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‘Make it very clear’ you want to be partner
Those striving to join the partnership ranks need to not only express such aspirations but also be clear on what that step up requires, Ranjani Sundar says — especially since she has not always seen women at the partnership level who are “relatable”.
Jerome Doraisamy
Ms Sundar – a partner at global law firm HFW, who recently spoke on The Lawyers Weekly Show about navigating the first year of partnership and also the need for new partners to have a coach and other support systems – said there are a number of tips she would offer to those who are seeking partnership that, prior to her own ascension, she would not have thought to suggest.
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Her tips, she noted, pertain to different stages of the journey toward eventual partnership.
First and foremost, she said, if becoming a partner is what one wants, then one has to “make it really clear” that this is their goal.
“I know a number of people are hesitant to ask the question or to throw their hat in the ring,” she mused. However, she added, “I think the best chance you have of succeeding is if you ask the question and make it known,” Ms Sundar said.
When rising through the ranks and getting on the pathway to partnership, Ms Sundar continued, it is “really important” for professionals to understand the expectations that come with joining the partnership.
Once you are promoted, I think it’s really important to understand the expectations of the partnership. “So, spend some time thinking about the partnership structure, what it is that you are expected to do, how you fit into the bigger picture,” she suggested.
“You can do that by talking to different people in the partnership, because who better to give you that advice than those who have been doing it for some time.”
Another critical tip from Ms Sundar – something she said is applicable broadly but is especially pertinent to women lawyers – is that one has to ensure that they actually “enjoy the process”.
Partnership, she reflected, is a “really challenging job”.
“There are competing demands, particularly for litigators, but for lawyers in general. We’ve got court deadlines, we’ve got time frames that need to be met. It’s hard work. As such, I think the best chance we have of success is to enjoy the process and to make it enjoyable for your team as well,” she submitted.
“It’s so important to engage the team and make them a part of the journey, because they are then so much more accountable and so much more involved in the team’s success, rather than it becoming about your individual success. So, I think there’s quite a bit to be said about having a positive attitude and wanting to enjoy the process as well.”
When asked how best the profession can better support women coming into leadership roles such as those inherent with joining a firm’s partnership ranks, Ms Sundar proclaimed this to be a topic that she is “really interested in”.
“I haven’t always seen female partners who are relatable,” she recalled.
“I haven’t always seen people who I can kind of aspire to be. But, I must say, more and more, I am seeing that now. I am seeing really, really competent and confident women in partnership positions, those who are juggling family lives with their jobs and who are making a real success of it. So, I think we are definitely on the right track, but I do think we’ve got further to go.”
The legal profession can better support women getting to the partnership, Ms Sundar recommended, by asking the right questions, including and especially, “What do people need?”
“It’s going to be different in every situation. I think we need to actively listen to those needs. And I think we need to actively place support structures around these people because we’re clearly a talented bunch. There’s no question about it. And we want to be here. We wouldn’t be striving for partnership if it wasn’t something that was motivating and driving us.”
Checking in more regularly with those women professionals is also fundamental, Ms Sundar went on.
“When people come back from maternity leave or in their first year of partnership, it is really important to ask questions, but it’s important to keep coming back to that conversation and making sure that women are supported at different times in their life, because their needs might differ depending on their specific circumstances,” she said.
Speaking about her own experience, she said that “HFW is doing a really, really good job of it, and my personal experience has been very positive, and speaking with a number of my friends in the profession, it’s definitely improving across the board”.
The transcript of this podcast episode was slightly edited for publishing purposes. To listen to the full conversation with Ranjani Sundar, click below:
