JAVADE CHAUDHRI AND HIS FAMILY TOUR THEMASAIMARA NATIONAL RESERVE IN KENYA.
other than your day job. Tis has two aspects. Te first is that you ought to participate in professional organiza- tions, such as MCCA. Te second is that you volunteer and do things that are loosely described as “pro bono” work. Over the years, especially as an associate and young partner at Jones Day, I had the opportunity to be active in work on behalf of developing countries and emerging democracies. Tose experiences, while highly enjoyable and great learning experiences for me personally, were also a critical element in my profes- sional growth as a lawyer. Perhaps no other single aspect of my development over the years was as important to me. Find your passion and work at it, whatever that is—children’s rights, global warming, renewable energy, wildlife conservation, homeless shelters, or healthcare.
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set out. Your unique story and your history will make you stand out. It should sustain you, not limit you. Don’t leave it behind in your journey. Build on it. Rejoice in it, whether it’s your immigrant grandfather’s songs, your tiger mother’s discipline, your family’s love of books and learning, or your rural farm, modest retail store, or island retreat’s life experiences.
Second, always remember that you are not alone in your journey. Tere are many people who have gone before you and opened doors, whether or not you see that specifically and explicitly. Who we are, how we look, our skin color, our lifestyle choices, and how our names are pronounced are now mainstream America, whatever the past may have been. Believe that and act accordingly. It’s not we and they. We are they. We belong at the table. We are part of the mainstream that is the world and the legal profession today. Act accordingly.
Third, bring along others on your journey. In the September/October 2012 issue of this magazine, my friend
Ivan Fong, the general counsel of 3M Corporation, wrote eloquently about the importance of both seeking men- tors and being a mentor. Tat is so very important. Mentoring does not have to be formal to be incredibly use- ful. You will find that being a mentor is as valuable to you as perhaps it also will be to the person you mentor. We all have had great mentors over the years in relatives, teachers, coaches, colleagues, and perhaps, the barista at your local coffee shop. Keep it going. Each phase of the journey calls for new mentoring relationships, in all directions—up, down, and sideways. You can always use additional input and advice. You can always give additional advice and counsel. By the way, there is a myth that
mentoring relationships are best between similarly situated persons or persons with similar histories. Tat is not true at all. Some of my great mentors were very different people, from totally different walks of life, with divergent political, religious, and scientific views.
Fourth, spend time doing things DIVERSITY & THE BAR® JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
Finally, don’t forget to have fun. Te stress of our profession is well chronicled and we all probably talk incessantly about the impossibility of having a balanced life given the sheer width and breadth of the day job. Tis is especially true for people with young families or who are responsible for the care of elderly relatives. As diverse lawyers and/or women lawyers, more recently arrived at the table, we must demonstrate that we can seek to achieve the balance more successfully, having learned from those who paved the way. So make the time for fun, whatever your idea of fun is—playing Scrabble with your kids, hacking at golf balls in the rough, watching your football team self-destruct regularly, or singing in a choir. It will make you a more interesting person on the never-ending journey. D&B
Javade Chaudhri recently rejoined the Washington, D.C. office of Jones Day after 15 years on the West Coast, where he was the general counsel of Sempra Energy for ten years and prior to that the general counsel at Gateway.
MCCA.COM
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