Women in Law: The Weil Women Making a Difference

LawFuel focuses much attention on women lawyers globally and more law firms are moving beyond lip service towards women lawyers by providing some genuine effort to fill the gender gap.

Weil Gotshal & Manges has 64 women partners globally, out of complement of over 1000 attorneys, of whom 27 per cent of the firm’s US partners are female.

A major power firm with revenues of more than $1.1 billion, Weil Gotshal has moved firmly towards gender equality, including pay equality.

Among their efforts are moves towards moving women up the ranks in leadership (below) and elsewhere.

Two recent prominent Weil lawyers included Business Finance & Restructuring partners Marcia Goldstein and Ronit Berkovich, who were named 2019 Dealmakers of the Year by The American Lawyer.

The video (below) see the two discuss their working relationship and friendship, the dynamics of mentoring, how they balance family and a challenging career, the chemistry between them, and their shared value of being “happy in life.”

The Weil Women Leaders

From the Weil Website:

Diane Sullivan

With more than 30 years of experience, Diane Sullivan is a veteran trial lawyer who is repeatedly recognized as one of the leading trial lawyers in the country for securing victories in high-stakes trials across a wide range of practice areas and industries.

As one of the few female trial lawyers who have reached this level of visibility and prominence, Diane has made an indelible impact on the profession. She has served as a trailblazer and role model for future generations of female trial lawyers, taking on some of the toughest cases, against some of the best trial lawyers in the country in often the most hostile of jurisdictions.

The American Lawyer described Diane by saying she “isn’t a hired gun; she’s more like a hired bazooka repeatedly parachuting into high-stakes cases leading up to trial and securing victories.” Diane has secured victories for clients such as Johnson & Johnson, GE, ESPN, Merck, Philip Morris USA, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi, Baxter Healthcare Company and AstraZeneca, among many others.

Elizabeth Weiswasser

Liz Weiswasser is a Co-Head of Weil’s global Patent Litigation practice and also a Co-Head of Weil’s Life Sciences practice. She is part of a select group of leading female attorneys in the United States who serve in a similar capacity at their respective firms. Liz has dedicated her career to litigating patent cases involving cutting-edge biological and pharmaceutical technologies, and has been widely recognized by clients and her peers as a leader in the life sciences field.

She is repeatedly turned to by many of the biggest and most innovative companies across the biologic, pharmaceutical and medical device sectors to lead their most important cases.

Passionate about the importance of mentoring, Liz is a widely respected colleague and mentor on her teams at Weil, in her community, and in the legal and academic fields more broadly. She is a core contributor to legal education and scholarship in the life sciences, patent law and litigation space, as well as a leader in pro bono work and public service. Through her many contributions to Weil and beyond, she has helped shape the careers of countless lawyers who look to her as a role model.

Mindy Spector

Mindy J. Spector is General Counsel of Weil and a partner in the Firm. Prior to becoming General Counsel, she chaired the Firm’s Complex Commercial Litigation Group. She is an experienced trial attorney who has zealously and successfully represented dozens of Fortune 500 companies during the course of her career.

She plays an imperative role in Weil’s leadership, not only as the Firm’s General Counsel, but also as the chair of the Firm’s Nominating Committee, which conducts due diligence on partner candidates and nominates members of the Firm’s Management Committee. She has also played an important role in the development of Weil’s associate programs. As a senior leader with unparalleled professional achievements, Mindy serves as a role model and mentor for countless men and women within Weil and the greater legal community.