Women Attorneys in Firm’s Texas Offices Benefit from Career-Building Retreat

Winston & Strawn’s women attorneys in Dallas and Houston recently gathered in the firm’s Dallas office for a one-day professional development retreat hosted by our Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI).

The day began with guest speakers Jane McBride, General Counsel at Optimus Legal, and Sterling Miller, a three-time general counsel now with Hilgers Graben, PLLC. Their presentation on “The Essential Lawyer” provided attendees with a number of useful insights:

• Start by defining your goals because “We can’t know what obstacles to remove until we are clear on the desired outcome” (Essentialism, Greg Mckeown).
• Make the wisest possible investment of time and energy by doing only what is essential.
• Plan and prioritize by creating SMART goals.
• Operate at the highest point of contribution, and learn to say “no” to activities that are not essential to achieving your goals.
• Learn to delegate. You can do anything, but not everything.

The 28 attendees took a break from formal programming for a team building trivia game before reconvening for a fireside chat with Winston Partners Lisa Cottle, Amanda Groves, and Denise Scofield that was moderated by Houston WLI Partner Chair Melanie Gray. These women shared their advice for rising above the challenges of juggling career and family to position yourself for success:

• Get to know your communication and work style (and that of your client and bosses).
• Communicate effectively and often.
• Leverage technology to be responsive and present.
• Ask questions and share ideas.
• Get involved in business development opportunities early in your career.
• Don’t be afraid to build strong friendships with clients and prospects so you can capitalize on opportunities as they arise.

Following a group lunch, Dallas WLI Partner Chair Natalie Arbaugh moderated a conversation with in-house lawyers featuring Monica Brown, Assistant General Counsel at Lennox International, Inc.; Anne Brooksher-Yen, Senior Associate General Counsel – Litigation at EHS, and Quality, Celanese; and Melissa Drennan, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Ryan. Panelists shared their professional experiences and offered tips for career growth:

• Determine your goals and pursue them strategically.
• Seek mentors and sponsors.
• Request informal feedback, and be receptive when someone provides it.
• Learn to anticipate challenges for senior leadership and be proactive in offering solutions.
• Go out of your comfort zone – opportunities for growth and development await.

Attendees became better acquainted by playing the “Guess Who” game before gathering for a cocktail reception to close out a day full of valuable career-building insights.

Visit our Diversity & Inclusion page for more information on Winston’s programs and initiatives.