Career Toolkit: WBA Career Conversations
The WBA is pleased to launch “WBA Career Conversations” as an added member benefit. These are 5-minute video interviews with WBA members and past presidents, industry experts, and leaders in the legal community, who present valuable insight on a range of career topics and practice areas.
| Interview Title | Interviewee | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Servant Leadership and Self-Care: Tips from Seasoned Voluntary Bar Association Leaders | Bridget Bailey Lipscomb, 2021-2022 WBA President, and Kandis Gibson, 2023-2024 WBA President | Are you considering taking on a voluntary leadership role, but concerned about the time commitment? Do you wonder how a voluntary leadership role can benefit your career? Join WBA Treasurer-Elect Rachel Davakis for an extended edition of Career Conversations, as she chats with two WBA icons, Presidents Bridget Bailey Lipscomb and Kandis Gibson, about their many experiences leading voluntary associations and organizations. Learn about strategies for integrating a voluntary position into your busy schedule (including prioritizing yourself!). Find out exactly how volunteerism can impact your life, including what skills you gain that you can highlight in your next job interview! And hear insider tips on choosing “your” organization, making a name for yourself within that group, and implementing effective leadership styles (you’ll learn about servant leadership). |
| Turn Your Business Cards Into Relationships: Building Your Small Practice | Roya Vasseghi, 2022-2023 WBA Board of Directors Member | How do you build your small practice? How can you make networking feel rewarding? Join WBA Treasurer-Elect Rachel Davakis as she learns about the importance of networking in a small practice from WBA Board of Directors member and Vasseghi Budd Law Partner, Roya Vasseghi. Roya shares tips for landing and maintaining clients in a small practice, networking in the virtual world (she launched her firm in 2020), taking advantage of LinkedIn, and making connections through volunteer positions. And hear it from an expert: networking takes time! |
| How to Build Your Personal Board of Directors | Anne Collier, 2021-2022 WBA Board of Directors Member | Sit down with Debra Friedmann, Co-Chair of the WBA’s Career Development and Mentoring Committee, as she discusses one of our favorite topics (mentorship!) with WBA Board of Directors member and leadership coach, Anne Collier. Anne describes the roles of a mentor and mentee, shares strategies for finding mentors and being an effective mentee, and chats about the importance of having several mentors. Learn ways to make your mentor’s life easy (e.g., suggest a chat over a commute!) and tricks for surviving the mentoring marathon. |
| Get Clear About Your Passion: Making Career Changes | Candace Beck, 2021-2022 WBA President-Elect | What makes you happiest? Where will you feel the most grounded? Hear WBA President-Elect Candace Beck offer guidance and reassurance to those who have not yet found career satisfaction. Enjoy listening to WBA Social Media Co-Chair Sameena Kluck connect with Candace as she shares what she learned during her major career changes, challenges and fears she faced and overcame, and skills and attributes she gained along the way. |
| Making the Most of Live Events | Sameena Kluck, WBA Social Media Committee Co-Chair, 2021-2022 | Join WBA Board Secretary Rachel Davakis as she asks WBA Social Media Co-Chair Sameena Kluck to reveal her secrets on making the most of in-person events. Sameena shares five tips for event prep, her priorities while at an event, and advice for structuring a post-event plan. Learn how Sameena uses her phone to her advantage by creating a “Mini Facebook,” utilizing her LinkedIn QR code, and more! |
| Go Solo! But First, Build Your Expertise | Joanne Young, WBA President, 2004-2005 | Join WBA Social Media Committee Co-Chair Sameena Kluck as she discusses career transitions with WBA Past President Joanne Young. Joanne (who has 45 years of practice under her belt!) shares about her experience transitioning from big law to starting her own firm, the benefits and challenges of setting up your own practice, and the importance of specializing and building your expertise. |
| Insider Hiring Tips: How to Land and Ace the Interview | Jill Dash, WBA President, 2019-2020 | In this spotlight, you’ll learn resume and interview tips from WBA Past President Jill Dash, who shares about her wide range of attorney recruiting experiences. Join WBA Social Media Committee Co-Chair Sameena Kluck as Jill reveals how to craft a tailored resume that will land you an interview (finally, the verdict on the “Hobbies” section is in!), how to set yourself apart during the interview, and surprising interview dos and don’ts. |
| Keep Calm and Interview On: Making the Firm Transition | Sadina Montani, WBA President, 2020-2021 | Find out what WBA Social Media Committee Co-Chair Sameena Kluck learned during her sit-down with WBA Past President Sadina Montani. Sadina discusses her mid-pandemic transition from a mid-sized firm to big law, shares how to make your transition smooth and successful while remaining confident and calm, and reveals two pleasant surprises that came with her transition. |
| Getting Kicked Into the Arena: Tips from an Expert Litigator and Negotiator | Paulette Chapman, WBA President, 2003-2004 | Learn from WBA Past President Paulette Chapman as she chats with WBA Social Media Committee Co-Chair Sameena Kluck about how she built a successful career as a litigator and negotiator. Paulette shares her top pieces of advice for young litigators and mediators, the benefits of losing a trial oland not meeting your goals during a deposition (you heard that correctly!), and the importance of telling people “what you do.” |
The Committee welcomes feedback from the WBA membership about the Toolkit at careertoolkit@wbadc.org. If you have suggestions for resources to include, please use “TOOLKIT RESOURCES” in your email subject line.