How I Made Partner: 'Don’t Wait to Make Partner to Start Acting Like a Partner,' Says Michele Cerezo-Natal of Mayer Brown

How long have you been at the firm?

Since August 2020

What was your criteria in selecting your current firm?

People, people, people—it was most important for me to be somewhere with people that I could be myself around, and lawyers with whom I would want to work closely. Of course, it was also important to be somewhere that I could develop my practice.

Were you an associate at another firm before joining your present firm? If so, which one and how long were you there?

Before joining Mayer Brown, I was a senior in-house lawyer at a large global financial institution.

What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in making you partner? Was it your performance on a specific case? A personality trait? Making connections with the right people?

I think the firm made me a partner because I was already operating like one. I was developing business, thinking strategically about my practice area, and taking leadership roles at the firm.

Who had or has the greatest influence in your career and why?

I think my greatest influence was my first mentor, Kathleen Massey, a litigation partner (currently with Dechert). When I was a junior associate, Kathleen took an interest in my development, put me in front of clients, and encouraged me. She talked me up to other partners and to clients. Kathleen was also the first female attorney I knew who had a child, and it was inspiring to see a female partner pursue a family life while continuing to be respected and distinguished. Most importantly, I’ve had a number of mentors since Kathleen and all of them had (and continue to have) a role in contributing to my career, for which I am tremendously appreciative.

What advice would you give an associate who wants to make partner?

Don’t wait to make partner to start acting like a partner. Talk to the partners that you work with to understand their roles and responsibilities. Consider what leadership roles you can take on as an associate that will demonstrate your investment in the firm.

When it comes to career planning and navigating inside a law firm, in your opinion, what’s the most common mistake you see other attorneys making?

Being siloed. Staying in your practice area and/or your office. It’s important to collaborate with those in other practice groups and offices. Your colleagues—both associates and partners—in other groups are a great source of work as well as a great way for you to understand the different practice areas at the firm.

What challenges, if any, did you face or had to overcome in your career path and what was the lesson learned? How did it affect or influence your career?

My path to partnership had a number of twists and turns which made it longer than most. I was an associate at another firm when I first had my two daughters. Even though I had aspirations of making partner, I made the decision to leave big law for an in-house role thinking it was more conducive for what I wanted for my family. And it was, for over 10 years. However, over that time I had a number of different roles and responsibilities. My career grew in lots of unexpected ways. Ultimately, I decided to return to a law firm as counsel with the idea of making partner. Balancing family and work is a common challenge but there is not a single way to handle it.

Knowing what you know now about your career path, what advice would you give to your younger self?

I would tell myself that career decisions are not necessarily bilateral. There are lots of different ways to get to where you want to be.

How would you describe your work mindset?

My work mindset is being productive and connected. I want to accomplish as much as I can and be sure to do the things I said I would. Committing to actions and following through are critical. In addition, working with and for others is a strong motivator for me. Connecting with people makes me happy and a better lawyer. I want to do my best for our clients. I also want to help develop and mentor our associates. And, I want to know and learn from my colleagues.

If you participate in firm or industry initiatives, please mention the initiatives you are working on as well as the impact you hope to achieve.

I sit on Mayer Brown’s New York Office DEI Steering Committee where I have the opportunity to lead various DEI initiatives. As a Latina who is the first in her family to attend college, I see significant value in pursuing diversity and diverse talent. I’m also the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the NYC Bar Association, whose mission is to “equip and mobilize a diverse legal profession to practice with excellence, promote reform of the law, and uphold the rule of law and access to justice in support of a fair society and the public interest in our community, our nation, and throughout the world.”

Reprinted with permission from the June 5, 2024 edition of Law.com © 2024 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited.