Voice of Experience: Carolyn B. Lamm, Partner, White & Case

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“There really is no silver bullet to winning and achieving,” began Carolyn B. Lamm, Partner at White & Case.

“It’s absolutely hard work and maximal effort. It takes a long time to figure out that the way to win a case is working very hard to develop the evidence, analyze the legal issues, and, formulate a winning approach—and convey it with excellent written and oral advocacy,” she continued.

Lamm, who specializes in international dispute resolution, is the former President of the American Bar Association. She also served as the organization’s representative to the United Nations. She is passionate about encouraging more women to take on leadership roles in the profession, and encourages senior women to reach out more to junior women.

“Women are very supportive of each other in a very positive way. If you give one a chance, she usually will perform wonderfully for you,” she said.

Career in International Law

After graduating from the University of Miami Law School, Lamm started her career in the Attorney General program at the US Department of Justice, working as a traditional attorney in the Fraud Section. Eventually she became the Assistant Director of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch.

“I had a great time at Justice,” she said. “I was up on my feet in court representing the US, trying cases and teaching NITA courses. But when I learned that White & Case had a need, I moved over in February of 1980.”

Lamm explained that her initial work at the firm was similar to what she had been doing at the Department of Justice. “It was about the time of the fall of Iran,” she explained, “and I was working on the team representing eight to ten different clients seeking to attach Iran’s assets, for example Iran’s art at the National Gallery and its foreign military sales funds.”

“From that, I started doing more and more work for other sovereigns and related entities– Indonesia, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Saudi Aramco, AO Techsnabexport. I traveled constantly!”

Lamm, who said her proudest professional achievement is being President of the American Bar Association, also feels lucky to have such interesting work. “I’m truly blessed with fabulous cases. Currently I’m working on several cases for the government of the Philippines.”

“I’ve worked on many interesting, precedent-setting cases,” she continued, including a first in ICSID arbitration: representing 60,000 bondholders to recover against Argentina for violation of their international treaty rights.

“Handling these cases requires knowledge of some international law and some host state law, and some comparative law analysis,” she said. “The key is working with a wonderful team including national counsel,” she added.

Lamm said she was particularly interested in how the practice of law is changing. “Every day is a different day in today’s world,” she said. “Today one observes an incredible impact in the way we practice law as a result of globalization and technological developments. The change is extraordinary.”

She continued, “Lawyers working in different jurisdictions have different ethical rules and different practices. When working on cross border transactions or disputes the lawyer must appreciate and be able to reconcile very different ways of practicing law. This continues on a daily basis.”

As President of the ABA, Lamm created a commission on “Ethics 2020,” which was intended to be a three year project but will likely continue six months beyond that, she said. “It’s meant to study and provide guidance to lawyers on the impact of globalization and technology on the practice of law and address all the various issues we now confront.”

Challenges for Women in Law

Where are the challenges that women in law face? “It’s a very difficult question to answer,” Lamm said. “The barriers remain, and it looks like there aren’t as many, but at the end of the day, look at the numbers. Women are only 16% of equity partners—even then very few in firm management. Look at women in leadership positions – only 20% of general counsel. Even on the bench, women only make up 20 to 25% of positions.”

She continued, “Yet women have made up 50% of law classes since the late ‘70s. When you look at the statistics for those top positions, it is undeniable. Women don’t keep pace.”

“This is still a profession where there’s a good deal of bias. It’s changed tremendously since when I started, when we had outright bias. But that doesn’t mean subtle bias does not remain.”

And, she continued, even when it comes to compensation there’s a disparity. Based on a NAWL, MCC, ABA study on compensation performed last July, women equity partners make about $60,000 per year less than what male equity partners make.

“Part of this may well be different networking systems, different methodologies of inclusion, and issues about childbearing and child rearing, but the study on compensation did not contribute the disparity to women’s child or adult care responsibilities.”

She continued, “It all points to an inherent lack of access and inclusion in terms of client development, women promoting themselves, and the promotion by their male partners. A lot of women today come out of law school and think it’s not an issue, but it is.”

Advice for Female Lawyers

Lamm said, “My advice for young women is to work very hard, be prepared, and do the best job for your clients—and let them know what you’re doing.”

She continued, “You also need to pay attention to having mentors and letting people internally and externally know what you’re doing and what you are capable of.”

As women become more senior, she advised them to seek younger women to mentor. “Help some of the younger women. You really have to—and I think many do. In fact, most do. Most all recognize that it’s hard to get where they are and they can open doors for women coming up in the profession. It’s much needed—and they do.”

Lamm was among the first group of women—and some men—who started White & Case’s women’s initiative many years ago. “In the beginning, we got support by going to the management committee to obtain funding for a staff person to build the women’s network throughout the firm,” she said. “Now it’s really taken off and done great things as a result of the efforts of many great women lawyers at White & Case.”

Additionally, Lamm said, she makes time to do a lot of speaking and presenting at luncheon seminars around the world and continues to work with the ABA, ALI, ASIL, AAA and as Chair of the American Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce.

In Her Personal Time

“I have a fabulous family and two wonderful sons,” Lamm said. She enjoys skiing and golfing with them, and spending time in Vermont and Nantucket, as well as at her home in Washington, DC.

“I have wonderful friends in DC and all over the world. I do travel and I like to travel—although I probably do it too much,” she said with a laugh.