By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Deborah Kaye, Managing Director and Senior Managing Counsel at the Bank of New York Mellon has spent her career focused on her goals and aiming for very high level of success – without taking no for an answer.

Kaye, who was also the founder of the Financial Women’s Association‘s legal and accounting committee said, “To quote Chief Justice Judith Kaye, for whom I used to work previously, women need to be ‘self-propellers.’ This means that women need to proactively ask for the next assignment, promotion, or opportunity and just go for it.”

She continued, “Regardless of your level, don’t believe anyone who says you can’t do something, or you shouldn’t try. Believe instead, you’re going to go for that… whether it’s Chief Justice, or head of a division. Strive to reach whatever goals you set for yourself.”

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I work in a field where you can really make an impact in terms of society, the environment, and the economy,” began Sonia Thimmiah, Director in Accenture‘s UKI Sustainability Practice.

Thimmiah’s team works with large, blue chip companies to advise on strategy and implementation for how companies manage and deliver on environmental, social, and economic priorities. She continued, “We can see the impact. For example we advised an organization on how to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% reduction and can see how they are achieving that target year on year. It’s massively satisfying.”

“The advice we make leads to sustainable change, and I’m very proud of that,” she added.

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By Jessica Titlebaum (Chicago)

“I always think about how people get jobs in this industry,” said Laura Yunger, President of Cheevers & Company, Inc., a woman-owned brokerage firm founded in 1982. “Schools generally don’t have classes or programs specifically designed to teach you about trading or derivatives.”

Falling In

Like most of her colleagues, Yunger “fell in” to the financial industry. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Maryland, she initially had plans to move to Berkeley to study public health policy and nutrition. Her friend’s father had offered her a part time job at Rydex Investments, while she completed pre-requisite courses.

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

It would be fair to say that Cynthia Urda Kassis, a Partner and Co-Head of the Project Development and Finance Practice at Shearman & Sterling LLP, is a bit of a globetrotter. In her work, which involves arranging financing for infrastructure projects all over the world, Urda Kassis sometimes participates on site visits to see first-hand the fruits of her labors.

“Young lawyers are always very excited about the chance to travel around the world,” she explained.
“In my work, it’s very important to learn about different legal systems – for example, what they prioritize and what structuring flexibility they allow.”

“And it is very interesting to travel – you get to see a lot of places. But it’s not typical sightseeing. I see a lot of offices, conference rooms, and airports – you don’t get to go on a lot of safaris.”

In a career that has made her one of the most highly sought-after project finance attorneys in the US, Urda Kassis tries to never lose sight of what attracted her to the law in the first place.

“The law is very diverse,” she explains. “There are a multitude of different subjects and practice areas within the law. I tell young lawyers all the time: find the area of law that really excites you and piques your interest.”

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

This week, in honor of Ada Lovelace Day, The Glass Hammer is highlighting women who have achieved high levels of success working in technology. Making role models visible is one important way we can encourage girls and young women to pursue a career in tech – and stay there!

“I don’t want to over generalize what the main challenges for women are, but for me personally, the greatest challenge has been balancing my role as a partner with my role as a mother,” said Mika Mayer, Partner at Morrison & Foerster, who deals with patent law in the medical device, drug delivery, and pharmaceutical fields. “For each role, there is no limit to the amount of time you can invest, and I take both roles very seriously.”

She continued, “Balance is one of those words that has very little meaning, because true balance is very hard to obtain. You need to define boundaries and set limits for yourself. You can’t rely on your employer to set those limits for you.”

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