion A great question to find out about one's true passion is to ask what they would be doing if not working. "I love to teach, and plan to teach in the inner city when I retire," confides Zengerle. "Some think that there is not a life without an office, but I don't agree. My father never really retired, and I can't envision it not working at something - teaching, cooking, gardening, a number of possibilities." Zengerle's Definition of Power... "Being able to do what you want when you want to. You have to know what you want and then go after it. Also, it's about accomplishing something. Acting as a force of good." What about titles or money America's typical definition of what makes one powerful? "[In law], title and position are very important. Being a 'partner' establishes your credentials. It leads to acceptance by one's peers and that's important in law." And Happiness? Without hesitation, "Finding something that fulfills you and doing it. Last week, I took one day off, without planning ahead, something I never do. I had the best time. I read and cooked dinner for my husband. Moments like that refresh you and allow you to perform better at work." Tips On Finding a Mentor Zengerle admits that she never had a woman as a mentor. "Nino [Justice Scalia] was a mentor," states Zengerle with a twinkle in her eye. "He offered me a part-time job at a time when part-time jobs didn't exist. He taught me it could be done." How to find a mentor? "Be charming, interested, persistent," advises Lynda. "Realize that a mentor has time limits and show that you value what you are asking for." My thoughts on what makes a great mentor? Someone willing to take the time to be open and honest about their life. Thanks, Lynda.
Determination. If one word could ever sum up the life of one person, this would have to be it for Lynda Zengerle, an immigration lawyer and partner at Steptoe & Johnson, LLC in Washington, DC. When she was thirteen years old, Lynda was appalled by the mistreatment and the brutal beatings of African-Americans struggling for their civil rights that she saw on the television news programs in the 1960s. "Who can stop this?" asked young Lynda. "The only people that can stop this are lawyers," responded her father. She became determined to become the best lawyer she could, and knew that she had to do well in school in order to achieve her goal. As a student at Smith College, she decided that she would not marry because she could not be held back by anything if she was to achieve her career goal of becoming a good lawyer. "I was never going to marry!" laughed Zengerle. "I dated, but didn't want to be slowed down." This was until she met and married Joseph Zengerle, Former Clerk to Chief Justice Warren Burger and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force under President Jimmy Carter. "What can I say? I fell in love." But marriage didn't deter her a bit. Her determination helped her achieve her goal of becoming a lawyer even with a husband and two sons in tow. After graduating cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and beginning her career as a staff attorney at the Administrative Conference under current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Zengerle never looked back. Today, Zengerle is a partner at one of Washington's most respected law firms no easy feat for someone juggling career and family commitments. How did she do it? What were the challenges? What advice does she have for young aspiring lawyers or anyone interested in a professional career? Read on. Lynda Zengerle is your mentor for the moment. Challenges Facing Women Law School Graduates in the 1970s Women practicing law today have many more options and career opportunities than they had in the 1970s. Just how far have women come? A popular option for law graduates today is to apply for clerkships, which is an opportunity to work with a judge for a year or two. Popular with men and women law graduates, clerkships give future litigators a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a court. Zengerle would have jumped at the chance to work as a clerk at the time had it been a viable option: "I think clerkships are a wonderful option. But women were rarely recommended or considered for a clerkship at the time, so I was unable to have this experience." An interesting twist to the story, her husband, who also went to law school at Michigan at the same time, as a result of Lynda's encouragement, obtained the most coveted clerkship of all a Supreme Court clerkship with Chief Justice Warren Burger. With clerkships not being an option, Lynda focused her sights on a simple goal when graduating law school. "I wanted to get a job somewhere that I could do work on important issues." Simple enough. Harder in reality at the time. "It was common for female law grads to become legal secretaries, but I avoided the problem by never learning to type." Even if hired to work at a firm, women often faced the pressure of having to go into certain practice areas like Trust & Estates and Family law. The belief was that since these practice areas involve more client interaction, women were better suited for them because of their innate ability to connect with people. Did you feel disadvantaged? Early in my career, it never occurred to me that there was any difference in the way male and female lawyers were treated. I was saddened to reach the point when I concluded otherwise. I had fought so long to not have that impression." Things are a little different today. Clerkships are popular among both men and women, and women choose to go into certain practice areas because of personal choice. For instance, female lawyers with children often avoid litigation because it is known for its intense hours and hard to predict schedules. Despite these advances, not all is perfect. Even though women make up more than 50 percent of law school classes today, only 17 percent are partners in major law firms. If You Don't Schmooze, You May Loose For major law firms today, it's all about the billables hours billed to clients that is. Generally, most firms expect associates to bill 1900 or more hours a year. In New York, the minimum billable hour requirement is 2000 or