Perry Napolitano, Reed Smith
Napolitano supports the emerging generation of lawyers by mentoring students through the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) Success in Law School mentoring program, an initiative for freshman law students from diverse backgrounds; Supervising law students at his Alma Mater Notre Dame Law School and other law schools; Mentoring of Reed Smith partners, employees and employees company-wide; and mentoring employees from other companies seeking advice and encouragement.
“I try to make time for anyone who needs help or advice regarding their professional ambitions,” said Napolitano. “I’m trying to broaden your vision to include all the possibilities of the law and encourage you to enjoy your work as well.”
Who advised you in building your career?
I have had many excellent mentors at Reed Smith throughout my career. One of them was Tom McGough, a former chairman of the Litigation Department of Reed Smith and a member of the Executive Committee who is now UPMC’s Chief Legal Officer. Another was Greg Jordan, former Global Managing Partner of Reed Smith and now Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer of PNC Financial Services Group. A third is Debra Dermody, former chair of Reed Smith’s Global Regulatory Enforcement Group and antitrust litigation attorney, who joined the firm a year before me and is still a valued colleague and sounding board.
Each of these people disinterestedly shared knowledge, skills, and advice, which helped me develop my process skills and build a strong business book. They have always been kind, respectful, and respectable. They never put the stresses of job on others which was a great life lesson for work and home.
But that’s a lifelong process. As of this writing, my wife and mother remain trusted sources of advice and open feedback, and persistent examples of exemplary leadership. As the years go by and my children grow up, I humble myself to learn again or to better understand what I thought I knew.
What is the value of solid mentorship?
Mentoring provides a context to secure career advice, encouragement and support outside of formal educational and workplace structures and often in the midst of real challenges. It provides an opportunity to obtain substantially useful information in a positive, largely unstructured relationship in which both parties grow and mature. It provides an opportunity for the mentee to receive honest advice from someone who has once walked in their shoes. But it’s an enriching experience both ways. It is an opportunity for the mentor to “keep paying”, improve the legal profession, and, more importantly, help another person. For me it is a natural opportunity to follow what I find to be a central purpose in life.
Given the rapidly changing profession, what advice would you give a young lawyer?
I say: “Trust your skills and enjoy your day. Nobody is forcing you to see a lawyer. The trust and well-being of our customers come first. As soon as you realize that work is not something we have to do, but something we can do, the fun really begins. “
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