Get to know our social media co-chair, Sameena Kluck. She’s the Director of Brand Evangelism for LawGeex in her day job but in her spare time amplifies social media (for us!) & The Blue & Black Partnership through her LLC, Amplify Your Voice:
Why did you join the WBA?
Ama Romaine urged me to join the Women of Color task force in 2019; I moderated a panel at the Dare to Make an Impact conference. In 2020, I live-tweeted a program discussing the dearth of women of color lawyers in leadership roles & really bonded with Sadina Montani over our shared love of GIFs. I wanted to spend more time with this warm community.
What benefits has your membership brought you?
I could not have dreamed how many benefits WBA membership would bring me. While isolated in my DC rowhouse during COVID, I looked forward to the monthly cochair meetings with virtual networking, allowing me to develop close relationships with folks I still haven’t met!
Beyond that, board members encouraged me to pursue professional social media services work–& took a chance on me performing those for the WBA. That helped me gain confidence in my skills, hone my offerings, & prepare for my new role at LawGeex, a contract review AI company.
Why do you think others should join?
Women (and men!) in any part of the legal industry would benefit greatly from joining WBA. There’s not only great programming with practical advice, but you’ll also gain a professional network that will amplify you, provide advice & perspective, & boost your confidence. Plus, serving on a committee builds your leadership skills & business acumen in ways your current role might not allow for as quickly.
What are you excited about now?
I’m so excited to just be starting my dream job-using social media & thought leadership to show how technology can improve lawyers’ lives, and help others learn how to do that (while building their personal brands). For years, I have spent my free time writing articles, speaking on panels, sharing on social media, & helping individual clients, but now it’s my day job!
How has your status as a mother enhanced your career?
Motherhood has benefitted my career in 3 ways:
- I have a natural work-life balance; I am much more efficient during my days because I know I have a hard limit for quitting each night so I can prepare dinner/help with homework/etc. But, as much as I love spending time with the kids, I’m pretty thrilled on Mondays to get back to focusing on work I enjoy!
- Parenthood has impacted the roles I choose, as I want the work that takes me away from my kids to be meaningful & enjoyable & provide some flexibility (I have turned down several great roles in law firms because they required performing 100% of the work in their physical offices).
- Most importantly, honesty with my kids about setbacks in my career-when opportunities didn’t work out along the path to following my dream-has helped me stay authentic, humble, & grateful.