more. What does this mean for the average work week? Most associates expect to work about 50 hours a week, and this does not include the after-hour business development activities. The increased pressure on associates and partners to meet these billable hour requirements has affected job satisfaction rates. The increased pressure on associates and partners to meet these billable hour requirements has affected job satisfaction rates. When asked if she loves what she does today, Zengerle's response was mixed. "If you had asked me that question 20 years ago, I would have said absolutely. But the [law] profession has changed. Today, it's more about client development and business, and is too focused on billable hours. I still like the challenges and being able to help people. But I spend a lot of time on client-development and schmoozing. I want to spend my time working on legal issues, but I have to do both." What about being a sole practitioner as a way of avoiding heavy client development requirements? "My friends ask why I don't start my own firm" says Lynda. "There are drawbacks to this as well. At a large firm, there are no administrative headaches. I guess [the requirement of meeting billable hours expectations] is one of the prices I pay for being part of a significant firm. It's worth it for me in the end." Immigration Law as a Practice Area "[Immigration Law] was initially looked down upon in the legal profession," says Lynda. "It's an area of the law not very well understood by the older generation of lawyers. I think the negative perception came from client differences. Early on, my colleagues had this unstated - 'I don't want your poor clients sitting next to my wealthy clients in the lobby' attitude. They thought it would be bad for appearances." With more U.S. corporations recruiting talent from abroad and having to face complicated immigration regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, lawyers with an expertise in immigration law are increasingly in demand. "I think the perception has changed, and it's becoming a hot practice area. More law schools are teaching immigration law today." What Does it Take to Have a Successful Legal Career? "Hard work," Zengerle unequivocally states. "Also, I had to be aggressive on my own behalf. If you think you deserve something, go for it. Yes, you may be disappointed, but you'll possibly be more disappointed later when you realize that you should have at least tried." How to Juggle Obligations to Family and Career Can It Be Done? The media has been asking the question of whether women can have it all whether they can have both a successful career and family. I had to ask Lynda what her take was on the question. You first have to figure out your priorities. "I worked part-time and for me that was not negotiable," says Lynda. "I wanted time with my children, but I couldn't be home all the time. Also, we had family dinner every night. I never went to client development activities. That was my choice." Was Zengerle's husband involved? "My husband was ahead of his time. There was no such thing as a house husband at the time, but he did everything he could to be there for me and our boys. He worked full time, but managed to spend time with the boys before school and went to every one of their soccer, football, and lacrosse games, [sacrificing] golf games with the guys. He was the first non-student at Swarthmore College to receive a plaque for most dedicated fan!" Zengerle's choice to have a nanny also helped she says. What do you think about the concept of juggling work and family or balancing work and family? From your experience in working and raising children, was it something else? "It was more like walking a tight rope. I was pulled between family and home." She admits having to be okay with something less than perfection. What about those moments when things get too busy and you just want to quit? Zengerle admits she had a moment like this. "I was in the car driving my one of my sons somewhere. I told him that I quit my law firm. 'You can't do that!' he said. 'I'm the only one at school whose Mother is working and that makes me special.'" That was enough to stop Zengerle. "I was feeling guilty because I was not at home enough. But my child recognized the importance of what I was doing. He didn't feel short-changed by me working." She forged ahead, making partner even on a part-time schedule. Retirement: A Time For One's Passion A great question to find out about one's true passion is to ask what they would be doing if not working. "I love to teach, and plan to teach in the inner city when I retire," confides Zengerle. "Some think that there is not a life without an office, but I don't agree. My father never really retired, and I can't envision it not working at something - teaching, cooking, gardening, a number of possibilities." Zengerle's Definition of Power... "Being able to do what you want when you want to. You have to know what you want and then go after it. Also, it's about accomplishing something. Acting as a force of good." What about titles or money America's typical definition of what makes one powerful? "[In law], title and position are very important. Being a 'partner' establishes your credentials. It leads to acceptance by one's peers and that's important in law." And Happiness? Without hesitation, "Finding something that fulfills you and doing it. Last week, I took one day off, without planning ahead, something I never do. I had the best time. I read and cooked dinner for my husband. Moments like that refresh you and allow you to perform better at work." Tips On Finding a Mentor Zengerle admits that she never had a woman as a mentor. "Nino [Justice Scalia] was a mentor," states Zengerle with a twinkle in her eye. "He offered me a part-time job at a time when part-time jobs didn't exist. He taught me it could be done." How to find a mentor? "Be charming, interested, persistent," advises Lynda. "Realize that a mentor has time limits and show that you value what you are asking for." My thoughts on what makes a great mentor? Someone willing to take the time to be open and honest about their life. Thanks, Lynda.
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