Trisha Rich, 39, Holland & Knight

Office:  Chicago.

Practice area:  Commercial litigation, legal ethics and professional responsibility.

Law school and year of graduation:  University of Michigan Law School, 2006.

How long have you been at the firm? 13 years.

How long were you an associate at the firm? 10 years.

Were you an associate at another firm before joining your present firm? No.

What year did you make partner at your current firm? 2017.

What's the biggest surprise you experienced in becoming partner?  Mostly, how many things stayed the same.

What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in making you partner? For me, I think it was that I'd started to generate my own client base and business at the firm. There was a two or three-year period where I turned a corner and my peers in the legal profession had started to become decision-makers in their organizations. That led to me being able to bring in business that was keeping other lawyers at my firm occupied.

Describe how you feel now about your career now that you've made partner. Making partner was a key moment in my career trajectory, but it was almost a little anticlimactic. You get up the next day and go to work again, and you're still trying to do excellent client work and generate business. There are more firm administrative demands, but that's part of what happens when you make partner. There are more responsibilities in terms of being responsible for the business of the firm.

What's the key to successful business development in your opinion? To me, marketing is something you have to do a little bit, every single day of your career. Make that last call, send out that last note, check in on the client, etc. Be genuine and understand and care about your client's business.

What's been the biggest change, day-to-day, in your routine since becoming partner? I think and spend a lot more time on law firm and business administration issues, including reviewing and sending out bills to clients, dealing with engagement letters and intake management issues, checking conflicts and obtaining waivers, and other client and business management activities.

What's the best piece of advice you could give an associate who wants to make partner?  Understand how firm economics work and how you fit into that model.