Snapshot Interview Archives


		Lara Skidmore Portland Partner Energy Lara Skidmore is a partner in the Energy Practice Group in Portland. She joined the firm as an attorney in 2007 and became managing partner of the Portland office in 2010. Her practice focuses on transmission issues, including open access transmission tariff compliance, contract negotiation and drafting, transmission project and policy development, transmission and ancillary services rate design and compliance with reliability standards. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have two sons, Ben (12) and Jake (9). What was the last book you read? The last book I read was Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller. I am currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird with my son, and it is even better than I remembered. What has been the highlight of your career? The highlight of my career so far has been being a part of the opening of the Portland office of Troutman Sanders. Our energy clients are delighted that we now have an office here, and I am excited to watch the office grow. What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? Find the right balance for you between work and family, and understand that doing so comes with tradeoffs. Over time, the right balance will continually shift and change as the demands of work and family shift and change. What is your favorite hobby? I love to read, so that is what I normally choose to do when I have some free time. I have recently taken up golf and snowboarding, and while I am currently terrible at both, they are activities my sons enjoy and I am determined to improve so we can enjoy these sports together as they get older. What was something that changed your life? I was diagnosed last fall with a tumor on my pituitary gland, and had surgery to remove it. I am healthy and fine now, but experiencing a health scare was a good reminder to keep my priorities straight and remember to enjoy every day to the fullest. I was also reminded that you must not take good health for granted. What is your morning ritual? With two young kids, my morning ritual is generally focused on getting the boys fed, dressed and off to school. I like to get up early and read the paper with a cup of coffee before anyone else is awake, so I suppose that would be my morning ritual. Even when I have an early flight, I try to give myself enough time to quickly read the paper with a cup of coffee.
		Andrea Farley Atlanta Partner Mergers Acquisitions and Business Ventures Andrea Farley is the Deputy Practice Group Leader in the Mergers, Acquisitions and Business Ventures Practice Group in Atlanta. She joined the firm as an associate in 1997 and became a partner in 2004. She specializes in the representation of public and private companies in negotiating a variety of corporate reorganization transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. She is a member of the Of Counsel Review Committee and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have two children: Grant, who is 4, and Margot, who is 1. What has been your favorite vacation? Two stand out to me. Of all the places my husband and I have travelled together, our favorite vacation is still San Francisco/ Point Reyes/ Napa Valley, which we did almost 10 years ago. We are determined to make that trip again! My other favorite was a family vacation with all of my family at the beach in South Carolina, which my husband nicknamed “Camp Farley” for all the outdoor activities we would do every day and our inability to sit still. Who has been your legal mentor? There are several that come to mind. Having worked my whole career at Troutman Sanders, I have been very fortunate to work in an environment where mentorship (whether formal or informal) is valued. Jim Smith, who recently retired, taught me as a very young attorney the importance of “doing my homework” and being ready for the follow-up question that you didn’t think would be asked. Brink Dickerson used every transaction as a teaching opportunity to encourage me to go beyond my comfort zone as well as to think creatively as to how to best advise the client. Finally, Steve Lewis instilled in me the importance of taking charge of my own career and the importance of passing along lessons I learned to others. How do you give back to the community? I have found that if you get involved with something that you enjoy and has meaning to you, it doesn’t feel like you’re giving back as you get more from the activity than you give. Anything involving kids has tremendous meaning to me and so I’m on the Board of Directors of the local YMCA as well as involved with our church and its outreach programs for disadvantaged children. What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? It’s the same as I give to all associates beginning their careers – first, focus on learning your practice area. If you don’t do great work no other advice someone gives you will matter. Second, actively take charge of your career; don’t sit back and let others define what that is or should be. Cultivate as many mentors as you can as every person you encounter has something to offer – you just have to be looking for it. What has been the highlight of your career? There are a lot of transactions, big and small, that stand out to me either for the difficulty (and therefore the great satisfaction) of getting completed or the lessons I learned. However, recently being named Section Chief for the Corporate Section beginning January 1, 2011, and being responsible for almost 150 of our Corporate attorneys is probably the highlight of my career. I am very excited and humbled by the opportunity. We have a history of very talented and experienced Section Chiefs at Troutman Sanders so I have big shoes to fill!
