The zen of rainmaking Mary Cranston is a former litigator who became the first woman ever to lead a global law firm as the Chair of Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman LLP from 1999 to 2006. During her time there, she increased revenues of the firm’s top 100 clients by 50%, improved firm profits and profits

The youngest person ever to make partner: the sponsorship effect Mika Mayer graduated from college with a degree in chemical engineering. She later got her law degree and started working at Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) in Silicon Valley. Very early in her career, she began working with a partner who quickly took her under his

Quickly ascending to partner Susan Mac Cormac began her career in New York and then moved as a third-year associate to Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) in San Francisco, where she “grew up doing deals, some M&A, some private equity, and some venture for a series of men.” Within a few years starting at MoFo, she

How does a corporate lawyer become a rainmaker? Broad skills and a few specialties From the start, Lizanne Thomas knew her focus would be on business. “I stress to all of our junior lawyers [that], if business as a topic does not engage you, . . . you really need to take a deep breath