Voice of Experience: Paula Anderson, Partner, Litigation, Shearman & Sterling

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

At just 36, Paula Anderson, a partner in Shearman & Sterling’s litigation practice, has already earned a national reputation, having been named to Crain’s NY Business Magazine’s “40 Under 40” list and having received the National Organization for Women’s 2012 Women of Power and Influence Award.

It is not lost on her that these are significant achievements for an African American woman in an industry where diversity is still too rare.

“I’ve been interested in diversity in the legal industry since I began my career, and it still concerns me,” she said. “I go to industry functions and there are hundreds of attorneys there, and I am often the only person of color or maybe one of about five out of hundreds. I’ve always been driven to find a way we in the legal industry can address that, to better reflect the students graduating from law school.”

Anderson is doing her part at Shearman & Sterling. She is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee, has been active in the firm’s WISER (Women’s Initiative for Success, Excellence and Retention) inclusion network, and was the first chairperson of the firm’s African American inclusion network BLAQUE (Black Lawyers Aligned in the Quest for Excellence).

“Through our various inclusion networks, we aim not just at recruiting diverse lawyers but promoting them as well,” she explained. “At the mid-level we lose a number of these lawyers. We see too many people opt out or pursue other careers. It is an industry-wide issue.”

Anderson adds that Shearman & Sterling’s inclusion networks are designed to enable people to advance by providing two key factors for success in a legal career: mentoring and programs focused on business development and networking. She has been very open in talking with young lawyers about the stereotypes that women and people of color must contend with in their line of business.

“Access to the pathways to success also means dealing with some of the unconscious biases that may exist,” she said. “For example, there are certain preconceptions some people have with respect to women not having boardroom presence or not being aggressive enough. Particularly in the litigation field, there are certain ideas of what a successful and capable litigator should look like, and that’s often something akin to a Perry Mason.”

That’s why visibility is so important for successful role models, she added. “We need examples of women who are successful, who have their own unique style and are being themselves, and are able to relate to a board or a jury. We are making some progress in addressing these types of challenges.”

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Movers & Shakers: Latasha Brown, Senior Manager, Assurance, PwC

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Latasha Brown, Senior Manager, Assurance, at PwC says she is cautious about speaking for all women in accounting when it comes to the challenges associated with gender or race. “But,” she continued, “I can certainly speak for myself, and the experiences of my close associates and colleagues. And I would say one of the main barriers or hurdles is holding onto the belief that it’s enough to just show up and be good.”

“It really is important to develop meaningful relationships with your clients, advocates and sponsors. I still find that some of our male counterparts tend do a better job of selling themselves, and putting themselves out there,” she explained.

“In my experience the challenge for women is not to put those limitations on yourself, by staying inside your comfort zone.” She added, “I have learned that opportunities come to those who step outside that comfort zone.”

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Voice of Experience: Dayle Davison, Managing Director, Citi Private Bank

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Dayle Davison, Managing Director at Citi Private Bank, spoke enthusiastically about the importance of networking – particularly for African American professionals.

“Are there challenges for African Americans and women in this industry?” Davison asked. “Sure. But I don’t think they are as prevalent as they might have been in the past. We have come a long way.”

“When I first joined the bank, women wore a uniform – nondescript suits with weird ties. Now we are able to wear clothing that doesn’t try to hide the fact that we’re women,” she continued. “But I think the biggest barrier is the absence of an historical network for women, and definitely for African Americans.”

She referred to a recent Fortune Magazine interview with Bob Johnson, the founder of BET. “He speaks very broadly about building strategic partnerships and your brand identity, but also, he discusses challenges that African Americans in business have faced in breaking through barriers.”

“It comes down to that historical network we haven’t had,” she continued, “but we’re building it, and I feel very good about the future.”

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Movers and Shakers: Harlo Holmes, Research Fellow and Head of Metadata, The Guardian Project

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Harlo Holmes, a Research Fellow at the Guardian Project, says she is just getting started in her career. But as a lead developer on two of the Guardian Project’s biggest endeavors – ObscuraCam and InformaCam, the latter of which just received a sizeable grant from the Knight Foundation – she is certainly a rising star in the open source technology space.

She believes there are some challenges for women and people of color in the tech world, but it depends on the norms of each particular area of the industry. “It’s really difficult in any field for anyone who doesn’t fit the status quo to thrive. But I’m incredibly optimistic about it,” she said.

In the Silicon Valley atmosphere – of which, Holmes emphasized, she is not a part – those challenges may be more pronounced. “I think it’s difficult for anyone who’s not in the status quo, but I think it’s less a problem of overt sexism or racism, but rather more of nepotism or a level of comfort with people who look like them, who fit a model they have seen in college or their grad program. It’s harder to get attention if you don’t fit the mold.”

The open source space is different, she continued. “Why I’m incredibly optimistic about my field is that it feels more like a meritocracy. You can contribute for years and no one knows your identity. The ethos is that we all work together where we can be useful so our project thrives.”

“In the circles we run in, there are more minorities – you’re not the only one in the room. You’re not a unicorn,” she continued with a laugh. “There need to be more and I believe there will be more. You can see the result of increasing diversity – we’re getting better and better.”

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Voice of Experience: Anne Robinson, Chief Counsel, Global Commercial Services and U.S. Consumer Travel, American Express

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

After graduating with Honors from Hampton University, Anne Robinson went on to study law at Columbia Law School. She joined the law firm of Milbank Tweed, and then moved to an in house role at Deloitte Consulting before joining American Express. What attracted her to the company, she said, was its female General Counsel Louise M. Parent, who had a reputation for supporting women in the company and in the legal profession at large.