		Eileen Bower Chicago Partner Insurance & Reinsurance Eileen Bower is a partner in the Insurance & Reinsurance Practice Group in Chicago. She began her career in 1988 and joined Troutman Sanders as part of the merger with Ross, Dixon & Bell in 2009. Her practice focuses on representing insurers in high-exposure, complex insurance coverage disputes arising under various liability policies. She is currently a member of the Recruiting Committee in our Chicago office. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have three children, one girl and two boys. My daughter Kelly is 17, my son Mike is 16 and my son Liam is 13. What was the last book you read? Twilight (my daughter loves the vampire series and I wanted to understand the attraction). What has been the highlight of your career? I argued an appeal before the Nebraska Supreme Court this year in a case that has been pending since 2002 and that I tried in 2007. The case involved many significant issues of first impression. I worked closely with in-house lawyers from the client to prepare for oral argument. The prep was intense, but well worth it. The argument went very well and we obtained a great result. What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? Maintain balance in your life. A legal career can be demanding, stressful and incredibly time consuming. It is important to balance professional life with outside interests and relationships. In order to maintain the right balance, at certain times I have had to adjust my career goals and expectations. I try to remember that a legal career is a lifetime pursuit, and I will have many years to reach my professional goals. What is the best advice from your mother or father? My mother and father grew up in Ireland and came to the U.S. in the 1950s because they could not find work in Ireland. My father started his own construction business, which he ran with my mother for many years. My parents always told me that I was lucky to live in this country because it is the land of opportunity and I could achieve anything here if I work hard enough. They were right. What is the best career advice you got and the best career advice you give? When I graduated from law school, someone advised me that I should focus on positions that provide the best opportunities for getting experience, not necessarily the positions that offer the highest starting salaries. I would give that advice to a young lawyer today. It is hard to look beyond starting salaries, especially if you have hefty student loans. While some large firms may provide great opportunities to new lawyers, I found smaller firms and government agencies provide incredible opportunities for young lawyers.
		Monique Fuentes Orange County Partner D&O and Professional Liability Monique Fuentes is a partner in the D&O and Professional Liability Practice Group in Orange County. She began her career in 1999 as an associate at Ross, Dixon & Bell and joined Troutman Sanders as part of the merger with the firm in 2009. Her practice focuses on representing corporations, real estate developers, and some of the nation’s largest insurance companies in disputes involving commercial contracts, employment matters, business torts, and insurance coverage issues. She is currently a member of the firm’s California Recruiting Committee. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I am pregnant with my first child. I am due in December. What is your favorite hobby? I love to travel. My ventures have taken me from Uruguay to Thailand to New Zealand. I love meeting the locals and try to integrate myself into the cultures as much as possible. How do you give back to the community? When I began my career 11 years ago, I received my first paycheck and wanted to do something meaningful with it. I “adopted” a family with four children who live in a trailer park. After getting to know them for a few years, I organized fundraisers to buy them a new trailer home. And, each year, I buy them new school clothes and try to make Christmas extra special. Who has been your legal mentor? Terry McInnis. Terry is the Deputy Practice Group Leader for the D&O Insurance Group. Terry has helped me to develop professionally since I was a first-year attorney. His guidance and mentoring have helped shape my career. What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? Be true to yourself and sing your praises when others fail to do so. What keeps you organized? I was born with an “organized” gene which I inherited from my mother. There is no paper on my desk – I have a binder for every case.

		Tricia Kerner Raleigh Partner Complex Litigation How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have two sons – one 14, and 18. My youngest has just started high school, and my oldest has just started college at Appalachian State University. What has been the highlight of your career? Right now I have the honor of representing seven supervisory police personnel in what is known as the “Duke Lacrosse” case. The case raises fascinating legal issues, and I am proud to be in the position to represent people who devote their lives to protecting others. What was your first job? Selling shoes at the mall…it was the beginning of a lifelong addiction! What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? You are in charge of your career. Approach it with passion. While your law firm may set certain goals for you, those are a minimum. Seek out mentors and opportunities to learn and to grow. What is your favorite hobby? I love gardening. Getting out and digging in the dirt seems to take the stress away, and I love the results! Who has been your legal mentor? My partner, Gary Parsons. In addition to teaching me everything I know about the practical aspects of trying a case, Gary gave me the room to be creative, to be myself, and to grow.
