Introducing The Recorder's 2012 Women Leaders in Law

2012-10-26 04:26:27 PM

Jogging with clients. Talking up strangers on the plane. Throwing huge dinner parties, or even a major conference. These are just a few of the ways in which our "champion networkers" have won that title. This year, we chose our 40 Women Leaders in Law on the basis of the creativity, effort and results they've shown in making connections that create opportunities for their organizations and others.

Recorder editors sifted through scores of nominations and evaluated lawyers on our own list of known networkers to name the 40 California lawyers profiled here.

Read through our profiles and a few broad approaches emerge. Some of our champion networkers lead with their expertise, taking leadership roles in groups organized around their practice area or industry. Others take the affinity route, joining (or, as several honorees have done, creating) women- or minority-oriented associations around a legal speciality, industry or special interest. Then there are those outgoing types who find connecting easy — even if finding the time is hard — and essential to accomplishing professional or personal goals.

And then there are those special touches. Corporate partner Eva Davis says that when a client has a baby, she likes to buy a "durable" gift that the client will long associate with her. So if you've ever felt like you ought to put more effort and thought into building out your own network — and who hasn't thought that? — you'll find some inspiration in our honorees.

If we had to sum up their collective wisdom, it would be: 1) Make it fun for yourself. You like to entertain? Do that. Got a special passion or hobby? Do that. 2) Be yourself and work with what you've got. A surprising number of our honorees described themselves as shy, but they find comfortable ways to put themselves out there. 3) Be generous. As honoree Linda Koffman puts it: "If you want help in building your business career, then help others to succeed in building theirs."

Greg Mitchell

Editor in Chief