Harlem native Deborah Enix-Ross, the American Bar Association’s second Black woman to serve as president when she was sworn in in August, tipped her hat to Paulette Brown, the ABA’s first African American female leader, who served from August 2015 to 2016.

Enix-Ross, a Debevoise & Plimpton attorney, said she’s enjoyed greater freedom to have her leadership because of what her predecessor did.