		Margaret Campbell Atlanta Partner Environmental & Natural Resources Margaret Campbell is a partner in the Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group in Atlanta. She joined the firm as a lateral associate in 1994 and became a partner in 1999. Her practice focuses on issues arising under the Clean Air Act and state air quality statutes and includes clean air policy advocacy, regulatory counseling, advice in corporate transactions, and litigation, including enforcement defense. She has served on the Atlanta Office Recruiting Committee, the firm-wide Hiring Committee, and the Associate Review Committee. She is currently the Chair of the Of Counsel Review Committee and the Women’s Forum Committee and she serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. How many children do you have and what are their ages? My husband, John, and I have two children, Anna, 9 and Charles, 6. What was the last book you read? I am just finishing Three Cups of Tea. I still read to my kids every night, so I read lots and lots of children’s books. Who has been your legal mentor? I have had a few but the best has been and still is Dan Reinhardt, who I can always count on to give me good advice, honest feedback and remind me to keep my sense of humor. What is the best advice from your mother or father? My parents have given me great advice over the years, but the best advice was from my grandfather. In his toast to John and me at our rehearsal dinner he said, “You have to work hard to be happy.” Whether it’s your marriage or your career -- happiness does not just come to you; it requires attention and effort to make it happen. How do you give back to the community? I try to stay involved in at least one organization that has some relevance to my interests and/or my practice. For example, for a few years I helped with the children’s choir at my church; one year, I helped raised money for Piedmont Park; and another year I helped raise money for a candidate for governor who I strongly supported. Currently, I serve on the board of trustees of the Georgia Conservancy. How do you manage the demands of work and family? That is always a work in progress. It requires a lot of thought and good communication at work and at home. I have tried to be realistic about my expectations, and I think my family is also realistic and supportive of my career. We don’t expect to have perfect balance all the time; it’s more like a see-saw. Sometimes, my work requires time that would normally be family time. At the same time, work is flexible enough that I can attend important school and sports events and otherwise be involved in my kids’ lives. I have also learned from experience that it’s essential to have very reliable and flexible childcare.
		Sonia Bain New York Partner Real Estate Investments Sonia Bain is a partner in the Real Estate Investments Practice Group in New York. She joined the firm as a lateral associate in 2005 and became a partner in 2007. Her practice focuses on commercial real estate transactions and includes the representation of real estate owners, retailers, landlords and tenants in connection with the acquisitions, dispositions, ground and space leases, financing and leasing of commercial properties. She currently is a member of the New York Recruiting Committee and serves on the Diversity Committee. How many children do you have and what are their ages? Two boys, Caleb, 4, and Janak, 1. What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? Recognize that men and women face many differences in the challenges to a successful legal career, but that is okay, we are different. However, such differences do not necessarily mean limitations to your career growth. Men and women make different sacrifices and different choices. The path to a successful career is definitely not a straight line for anyone. What is your favorite hobby? Dreaming about finding time to enjoy my favorite hobby! It used to be reading, painting, traveling, yoga – I don’t have much free time to do much of any except reading on a subway ride here and there. What is the best career advice you got and the best career advice you give? Focus on the law and polish your skills as a young lawyer – and then market them and yourself as you climb the years. How do you give back to the community? I smile a lot … and pledge and work with various charities such as the March of Dimes. What was something that changed your life? Nothing changes your life like becoming a parent and so far, nothing in my life has compared.
		Amie Colby Washington DC Partner Energy Amie Colby is a partner in the Energy Practice Group in Washington, D.C. She joined the firm as a summer associate in 1998 and became a partner in 2007. Her practice focuses on issues related to the regulation of electric utilities primarily focusing on providing advice and counsel on issues before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. She currently is a member of the Washington, D.C. Recruiting Committee and serves on the Women's Forum Committee. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have two children: a son, 6, and a daughter, 3. What has been the highlight of your career? I have been very fortunate in my career to work with a wonderful team of lawyers. As at team, we have had many successes with and for our clients. While these large projects are exciting, I find that some of the most rewarding work I do is in the day-to-day advice I provide clients on regulatory issues relating to electric utilities. What is your favorite hobby? Cooking. I thoroughly enjoy reading recipes and cook books, watching cooking shows and trying out and combining recipes. Sometimes my creations are keepers and sometimes, well, we order out. Who has been your legal mentor? My colleague Cliff Sikora. Cliff has not only taught me the ins and outs of the electric business, but he has also taught me how to be a smart, diligent and creative lawyer. As the co-leader of the Energy Practice Group, Cliff has many demands on his time. However, he never fails to make me a better lawyer. What was something that changed your life? The arrival of my son and daughter. They have both brought such tremendous joy into my life. They have in many ways made me more organized (more to do so I have to be on top of things), possibly more scatterbrained (more to do and sometimes I catch myself coming and going – or just repeating myself), and have made me appreciate the simple pleasures found in each day. What advice do you have for a woman beginning her legal career? Be in charge of your career and do not sit back and let others make decisions for you. Be proactive, kind and face each day with humor.