Now, having worked for American Express for nine years, Robinson is Chief Counsel for Global Commercial Services and US Consumer Travel, leading the legal team supporting several of the company’s lines of business.

Robinson says she enjoys working in the office of the General Counsel. “It’s not a business unit that has to deliver products or services, and it’s not like marketing or advertising either. We’re business advisors, and for me, the greatest achievement is feeling like I’ve been consistently able to gain the trust and respect of my clients and serve them as a trusted advisor.”

Building those relationships every day is what she likes about her job, she continued, “If I didn’t like the day-to-day, my job satisfaction would be limited. If my clients are excited, I’m excited and that’s why I’ve been here almost ten years now.”

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Movers and Shakers: Kerris Wigfall, Vice President, Fixed Income Compliance, ING U.S. Investment Management

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“It’s very hard for me to say there are particular barriers for professional women,” began Kerris Wigfall, Head of Fixed Income Compliance at ING U.S. Investment Management. “And as an African American woman, I’m pretty sure a lot of people would expect me to say it’s harder to move forward. But that hasn’t been my experience.”

She continued, “Different companies play by different rules in determining how people grow and move forward. For me, I’ve focused on learning and trying to be the best at what I do, and I’ve been honest with myself with regard to what I’m willing to tolerate. I’ve found that’s how to earn people’s respect. As a result, people have been willing to vouch for me and help me move forward.”

She recalled how, when she interviewed for her first company out of law school, the firm didn’t have a compliance job available. “But the person who interviewed me was impressed by my skills and abilities, and he wanted to take a chance on me. Nine months later, he called me back because he found an opportunity for me.”

Similarly, another previous boss has served as a reference for her later on. “He knew what I could do and my level of professionalism and was willing to do what he could to help me take the next step in my career.”

Wigfall says she has been able to cultivate that kind of sponsorship throughout her career. “I’ve been blessed to have people who understand what I’m trying to do, and really support me moving forward,” she added.

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Movers and Shakers: Rashaan Reid, Director, Mortgage & Securitized Products Sales, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Rashaan Reid, Director in the Mortgage & Securitized Products Sales Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the most important factor in succeeding on Wall Street is drive.

“Having the passion is the first thing – it takes a lot of energy and stamina,” she explained.

Next important, she continued, is the willingness to learn. She encouraged people just beginning their careers in the industry to hone their curiosity and build a broad foundation of knowledge. “Seeing different aspects of the business gives you a well roundedness and a better ability to provide solutions for your client. You have to ask questions and learn the business from the ground up.”

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Voice of Experience: Maura O’Sullivan, Partner, Finance, Shearman & Sterling

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

After over 25 years in law, Maura O’Sullivan, a partner in the Finance Group at Shearman & Sterling, has developed a keen understanding of how to serve clients and how to do exceptional work. But she’ll never forget the early days.

One of her early assignments as an associate sparked her interest in complex deals and taught her the importance of making a difference on behalf of clients. “News Corp is a big player today,” she recalled, “but in the early ‘90s, it was having financial difficulty. As a member of the Shearman & Sterling team advising News Corp, I helped negotiate a workout of all of its debt globally. There were over 100 different credit facilities and about 150 lenders involved.”

Even by today’s global standards such a level of complexity would be considered significant – but at the time it was almost unheard of. She explained, “The corporate organization chart – if you put it on the wall – covered 10 feet. I spent my mornings talking with European lenders, my afternoons in the US, and my nights with Australian and Japanese banks. We got all of the lenders to agree to a standstill.”

“That, as a deal, will always stand out because of the sheer complexity and the opportunity to be creative. Starting with News Corp and continuing to this day, workouts and restructuring are among the more interesting things that I do. I like to find solutions that help my clients.”

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Voice of Experience: Jing Hu, Partner, Financial Services, PwC

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Jing Hu, a partner in the financial services group at PwC’s Beijing office, has seen her self-confidence grow throughout her career. When she first joined the firm, she was fresh out of college in New York City. “I think my immigrant background shadowed me. I had a lot of insecurities,” she explained.

But the support and coaching she received from partners in New York, and later in Beijing, made her realize her own strength. “My colleagues had so much confidence in me and gave me guidance and coaching. That helped me be confident in myself.”

She added, “I was lucky to have met those people – working at PwC changed me a lot.”

Currently Hu is beginning work on a new client with a challenging IPO plan. She is also working with PwC’s other Beijing partners on helping the firm distinguish itself from competitors. She explained, “In China, there are mandatory auditor rotation rules for large state-run enterprises as well as financial institutions.” As a result, many companies see auditing as more of a compliance procedure, rather than a value-adding service.

“Differentiating ourselves, and showing how we can add business value – that is something I’m working hard with my colleagues on.”

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Voice of Experience: Mary Strother, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Athenian Venture Partners

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Mary Strother, Managing Director of Investor Relations at Athenian Venture Partners, has built a successful career out of leveraging her differences.

She explained that if your background varies somewhat from the more traditional CVs in your industry, you’ll have skills others don’t necessarily have. The key is to consider your unique qualities as assets. “I mentor some young college women from time to time, and I took one to dinner recently – she was graduating in accounting and beginning to interview for jobs, but she was worried she didn’t have the same qualifications as some of the more typical accounting grads. I felt the same way going into finance early in my career,” she explained.

“Don’t compare your insides to other people’s outsides. Be bold and focus on what it is you can do. The key is to really practice communicating why your background matters,” she added.

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